Boise State vs. Washington State

Should I go to Boise State University or Washington State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Boise State or Washington State is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Boise State University vs. Washington State University comparison
Boise State University Washington State University College 3 College 4
Boise State University Washington State University
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Overview

Boise State Washington State
Location Boise, ID Pullman, WA
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 26,115 27,539
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #899 #386
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website boisestate.edu wsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Boise State Washington State
Tuition (In State) $5,532 $10,708
Tuition (Out of State) $22,869 $26,392
Room & Board $13,841 $12,396
Avg Net Price $17,724 $17,911
Avg Grant Aid $9,892 $10,689
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 83%

Admission

Boise State Washington State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,795 19,401
Admitted 14,096 16,123
Acceptance Rate 83.9% 83.1%
Enrolled % 22.2% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/26 20/26
SAT Range 1030/1210 1020/1210
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025 Jan 31, 2025

Academics

Boise State Washington State
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Boise State Washington State
Graduation Rate 29% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,600 $54,400
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,929 $20,429
Median Loan Payment $237 $211

Diversity

Boise State Washington State
% Men 42% 46%
% Women 58% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 74% 63%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 11% 13%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 8%
% International 5% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Boise State Washington State
% In-State 59% 83%
% Out-of-State 40% 15%

Campus

Boise State Washington State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Washington State University is larger than than Boise State based on total student enrollment (27,539 students vs. 26,115 students)

Boise State vs. Washington State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Boise State or Washington State?

  • Washington State University is 93.6% more expensive to attend than Boise State for in-state tuition ($10,708.00 vs. $5,532.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.4% higher at Washington State than Boise State University ($26,392.00 vs. $22,869.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boise State University than Washington State ($17,724 vs. $17,911)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Washington State University are 11.7% lower than costs at Boise State University ($12,396 vs. $13,841)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Boise State University than Washington State University (93% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington State University students is 8.1% larger than aid received Boise State University ($10,689 vs. $9,892)

Boise State vs. Washington State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Boise State or Washington State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Washington State or Boise State .

  • The average SAT score at Boise State University (1046) is 7 points higher than at Washington State (1039)
  • Incoming Boise State students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at Washington State (23)
  • Accepted freshman Washington State students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Boise State (3.37)
  • Boise State has a higher acceptance rate (83.9%) than Washington State (83.1%)

Boise State vs. Washington State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Boise State or Washington State? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Washington State and Boise State.

  • The graduation rate at Washington State is higher than Boise State University (67% vs. 29%)
  • Graduates from Washington State University earn on average $12,800 more per year than Boise State graduates after ten years. ($54,400 vs. $41,600)
  • Washington State University students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Boise State graduates. ($20,429 vs. $22,929)
  • Washington State graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than Boise State graduates. ($211 vs. $237)
  • More Washington State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Boise State students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 54%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/