2026 Best Value General Education Schools in Idaho

[General Education](/majors/education/general-education/education-general/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value general education schools.
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2026 Best Value General Education Schools in Idaho
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Education Schools
Our analysis ranked Brigham Young University Idaho the best value for a degree in general education in Idaho. Set in the town of Rexburg, Brigham Young University Idaho is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,800. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $13,287. General Education graduates of Brigham Young University Idaho earn a median of $43,853 early in their careers. Set against $13,287 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Lewis Clark State College one of the best values for general education. Located in the city of Lewiston, Lewis Clark State College is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $7,610 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $22,028. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $23,781. General Education graduates of Lewis Clark State College earn a median of $44,496 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,781 median debt. Lewis Clark State College admits about 88% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Idaho one of the best values for general education. University Of Idaho is a large public school located in the town of Moscow. Students from in state pay about $9,084 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $28,320. Students borrow a median of $23,844 to complete the general education program here. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from University Of Idaho generally make around $43,246. That is a strong return on a $23,844 median debt. The acceptance rate is 76%.
Students looking for strong value in general education will find it at Idaho State University, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Pocatello, Idaho State University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,610, while out-of-state students pay about $27,720. General Education graduates carry a median of $24,640 in student loans. General Education graduates of Idaho State University earn a median of $51,446 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in general education will find it at Boise State University, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Boise, Boise State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,048, with out-of-state students paying around $27,788. General Education graduates carry a median of $24,311 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from Boise State University generally make around $49,059. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.