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 26,670 26,490
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #886 #385
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website boisestate.edu wsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Boise State Washington State
Tuition (In State) $5,941 $10,976
Tuition (Out of State) $24,135 $27,052
Room & Board $16,610 $13,131
Avg Net Price $19,037 $18,155
Avg Grant Aid $8,167 $10,370
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 87%

Admission

Boise State Washington State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,949 26,166
Admitted 13,391 22,335
Acceptance Rate 84% 85.4%
Enrolled % 23% 19%
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 19:1 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 4% 7%
% Women 8% 10%
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 65% 83%
% Out-of-State 35% 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

  • Boise State University is larger than than Washington State based on total student enrollment (26,670 students vs. 26,490 students)

Boise State vs. Washington State Cost Comparison

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

  • Washington State University is 84.8% more expensive to attend than Boise State for in-state tuition ($10,976.00 vs. $5,941.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.1% higher at Washington State than Boise State University ($27,052.00 vs. $24,135.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Washington State University than Boise State ($18,155 vs. $19,037)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Washington State University are 26.5% lower than costs at Boise State University ($13,131 vs. $16,610)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Washington State University than Boise State University (87% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington State University students is 27% larger than aid received Boise State University ($10,370 vs. $8,167)

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)
  • Washington State has a higher acceptance rate (85.4%) than Boise State (84%)

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/