The best college in Idaho for 2027 is the University of Idaho in Moscow, followed by Boise State University and Lewis-Clark State College. This list covers 13 schools, from research universities and faith-based colleges to online and career-focused options, and each prepares students for different careers.
Our order follows the UM World University Rankings methodology and our university rankings. Cost matters, too: The College Board publishes average tuition by state, and our guide to understanding college tuition and fees helps you read the numbers.
The Best Online Colleges in Idaho 2027
1. University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the state’s land-grant university and a public R1 research university in Moscow. It was established in 1889 and opened for classes in 1892. The 1,585-acre main campus sits on the Palouse near the Washington border, and about 12,400 students attend.
Ten colleges and one school cover agriculture, engineering, natural resources, business, and more, and the College of Law has operated since 1909, with a second campus in Boise. The library is the state’s largest, with over 1.4 million items. The Vandals compete in Division I in the Big Sky Conference. Branch campuses are in Boise, Coeur d’Alene and Idaho Falls.
2. Boise State University
Boise State University began in 1932 as Boise Junior College, founded by the Episcopal Church. It became a public university in 1974 and now has a 285-acre campus on the south bank of the Boise River, near downtown. About 28,500 students attend, the largest of any university in the state.
Seven colleges and schools span engineering, innovation, and design, and Micron Technology donated $25 million to build the Micron Center for Materials Research. It is an R2 research university and has the largest graduate enrollment in Idaho. The Broncos play Division I FBS football on the blue turf, installed in 1986 as the country’s first non-green field.
3. Lewis-Clark State College
Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston began in 1893 as the Lewiston State Normal School and took its current name in 1971. It also has a campus in Coeur d’Alene and offers more than 130 degrees. About 4,000 students attend.
The Warriors compete in the NAIA Cascade Collegiate Conference, and the baseball team has won 19 NAIA national championships since 1984. The college has hosted the NAIA World Series at Harris Field since 2000. In April 2025, the state board approved a request to rebrand it as Lewis-Clark State University, pending legislation. The Warriors field twelve varsity sports, and alumni include TV writer Bryan Fuller and MLB pitcher Keith Foulke.
4. Northwest Nazarene University
Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa is a private Church of the Nazarene university founded in 1913 as the Idaho Holiness School. It took its current name in 1999 and sits on a 90-acre suburban campus. About 1,800 students attend, and it has branch campuses in Boise, Twin Falls, and Idaho Falls.
It offers over 60 bachelor’s programs, 11 master’s programs, a Ph.D. and a Psy.D. in clinical psychology, and online degrees. The NWCCU has been accredited since 1930. The Nighthawks compete in NCAA Division II and were called the Crusaders until 2017. Alumni include NASA astronaut Richard Hieb. It is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.
5. Idaho State University
Idaho State University in Pocatello opened in 1902 as the Academy of Idaho and became a university in 1963. The campus covers about 1,000 acres and includes additional locations in Boise, Meridian, Idaho Falls, and Twin Falls. About 12,600 students attend.
ISU offers more than 250 programs, and its Kasiska Division of Health Sciences houses most of Idaho’s health professional programs, including the College of Pharmacy. It is classified R2 for research. The Bengals compete in Division I FCS, and the football team won the 1981 NCAA Division I-AA championship. The student-teacher ratio is 13:1. Alumni include U.S. Senator James A. McClure and NFL player Jared Allen.
6. Brigham Young University-Idaho
Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It began in 1888 as Bannock Stake Academy and became a four-year school in 2001. The 400-acre campus overlooks the Snake River Valley, and about 45,600 students enrolled in fall 2024.
A three-semester track system lets students plan their year, and the school offers 102 bachelor’s degrees and 22 associate degrees. Tuition is lower than at comparable universities, largely because of church funding. Students follow an honour code. It has intramurals and student activities instead of intercollegiate athletics. The BYU-Idaho Center seats 15,000, and Olympic gold medalist Rulon Gardner is an alumnus.
7. The College of Idaho
The College of Idaho is a private liberal arts college in Caldwell, founded in 1891 by William Judson Boone with the Wood River Presbytery. It is described as the state’s oldest private liberal arts college and has about 1,085 students.
It offers 30 undergraduate majors and four graduate programs, and its PEAK curriculum, started in 2010, gave students a major and three minors. A new Do More in Four curriculum begins in 2025-2026. Eight alumni have been Rhodes Scholars, and the Coyotes compete in the NAIA. Alumni include NBA Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor and three governors. The campus has been at its current site since 1910.
8. New Saint Andrews College
New Saint Andrews College in Moscow is a private, classical Christian college founded in 1994 by Christ Church. Its Reformed identity shapes a single integrated liberal arts curriculum built on great books, with no undergraduate majors.
It offers associate and bachelor’s degrees in liberal arts and culture, plus a master’s in Trinitarian theology and culture. NWCCU received full accreditation in July 2023. About 270 undergraduate FTE students attend, with new enrollment capped at 105 a year. The campus is in downtown buildings, including the 1892 Skattaboe Block. By board policy, it has no dormitories or food services, offers intramural sports instead of NCAA teams, and names its halls after battles: Jericho, Ashdown and Malta.
9. Eagle Gate College – Boise
Eagle Gate College is a private for-profit college focused on health careers. Its Boise campus opened in 2019, and it also has campuses in Idaho Falls, Murray, and Layton, Utah. Unitek Learning has owned it since 2020.
Programs include medical assisting, practical nursing, and a CCNE-accredited Bachelor of Science in Nursing, plus a Master of Science in Nursing added in 2020. ABHES accredits the college, and it has a chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau nursing honour society. Online programs are also available, so confirm which format fits you. The Murray, Utah campus reported 313 students in 2025.
10. Provo College-Idaho Falls Campus
Provo College is a private for-profit school based in Provo, Utah, founded in 1984 as Dental Careers Institute. A non-main campus opened in Idaho Falls in 2019, though reference profiles say it was later renamed Eagle Gate College, so confirm before you apply.
Provo College offers Practical Nursing, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Physical Therapist Assistant associate degree, and ABHES accredits it. The CCNE accredits the BSN, and CAPTE accredits the PTA program. It is part of Unitek Learning, the same healthcare education group that owns Eagle Gate College. About 88% of its students were women in 2024.
11. Boise Bible College
Boise Bible College is a private, non-denominational Christian college in Garden City, near Boise. It started in 1945 as part of First Church of Christ in Boise and became independent in 1974. About 125 students attend, roughly half of them living on campus.
It offers two-year and four-year degrees in Christian ministry, education and psychology. The Association for Biblical Higher Education accredits the college. Scott Lerwick became its 11th president in September 2024, and under former president Terry Stine, who took office in 2007, the college became debt-free. Charles Crane’s tenure from 1990 to 2007 saw enrollment roughly triple.
12. BYU-Pathway Worldwide
BYU-Pathway Worldwide grew out of PathwayConnect, a one-year, reduced-cost online program BYU-Idaho launched in 2009. It became BYU-Pathway Worldwide in 2017 and serves about 75,000 students in more than 180 countries, with headquarters in Salt Lake City.
Courses are online, and students also meet weekly in groups, online or at local church facilities. BYU-Idaho and Ensign College develop and award its certificates and degrees. Since April 2024, the university has offered bachelor’s degrees of 90 to 96 credits, and tuition is much lower than at comparable schools. There is no enrollment cap. About 68% of students live outside the U.S., mostly in Nigeria, Ghana and the Philippines.
13. Boise State University Online
Boise State University Online lets students earn Boise State credentials without moving to campus. The university offers 29 degrees and certificates fully online, and Extended Studies runs regional programs in several Idaho locations.
Online students study under the same university that enrolls about 28,500 students and has the largest graduate enrollment in Idaho. Boise State partners with Harvard Business School on an online business fundamentals program. The flexible format suits working adults and anyone who can’t be on campus. For more options, see our guide to the best online colleges in Idaho. The Boise campus has more than 170 buildings and 1,504 faculty.
Why Study in Idaho?
Idaho offers mountains, forests and rivers close to campus, which suits students who like the outdoors. Major industries include agriculture, technology and health care, so graduates have local career paths.
Many students also like the small-community feel at schools outside Boise. Compare tuition, housing and aid for each school before you apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best college in Idaho?
The University of Idaho in Moscow is first on our 2027 list, followed by Boise State University and Lewis-Clark State College. The University of Idaho is the state’s land-grant university and an R1 research university.
What is the largest university in Idaho?
Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg reported about 45,600 students in fall 2024, and Boise State University reported about 28,500. BYU-Idaho counts online students in its total.
What are the best online colleges in Idaho?
Boise State University offers 29 degrees and certificates fully online. BYU-Pathway Worldwide is an online program that awards certificates and degrees through BYU-Idaho and Ensign College.
Which Idaho colleges are faith-based?
Northwest Nazarene University (Church of the Nazarene), Brigham Young University-Idaho (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), New Saint Andrews College (classical Christian), and Boise Bible College (non-denominational Christian).
Which Idaho college has won the most baseball titles?
Lewis-Clark State College, whose baseball team has won 19 NAIA national championships since 1984 and hosts the NAIA World Series.
What is the oldest private liberal arts college in Idaho?
The College of Idaho in Caldwell, founded in 1891.
Top 13 Best Colleges in Idaho 2027: Ranked List
- University of Idaho
- Boise State University
- Lewis-Clark State College
- Northwest Nazarene University
- Idaho State University
- Brigham Young University-Idaho
- The College of Idaho
- New Saint Andrews College
- Eagle Gate College – Boise
- Provo College-Idaho Falls Campus
- Boise Bible College
- BYU-Pathway Worldwide
- Boise State University Online
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