University of Idaho: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Boise, Idaho · Public · Open access · CDS 2024-2025
University of Idaho is a public university in Boise, Idaho that admits about 84% of applicants, making it a open access school. The average family pays about $19,182 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions and Business/Commerce, General, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 59% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 2.1 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
University of Idaho is a public institution located in Boise, Idaho. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of Idaho admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 84%. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $19,182 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of Idaho is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for University of Idaho?
University of Idaho has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does University of Idaho weight in admissions?
University of Idaho reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Academic GPA
- • Standardized test scores
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Talent/ability
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Class rank
- • Interview
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Character/personal qualities
- • First generation status
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores University of Idaho typically admits
Many applicants to schools in this tier submit test scores, though the policy varies by year — check the latest test-optional status before deciding.
| 25th percentile | 960 |
| 50th percentile | — |
| 75th percentile | 1180 |
| % submitting SAT | 49% |
| 25th percentile | 20 |
| 50th percentile | — |
| 75th percentile | 26 |
| % submitting ACT | 5% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
How much does University of Idaho actually cost?
Published tuition is $8,782 for in-state students and $26,976 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $16,610 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $19,182 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 18% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | — |
| Room and board | — |
| Average net price (after aid) | $19,182 |
| Application fee | $50 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for University of Idaho
| Regular deadline | 8/1 |
| Reply deadline | 5/1 |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
Will my child graduate from University of Idaho?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Most popular majors at University of Idaho
The most popular undergraduate programs at University of Idaho, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions and Business/Commerce, General. Across all programs, University of Idaho confers roughly 1,904 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing program report a median income of about $82,246 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 509 | $82,246 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 291 | $76,056 |
| Business/Commerce, General | 209 | $59,854 |
| Psychology, General | 193 | $45,664 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 183 | $54,946 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 181 | $67,814 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | 180 | $59,941 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | 158 | $53,063 |
Is University of Idaho safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), University of Idaho disclosed 38 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 2.1 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 8 violent offenses and 10 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
Other colleges in Idaho parents ask about
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of Idaho
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of Idaho recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about University of Idaho
What GPA do I need for University of Idaho?
University of Idaho has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.
What SAT or ACT score does University of Idaho typically admit?
University of Idaho does not publish standardized test ranges in the most recent reporting cycle. Test-optional policies have made scores less universally required, but submitting strong scores still helps when available.
How much does University of Idaho actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Idaho after grants and scholarships is $19,182 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is University of Idaho realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, University of Idaho is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at University of Idaho?
University of Idaho accepts about 84% of applicants out of roughly 16,082 who apply each year. It admits the majority of qualified applicants.
Is University of Idaho test-optional?
Yes. University of Idaho is test-optional, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at University of Idaho?
About 59% of students at University of Idaho graduate within six years. 79% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does University of Idaho look for in applicants?
University of Idaho rates GPA as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is University of Idaho a public or private school, and where is it located?
University of Idaho is a public institution located in Boise, Idaho.
What are the most popular majors at University of Idaho?
The largest undergraduate majors at University of Idaho by annual graduates are Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions and Business/Commerce, General. The school awards about 1,904 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is University of Idaho safe? What is its campus crime rate?
University of Idaho reported 38 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 2.1 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by University of Idaho, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.