The College of Idaho

college of idaho graduate programs

Premier, Practice-Based Liberal Arts Education in Idaho

The College of Idaho appears in our ranking of 50 Great Affordable Colleges in the West.

Named 131st nationally by the U.S. News & World Report, The College of Idaho is a private, nonsectarian CIC member linked to the Presbyterian Church that offers 26 bachelor’s majors and 58 minors plus three master’s degrees at a 9:1 student-teacher ratio within its PEAK curriculum. For example, the Creative Writing Major shapes a 124-credit plan under Dr. Scott Knickerbocker where undergrads can publish Yote News, intern at Poets & Writers Inc., join Omicron Delta Kappa, and take the Winter Wilderness Experience trip. Chaired by Dr. Sara Heggland, the Biology Major creates a 124-credit Bachelor of Science with Boone Hall Lab projects, Student Research Conference presentations, Orma J. Smith Museum of Natural History visits, and an optional Biochemistry specialization.

Each Fall, the Education Department organized by Dr. Deb Yates in Covell Hall starts cohorts of 15 post-bachelor’s students for a 45-credit Master of Arts in Teaching that fulfills Idaho K-12 certification with two field practica placements, such as Lewis & Clark Elementary or Caldwell High. Partnered with Idaho State University, the Master of Physician Assistant Studies has a 24-month sequence directed by Dr. Sherwin D’Souza with a 95 percent NCCPA pass rate after 5000-level courses like Endocrinology, clinical preceptorships, and an optional Latino Health Track. Other opportunities include the Physics Major, Business Major, Computer Science Major, Political Economy Major, Nursing Major, Mathematics Major, Engineering Major, Environmental Studies Major, and History Major.

About The College of Idaho

The College of Idaho originated on October 7, 1891, when President William Judson Boone welcomed an inaugural class of 19 to the Wood River Presbytery one year after statehood. In 1892, it acquired its first campus building in downtown Caldwell. In 1893, it received a state charter and created a Board of Trustees. In 1910, philanthropists Henry and Carrie Blatchley donated a 20-acre East Side estate for the college’s present location. In 1912, Voorhees Hall was opened for residence quarters. One decade later, The College of Idaho received initial regional accreditation. By 1991, it was renamed Albertson College of Idaho to honor its benefactors Joe and Kathryn Albertson. In 2007, President Bob Hoover adopted The College of Idaho name again though. In Fall 2010, CofI introduced its Professional, Ethical, Articulate, and Knowledgeable (PEAK) curriculum.

Endowed for $100.3 million, The College of Idaho now employs 282 staff serving 960 Coyotes from 22 states and 40 countries atop its 21-building Treasure Valley campus in Caldwell with 30+ clubs like We Care Wednesdays for 72 percent retention. In 2017, University Research & Review LLC gave Idaho its Best Value School Award. In 2011, The College of Idaho had the Carnegie Foundation’s Idaho Professor of the Year Award recipient. Its Zeta Pi Chapter won the 2018 Most Improved Academic Excellence Award too. Forbes declared CofI the 154th best liberal arts college and 315th top private school. On Niche, CofI has America’s 183rd best history, 230th top teaching, and 364th best biology degrees. Money magazine picked The College of Idaho for the 328th best value nationwide with a median mid-career salary of $92,500. Washington Monthly crowned CofI the 102nd top baccalaureate institution.

The College of Idaho Accreditation Details

In October 2015, The College of Idaho satisfactorily submitted its Mid-Cycle Review Report to the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) Board of Commissioners to keep the Level III accreditation status current through a Fall 2020 visit under co-presidents Doug Brigham and Jim Everett. Located 480 miles northwest via Interstate 82 in Redmond, this superb seven-state Cascadia Region accreditor is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and Idaho State Board of Education (ISDE). Further, the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for Physician Assistants (ARC-PA) has accredited the master’s program partnership through March 2025.

The College of Idaho Application Requirements

Enrolling into The College of Idaho is classified “moderately difficult” by Peterson’s because only 1,355 of the 2,754 Fall 2017 applicants were chosen for selective 49 percent acceptance. First-year Coyotes are evaluated based on academic/extracurricular achievement during high school. Having four years each of English and Math plus AP/IB credits is suggested. GED recipients qualify with no sub-scores below 450. The Class of 2021 had a B+ average GPA of 3.34. Since 2014, admission has been fully test-optional. That said, freshmen achieved mid-range SAT scores of 870-1320. The middle 50th percentile presented ACT composite scores of 21-27. Successful transfers can carry over up to 90 credits from regionally accredited colleges with GPAs above 2.0. Foreign undergrads generally need a minimum 79 TOEFL iBT or 5.5 IELTS score. The Master of Arts in Teaching picks four-year bachelor’s graduates meeting the 3.0 GPA and 88/132 portfolio score requirement. Future PAs need six prerequisites, including Microbiology and Statistics, and GRE scores.

The College of Idaho enforces freshman deadlines of November 15th for Early Action I, January 15th for Early Action II, and February 15th for Regular Decision. Transfers have rolling admission until August 1st for Fall and January 15th for Spring starts. Only admitted undergrads sending $300 enrollment deposits by May 1st are guaranteed spots though. The Master of Arts in Teaching selects cohorts of 15 after the April 1st deadline. PA Program cohorts must file by November 1st. Accordingly, send the CofI or Common Application online for free. Forward official transcripts to 2112 Cleveland Blvd. in Caldwell, ID 83605. Directly report testing results via SAT/GRE code 4060 or ACT code 0916. Attach program checklist items, such as the 1-3 references, career goals essay, portfolio, resume, and passport. Contact (208) 459-5305 or [email protected] with questions.

Tuition and Financial Aid

For 2019-20, The College of Idaho is charging full-time B.A./B.S. undergrads $15,500 per term or $31,000 annually. Overload credits above 18 cost $430 each. Mandatory student fees are $425 yearly. The one-time new student experience fee is $330 for freshman and $295 for transfers. Residing at the Caldwell campus’ dorms like Julia Finney Hall adds $3,800 to $6,350 for housing. Board Plan A for 19 meals weekly at Simplot Dining Hall are $5,640 extra. CofI budgets $1,200 for books, $1,500 for miscellaneous, and $700 for transportation. Annual full-time bachelor’s attendance equals about $44,809 on-site or $34,573 at home. Studying part-time costs students under age 25 $1,285 per credit. Part-time adults are billed $630 per credit instead. The Master of Arts in Teaching has a yearly price of $17,785. Caldwell PA courses cost $19,879 each semester.

According to the NCES College Navigator, the Office of Financial Aid in Robert L. Hendren Jr. Hall connects 100 percent of full-time CofI Coyotes to tuition assistance averaging $26,691 apiece for $24.28 million combined. Institutional funds include the Gibson Honors Program Scholarship, George Wolfe Endowed Scholarship, Lienhart-Minnick Scholarship, Iram Frisch Farrington Pre-Law Scholarship, William Judson Boone Scholarship, Christian Leadership Scholarship, Trustee Scholarship, and Dean’s Merit Scholarship. The Presidential Scholarship gifts $15,000 annually to freshmen meeting the 4.0 GPA and 29 ACT score minimum. The Whittenberger Fellows Scholarship has a March 1st deadline for superior undergrads with GPAs above 3.5 and pre-medical ambitions. Federal opportunities, such as the Pell Grant and Work-Study Award, require FAFSA applications coded 001626. Gem State natives also claim the Idaho Governor’s Cup Scholarship, Idaho Postsecondary Credit Scholarship, Armed Forces Dependent Scholarship, Tschudy Family Scholarship, Idaho Opportunity Scholarship, and others.

Learn how to select one major and three minors for the one-of-a-kind PEAK curriculum ranked 383rd overall by The Wall Street Journal at The College of Idaho website.