HEAD-TO-HEAD · 30-YEAR ROI

University of Idaho vs Boise State University

Boise State University clears +$1.48M in 30-year net value, University of Idaho +$1.25M — both pay off, Boise State University by +$230K.

Two ID public flagships, priced the way an in-state student actually pays. Same state, same residency — so the only thing moving the number is the school.

IPEDS 2023 tuition · FREOPP 2021 earnings · BEA 2023 cost-of-living · resident (in-state) pricing · same model as /worth-it · both schools NPV-positive.

University of Idaho · Moscow, ID

30-year net value
+$1.25M
Total cost of attendance
$76,784
Median earnings · 10 yrs out
$51,482
Breaks even by age
48

Boise State University · Boise, ID

clears more

30-year net value
+$1.48M
Total cost of attendance
$101,568
Median earnings · 10 yrs out
$56,153
Breaks even by age
43
How this is computed (and what it isn’t)

Each school runs through the /worth-it model at its resident tuition rate, with the same loan assumptions, the same 30-year horizon, and each state’s own cost-of-living. The “30-year net value” is the projected accumulated value of the degree over that horizon, in real dollars — the same figure the calculator headlines.

We only publish pairs where both schools clear positive net value, so the comparison is “both pay off, one clears more,” never “this school is a bad bet.” Earnings are rolled up from at least three FREOPP programs per school (ADR-0032), so a single high-earning major can’t distort the number.

Cite this:

LE TEEN (2026). “University of Idaho vs Boise State University: 30-year ROI head-to-head.” Data: IPEDS 2023 · FREOPP 2021 · BEA 2023. https://le-teen.com/compare/idaho-vs-boise-state

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Questions

Is University of Idaho or Boise State University a better return on investment?
On a 30-year net-value basis at resident (in-state) pricing, Boise State University clears +$1.48M and University of Idaho +$1.25M — both are solidly positive, so neither is a bad bet; Boise State University comes out ahead by +$230K. Figures from IPEDS 2023 tuition, FREOPP 2021 earnings, and BEA 2023 cost-of-living, run through the same model as the LE TEEN calculator.
How much more does Boise State University pay off than University of Idaho?
About +$230K over a 30-year horizon (+$1.48M vs +$1.25M in projected net value). That gap reflects each school's net price and its graduates' median earnings — not a judgment that either degree fails to pay off, since both clear positive.
What is the 30-year net value of a degree from University of Idaho?
+$1.25M at resident (in-state) pricing — total cost of attendance $76,784, median earnings ten years out $51,482, breaking even around age 48. Run your own assumptions on the /worth-it calculator.