Idaho Trade Schools: Cost, Completion & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Trade schools in Idaho: 22 trade and vocational campuses (19 trade schools, 3 community colleges) median net price $18,788 (+32.2% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $25,945 (-25.8% vs U.S.) median completion rate 73.4% employment-outcome proxy 79.2% working & not enrolled at 8 years.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 22 campuses (19 trade schools, 3 community colleges)
- Total enrollment: 60,428 students
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $25,945 (-25.8% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 79.2% (-1.7 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $18,788 (+32.2% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $9,500 (-2.1% vs U.S. $9,699); regional median $9,500. Debt rank: #17 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #4 in Rocky Mountains of 5
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 73.4%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 85.6%
- Earnings rank: #51 nationally (higher median 10-yr earnings = better rank)
- Employment-outcome rank: #37 nationally (higher working share = better rank)
- Student debt rank: #17 nationally of 52; #4 in Rocky Mountains of 5 (lower debt = better rank)
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Full profile payload including top-college lists and peer comparisons.
Overview
Trade schools and vocational programs in Idaho include certificate-focused campuses and community colleges with career and technical education pathways. 22 campuses in this profile (19 trade schools, 3 community colleges), with about 60,428 students enrolled, and median net price near $18,788. Programs span healthcare, skilled trades, manufacturing, and other workforce credentials—tables below compare completion, earnings, and employment outcomes with U.S. and Rocky Mountains medians.
Idaho vs regional & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho (ID) | — | $18,788 | $9,500 | 73.4% | 60,428 |
| Rocky Mountains (region median) | — | $15,132 | $9,500 | 72.4% | 273,018 |
| United States | — | $14,215 | $9,699 | 63.3% | 5,490,315 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Idaho vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho (ID) | $25,945 | 79.2% | 85.6% | 9.3% | — | 59.0% | 0.32 |
| United States | $34,984 | 80.9% | 64.9% | 11.1% | — | 50.5% | 0.28 |
Idaho vs peer states (Rocky Mountains region)
Peer states are other campuses in the same Scorecard region, chosen by similar total enrollment.
| State | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho (ID) | N/A | $18,788 | $9,500 | 73.4% | 60,428 | $25,945 | 79.2% |
| Colorado (CO) | N/A | $15,132 | $9,500 | 72.4% | 67,707 | $38,868 | 80.3% |
| Wyoming (WY) | N/A | $9,346 | $8,622 | 51.8% | 11,739 | $40,706 | 83.8% |
| Montana (MT) | N/A | $10,405 | $11,000 | 44.7% | 4,885 | $30,528 | 82.6% |
| Utah (UT) | N/A | $16,134 | $9,250 | 83.6% | 128,259 | $35,032 | 77.5% |
| United States | N/A | $14,215 | $9,699 | 63.3% | 5,490,315 | $34,984 | 80.9% |
Outcomes by sector in Idaho
Median campus-level metrics within each ownership type (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit).
| Sector | Campuses | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working share (8 yr) | Retention | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private for-profit | 13 | $25,094 | 78.0% | N/A | 8.4% | — | 50.1% |
| Public | 4 | $40,916 | 85.5% | 100.0% | 17.8% | — | 61.6% |
Top 10 trade schools in Idaho by completion rate (150% time, certificate programs)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate among trade schools and community colleges in this profile (enrollment ≥ 50). Source: College Scorecard.
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Rank 1, Completion Rate, 100.0%, Premiere Aesthetics Institute-Meridian
Premiere Aesthetics Institute-Meridian
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Rank 2, Completion Rate, 94.1%, Austin Kade Academy
Austin Kade Academy
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Rank 3, Completion Rate, 90.5%, The Salon Professional Academy-Nampa
The Salon Professional Academy-Nampa
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Rank 4, Completion Rate, 88.9%, Aveda Institute-Boise
Aveda Institute-Boise
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Rank 5, Completion Rate, 88.1%, Oliver Finley Academy of Cosmetology
Oliver Finley Academy of Cosmetology
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Rank 6, Completion Rate, 87.3%, Evans Hairstyling College-Rexburg
Evans Hairstyling College-Rexburg
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Rank 7, Completion Rate, 85.7%, Nathan Layne Institute of Cosmetology
Nathan Layne Institute of Cosmetology
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Rank 8, Completion Rate, 84.7%, Paul Mitchell the School-Rexburg
Paul Mitchell the School-Rexburg
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Rank 9, Completion Rate, 73.4%, Paul Mitchell the School-Boise
Paul Mitchell the School-Boise
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Rank 10, Completion Rate, 73.0%, Aveda Institute-Twin Falls
Aveda Institute-Twin Falls
Top 10 trade schools in Idaho by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 88.8%, College of Eastern Idaho
College of Eastern Idaho
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 86.3%, College of Southern Idaho
College of Southern Idaho
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 84.7%, College of Western Idaho
College of Western Idaho
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 83.9%, Headmasters School of Hair Design
Headmasters School of Hair Design
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 82.9%, North Idaho College
North Idaho College
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Rank 6, Employment Outcome, 80.0%, Aveda Institute-Boise
Aveda Institute-Boise
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Rank 7, Employment Outcome, 79.5%, Paul Mitchell the School-Boise
Paul Mitchell the School-Boise
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Rank 8, Employment Outcome, 79.5%, Paul Mitchell the School-Nampa
Paul Mitchell the School-Nampa
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Rank 9, Employment Outcome, 79.0%, The Salon Professional Academy-Nampa
The Salon Professional Academy-Nampa
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Rank 10, Employment Outcome, 78.0%, Oliver Finley Academy of Cosmetology
Oliver Finley Academy of Cosmetology
Top 10 trade schools in Idaho by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $40,447, Brigham Young University-Idaho
Brigham Young University-Idaho
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $37,934, College of Eastern Idaho
College of Eastern Idaho
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $35,642, College of Southern Idaho
College of Southern Idaho
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $35,528, College of Western Idaho
College of Western Idaho
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $34,391, North Idaho College
North Idaho College
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Rank 6, Mid-Career Earnings, $30,586, Headmasters School of Hair Design
Headmasters School of Hair Design
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Rank 7, Mid-Career Earnings, $24,008, Oliver Finley Academy of Cosmetology
Oliver Finley Academy of Cosmetology
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Rank 8, Mid-Career Earnings, $22,842, Boise Barber College
Boise Barber College
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Rank 9, Mid-Career Earnings, $22,004, Paul Mitchell the School-Boise
Paul Mitchell the School-Boise
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Rank 10, Mid-Career Earnings, $22,004, Paul Mitchell the School-Nampa
Paul Mitchell the School-Nampa
Top 10 trade schools in Idaho by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $47,240, Brigham Young University-Idaho
Brigham Young University-Idaho
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $40,589, College of Eastern Idaho
College of Eastern Idaho
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $38,151, College of Western Idaho
College of Western Idaho
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $37,676, College of Southern Idaho
College of Southern Idaho
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $35,585, North Idaho College
North Idaho College
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Rank 6, 8-Yr Earnings, $24,526, Paul Mitchell the School-Rexburg
Paul Mitchell the School-Rexburg
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Rank 7, 8-Yr Earnings, $24,136, Boise Barber College
Boise Barber College
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Rank 8, 8-Yr Earnings, $22,573, Headmasters School of Hair Design
Headmasters School of Hair Design
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Rank 9, 8-Yr Earnings, $22,411, Paul Mitchell the School-Boise
Paul Mitchell the School-Boise
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Rank 10, 8-Yr Earnings, $22,411, Paul Mitchell the School-Nampa
Paul Mitchell the School-Nampa
Top 10 trade schools in Idaho by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $53,406, Brigham Young University-Idaho
Brigham Young University-Idaho
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $42,057, College of Eastern Idaho
College of Eastern Idaho
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $40,916, College of Southern Idaho
College of Southern Idaho
-
Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $40,081, North Idaho College
North Idaho College
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $26,774, Paul Mitchell the School-Rexburg
Paul Mitchell the School-Rexburg
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Rank 6, 10-Yr Earnings, $26,323, Oliver Finley Academy of Cosmetology
Oliver Finley Academy of Cosmetology
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Rank 7, 10-Yr Earnings, $26,171, Aveda Institute-Twin Falls
Aveda Institute-Twin Falls
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Rank 8, 10-Yr Earnings, $25,719, Paul Mitchell the School-Boise
Paul Mitchell the School-Boise
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Rank 9, 10-Yr Earnings, $25,719, Paul Mitchell the School-Nampa
Paul Mitchell the School-Nampa
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Rank 10, 10-Yr Earnings, $24,470, Aveda Institute-Boise
Aveda Institute-Boise
Top 10 trade schools in Idaho by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year ROI among trade schools and community colleges with enrollment ≥ 50.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $199,604, Brigham Young University-Idaho
Brigham Young University-Idaho
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $174,980, College of Eastern Idaho
College of Eastern Idaho
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $171,397, North Idaho College
North Idaho College
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $169,174, College of Southern Idaho
College of Southern Idaho
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $163,730, College of Western Idaho
College of Western Idaho
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Rank 6, 10-Yr ROI, $104,548, Headmasters School of Hair Design
Headmasters School of Hair Design
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Rank 7, 10-Yr ROI, $103,630, Boise Barber College
Boise Barber College
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Rank 8, 10-Yr ROI, $102,648, Paul Mitchell the School-Rexburg
Paul Mitchell the School-Rexburg
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Rank 9, 10-Yr ROI, $101,116, Aveda Institute-Boise
Aveda Institute-Boise
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Rank 10, 10-Yr ROI, $98,492, Oliver Finley Academy of Cosmetology
Oliver Finley Academy of Cosmetology
Top 10 most affordable trade schools in Idaho (net price)
Lowest median net price among trade schools and community colleges with enrollment ≥ 50.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $6,095, College of Southern Idaho
College of Southern Idaho
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Rank 2, Net Price, $8,221, Brigham Young University-Idaho
Brigham Young University-Idaho
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Rank 3, Net Price, $8,778, College of Eastern Idaho
College of Eastern Idaho
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Rank 4, Net Price, $8,643, Evans Hairstyling College-Rexburg
Evans Hairstyling College-Rexburg
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Rank 5, Net Price, $8,500, College of Western Idaho
College of Western Idaho
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Rank 6, Net Price, $10,575, North Idaho College
North Idaho College
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Rank 7, Net Price, $11,561, Headmasters School of Hair Design
Headmasters School of Hair Design
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Rank 8, Net Price, $14,029, Boise Barber College
Boise Barber College
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Rank 9, Net Price, $14,795, Austin Kade Academy
Austin Kade Academy
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Rank 10, Net Price, $16,599, Aveda Institute-Boise
Aveda Institute-Boise
Student debt: Idaho vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Idaho is $9,500 (-2.0% vs U.S. median $9,699). Regional median: $9,500. Rank: #17 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #4 in Rocky Mountains of 5.
Median earnings (10 years out): Idaho vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Idaho center around $25,945 (-25.8% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Idaho vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 79.2% at the median Idaho campus (-1.7 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Median graduate debt is $9,500 (-2.0% below the U.S. median of $9,699, and 0.0% vs the Rocky Mountains regional median of $9,500). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Student debt rank: #17 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #4 in Rocky Mountains of 5 (1 = lowest median debt).
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Idaho are $25,945, about -25.8% vs the U.S. campus median ($34,984).
The median campus reports 79.2% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 80.9% (-1.7 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 85.6% vs a U.S. median of 64.9%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 9.3% (U.S. 11.1%); 3-yr repayment progress 59.0% (U.S. 50.5%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Nationally, Idaho ranks earnings #51 and employment proxy #37 on these outcome medians (1 = best).
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include College of Eastern Idaho (88.8%), College of Southern Idaho (86.3%), College of Western Idaho (84.7%), Headmasters School of Hair Design (83.9%), North Idaho College (82.9%), Aveda Institute-Boise (80.0%), Paul Mitchell the School-Boise (79.5%), Paul Mitchell the School-Nampa (79.5%), The Salon Professional Academy-Nampa (79.0%), Oliver Finley Academy of Cosmetology (78.0%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Idaho, sector medians diverge: Private for-profit median 10-yr earnings $25,094 (13 campuses); Public median 10-yr earnings $40,916 (4 campuses). Public campuses often dominate enrollment while private nonprofits can show higher earnings medians at selective institutions.
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Idaho is 73.4% (national institution average about 63.3%).
FAQ
How much do trade schools cost in Idaho?
Among trade schools and community colleges in Idaho, median net price is $18,788 vs $14,215 nationally (+32.2% vs U.S.).
What is typical student debt at Idaho trade schools?
Median federal loan debt among completers at trade and vocational campuses in Idaho is $9,500 vs a U.S. median of $9,699 (Idaho ranks #17 nationally for median debt among states.)
What do trade school graduates earn in Idaho?
Median earnings 10 years after entry for Idaho trade schools and community colleges reporting to the College Scorecard is $25,945 vs $34,984 nationally. Six-year medians are $22,842.
What share of Idaho trade school students are working after completion?
The federal employment-outcome proxy on this site (8-year cohort working and not enrolled) has a median of 79.2% in Idaho vs 80.9% nationally.
How many trade schools are in Idaho?
This profile covers 19 trade schools and 3 community colleges (22 total) in Idaho with roughly 60,428 total reported enrollment.
How many public vs. private trade schools are in Idaho?
Among trade schools and community colleges with outcomes in the College Scorecard extract: 4 public, 0 private nonprofit, and 13 private for-profit institutions.
What are the top trade schools in Idaho?
Rankings on this page use College Scorecard medians for trade schools and community colleges; standouts include highest completion rate: Premiere Aesthetics Institute-Meridian; highest 10-year earnings: Brigham Young University-Idaho; lowest net price among large campuses: College of Southern Idaho. See the ranked lists below for full details.
Are there Hispanic-serving or other designated trade schools in Idaho?
Among 36 campuses in Idaho, 7 campuses with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Carrington College-Boise, Aveda Institute-Twin Falls, and College of Southern Idaho; 4 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Undenominational (1), Church of the Nazarene (1), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1).
How does Idaho compare to its Census region for trade schools?
Idaho is in the Rocky Mountains region. Regional median net price is $15,132 and median 10-year earnings are $36,712 vs $18,788 net price and $25,945 earnings in Idaho.
Sources & related
- All trade school profiles
- Idaho college profile
- Trade school costs by state
- Trade schools and public community colleges (College Scorecard)
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON