NIC vs. CWI

Should I go to North Idaho College or College of Western Idaho? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NIC or CWI 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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North Idaho College vs. College of Western Idaho comparison
North Idaho College College of Western Idaho College 3 College 4
College of Western Idaho
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Overview

NIC CWI
Location Coeur d'Alene, ID Nampa, ID
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 4,296 9,920
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nic.edu cwi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NIC CWI
Tuition (In State) $2,436 $2,400
Tuition (Out of State) $7,776 $7,344
Room & Board $7,900 $6,732
Avg Net Price $7,914 $9,852
Avg Grant Aid $3,989 $4,537
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

NIC CWI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - -
Admitted - -
Acceptance Rate Open Open
Enrolled % Open Open
Avg High School GPA 3.07 -
Typical High School Grades B -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores
Application Deadline Aug 6, 2025

Academics

NIC CWI
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (42%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (12%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Precision Production Trades (5%)

Outcomes

NIC CWI
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,100 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 37% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $10,500 $9,750
Median Loan Payment $108 $100

Diversity

NIC CWI
% Men 39% 44%
% Women 61% 56%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 81% 68%
% Black 1% 2%
% Hispanic 5% 16%
% Native American 3% 1%
% Pacific Islander 1% 1%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 8% 9%

Students

NIC CWI
% In-State 80% 95%
% Out-of-State 19% 5%

Campus

NIC CWI
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • College of Western Idaho is larger than than NIC based on total student enrollment (9,920 students vs. 4,296 students)

NIC vs. CWI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NIC or CWI?

  • North Idaho College is 17.6% more expensive to attend than CWI for in-state tuition ($4,000.00 vs. $3,400.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.9% higher at NIC than College of Western Idaho ($7,776.00 vs. $7,344.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Idaho College than CWI ($7,914 vs. $9,852)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of Western Idaho are 17.3% lower than costs at North Idaho College ($6,732 vs. $7,900)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Idaho College than College of Western Idaho (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of Western Idaho students is 13.7% larger than aid received North Idaho College ($4,537 vs. $3,989)

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

NIC vs. CWI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NIC or CWI? 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 CWI and NIC.

  • College of Western Idaho students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than NIC graduates. ($9,750 vs. $10,500)
  • CWI graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than NIC graduates. ($100 vs. $108)
  • More NIC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CWI students, three years after graduation. (37% vs. 28%)

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