Idaho
Student Access & Success
Idaho receives a failing grade for four-years institutions in this area. Although the state is near the top for the percentage of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants, Idaho is near the bottom for credentials produced per 100 full-time equivalent undergraduates, completion rate, and retention rate. The state’s two-year institutions receive an average grade, with a relatively high percentage of Pell recipients but a low retention rate.
Efficiency & Cost-Effectiveness
Idaho’s four-year cost per completion ($76,169) ranks near the bottom 10 states while the two-year cost per completion ($64,759) is in the bottom third of all states nationally. State and local funding per completion also ranks in the bottom 10 states for both sectors, at $56,397 for four-years and $49,915 for two-years.
Meeting Labor Market Demand
The median wage of an Idaho bachelor’s degree holder is approximately $15,600 (or 51%) more than the median wage of a high school graduate; the overall unemployment rate for a bachelor’s degree holder is about 4 points lower. The median wage of an associate’s degree holder is approximately $5,100 (or 17%) more than the median wage of a high school graduate; the overall unemployment rate is about 2 points lower.
Transparency & Accountability
Idaho receives low scores in this area with average consumer information and public accountability resources. The state does not measure student learning or labor market outcomes.
Policy Environment
The Idaho strategic plan is designed for both its K–12 and higher education systems, but it nevertheless has numeric targets and includes goals for efficiency. Students who complete an associate’s degree at any Idaho community college are considered juniors if they transfer to an Idaho four-year institution. The state does not have an outcomes-based funding system, contributing to its overall average grade.
Innovation
Idaho did not include a goal to advance online learning in its state goals, but the Idaho E-Campus provides students with access to information about online offerings at seven state campuses. Regarding new providers, Idaho is unlikely to assert regulatory jurisdiction over online providers, and the state features minimal financial and approval process burdens, resulting in a very high mark.
Report Card
Compare with
Four-Year Institutions
ID Nat'l| Student Access & Success | F |
|---|
| Percentage of Pell Grant Recipients | 43.5 | 30.8 |
|---|---|---|
| Retention Rate | 67.0 | 77.9 |
| Completion Rate | 35.8 | 54.5 |
| Completions per 100 FTE Students | 16.5 | 19.7 |
| Risk-Adjusted Completion Points (5-point Scale) | 2 | |
| Complete College America | * |
| Efficiency & Cost-Effectiveness | F |
|---|
| Cost Per Completion | $76,169 | $68,140 |
|---|---|---|
| State and Local Funding Per Completion | $56,397 | $41,198 |
| State, Local, and Tuition Funding Per Completion | $89,564 | $76,932 |
| Cost Per Completion and Public Funding Combined Measure (5-point scale) | 1 |
| Meeting Labor Market Demand | D |
|---|
| BA vs. HS Wage Gap (Overall) | $15,557 | $17,881 |
|---|---|---|
| BA vs. HS Wage Ratio (Overall) | 151.2 | 156.0 |
| BA vs. HS Wage Gap (25–34) | $9,655 | $12,703 |
| BA vs. HS Wage Ratio (25–34) | 135.3 | 149.9 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (Overall) | 3.8 | 4.0 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (Overall) | 2.0 | 2.1 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (25–34) | 5.5 | 7.1 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (25–34) | 2.9 | 2.9 |
| Transparency & Accountability | D |
|---|
| Transparency—Public Accountability (5-point Scale) | 3.5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency—Consumer Information (3-point Scale) | 1 | |
| Does the State Report Labor Market Outcomes? | false | |
| Labor Market Outcomes (4-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Does the State Report Student Learning Outcomes? | false | |
| Student Learning Outcomes (3-point Scale) | 0 |
Two-Year Institutions
ID Nat'l| Student Access & Success | C |
|---|
| Percentage of Pell Grant Recipients | 57.9 | 46.9 |
|---|---|---|
| Retention Rate | 55.0 | 58.6 |
| Completion Rate | 20.2 | 20.5 |
| Completions Per 100 FTE Undergraduates | 17.3 | 16.8 |
| Risk-Adjusted Completion Points (5-point Scale) | 3 |
| Efficiency & Cost-Effectiveness | D |
|---|
| Cost Per Completion | $64,759 | $57,210 |
|---|---|---|
| State and Local Funding Per Completion | $49,915 | $35,476 |
| State, Local, and Tuition Funding Per Completion | $64,870 | $52,512 |
| Cost Per Completion and Public Funding Combined MeasureCombined Measure (5-point Scale) | 2 |
| Meeting Labor Market Demand | F |
|---|
| AA vs. HS Wage Gap (Overall) | $5,064 | $8,545 |
|---|---|---|
| AA vs. HS Wage Ratio (Overall) | 116.7 | 126.1 |
| AA vs. HS Wage Gap (25–34) | $3,147 | $6,595 |
| AA vs. HS Wage Ratio (25–34) | 111.5 | 125.0 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (Overall) | 2.3 | 2.7 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (Overall) | 1.4 | 1.5 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (25–34) | 1.0 | 4.9 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (25–34) | 1.13 | 1.84 |
| Transparency & Accountability | F |
|---|
| Transparency—Public Accountability (5-point Scale) | 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency—Consumer Information (3-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Does the State Report Labor Market Outcomes? | false | |
| Labor Market Outcomes (4-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Does the State Report Student Learning Outcomes? | false | |
| Student Learning Outcomes (3-point Scale) | 0 |
State
ID Nat'l| Policy Environment | C |
|---|
| State Goals (6-point Scale) | 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Does the State Have Outcomes-Based Funding? | false | |
| Four-Year Outcomes-Based Funding (3-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Two-Years Outcomes-Based Funding (3-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Does the State Have a Credit Transfer Policy? | true | |
| Credit Transfer Policy (5-point Scale) | 2 |
| Innovation: Openness to Providers | A |
|---|
| Numerical Openness to New Providers Grade | 89% | |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory Jurisdiction | 100% | |
| Financial Burden | 87% | |
| Approval Process Burden | 80% |
| Innovation: Online Learning | C |
|---|
| Numerical Online Learning Grade | 42.9 | |
|---|---|---|
| Online Learning Score (7-point Scale) | 3 |
State Facts at a Glance
- Number of Public Four-Year Institutions 4
- Number of Public Two-Year Institutions 3
- Number of Students Served by Public Four-Year Institutions 35,684
- Number of Students Served by Public Two-Year Institutions 10,139