Over 900 US universities were ranked. You may be disappointed by Idaho’s representation

Shaun Goodwin
Darin Oswald/doswald@idahostatesman.com

The first early action deadline of the new college application year is quickly approaching on Nov. 1. Although being accepted to an institution of higher education through early action isn’t binding, it is a massive step for many high school students trying to figure out the next stage of their life.

Are you or your child thinking of attending a university or college in Idaho? The Gem State is home to 12 public universities and colleges and four private schools, but which are the best?

Personal finance website WalletHub has compiled a ranking of the best colleges and universities in the nation, including five Idaho institutions.

WalletHub separated the country into different regions, with Idaho falling under the west region. Before delving into the specifics of the rankings, these are the top five higher education institutions in Idaho and their order in the West out of 156.

  • College of Idaho - 35th

  • University of Idaho - 69th

  • Northwest Nazarene University - 102nd

  • Boise State University - 114th

  • Lewis-Clark State College - 148th

The top-ranked school in the west region, California Institute of Technology, ranks third nationwide, just behind first-place Massachusetts Institute of Technology and second-place Yale University.

Methodology

WalletHub compared 913 universities and colleges nationwide using seven key dimensions: student selectivity, cost and financing, faculty resources, campus safety, campus experience, educational outcomes, and career outcomes.

Source: WalletHub

Within those seven dimensions were 30 metrics, such as student loan debt (cost and financing), student-faculty ratio (faculty resources) and on-campus crime (campus safety). A score out of 100 was assigned to each school using the 30 metrics in a weighted calculation.

Data was compiled from the National Center for Education Statistics, The Council for Community and Economic Research, and the U.S. Department of Education, among other sources.

Breaking down the rankings

Although providing an overall score for all 913 institutions, WalletHub only broke down the rankings for the top 500. For the Gem State, that would include the College of Idaho (235th) and the University of Idaho (438th).

Here is where both schools ranked overall for each key metric:

College of Idaho - 235th

Overall score out of 100: 57.81

Student selectivity: 163rd

Cost and financing: 515th

Faculty resources: 319th

Campus safety: 856th

Campus experience: 495th

Education outcomes: 528th

Career outcomes: 546th

University of Idaho - 438th

Overall score out of 100: 54.7

Student selectivity: 556th

Cost and financing: 144th

Faculty resources: 585th

Campus safety: 231st

Campus experience: 485th

Education outcomes: 519th

Career outcomes: 490th

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