NurseSavvy ranking · Idaho · updated October 10, 2026

Best Nursing Schools in Idaho (2026): The NurseSavvy Top 10

We ranked all 13 RN programs in Idaho that publish a first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate, on the four things that decide whether a program gets you to a nursing license you can afford: passing the NCLEX, actually finishing, the cost next to what nurses earn in Idaho, and what graduates earn a year out.

College of Western Idaho comes out on top. Here are the top 10, with every number’s source — and you can re-rank them by what matters to you.

No school can pay for placement. Public data only — see the full methodology.

Rank it your way

Rank Idaho’s 13 RN programs on what matters to you

NCLEX pass rate, students who finish, cost vs nurse pay, grads’ early pay — compare in-state, by region, or nationwide.

The top 10 nursing programs in Idaho

Scores are out of 100 under the default NurseSavvy weights. A school with two programs (say, an ADN and a BSN) can appear twice.

1
College of Western Idaho
NampaAssociate of Science in Nursing (RN)· Public
80score
A 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 52 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
100% of 52
Students who finish
79% finish
Cost-to-pay value
$8,500/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$74,246 1 yr out
Start to license: 79 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.
2
North Idaho College
Coeur d'AleneAssociate of Science Degree (RN)· Public
77score
A 96.3% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 80 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
96.3% of 80
Students who finish
78% finish
Cost-to-pay value
$10,575/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$81,741 1 yr out
Start to license: 75 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.
3
Lewis-Clark State College
LewistonBachelor of Science in Nursing (RN)· Public
72score
A 96.4% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 84 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
96.4% of 84
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$15,635/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$77,965 1 yr out
4
Brigham Young University — Idaho
RexburgBachelor of Science in Nursing (RN)· Private nonprofit
71score
A 94.8% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 173 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
94.8% of 173
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$8,221/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$66,125 1 yr out
5
Eagle Gate College
BoiseBachelor of Science in Nursing (RN)
66score
A 95.6% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 136 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
95.6% of 136
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
Not publishedfill-in
Early-career earnings
Not publishedfill-in
6
College of Southern Idaho
Twin FallsAssociate of Science in Nursing (RN)· Public
64score
A 97.5% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 81 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
97.5% of 81
Students who finish
59% finish
Cost-to-pay value
$6,095/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$65,503 1 yr out
Start to license: 57 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.
7
Eagle Gate College
Idaho FallsBachelor of Science in Nursing (RN)
64score
A 94.3% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 53 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
94.3% of 53
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
Not publishedfill-in
Early-career earnings
Not publishedfill-in
8
Boise State University
BoiseBachelor of Science in Nursing (RN)· Public
59score
A 85.5% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 159 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
85.5% of 159
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$21,610/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$79,301 1 yr out
9
Idaho State University
Meridian/PocatelloBachelor of Science in Nursing· Public
58score
A $12,193 average net price is low next to $92,460 median RN pay in Idaho.
NCLEX strength
83.9% of 155
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$12,193/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$66,863 1 yr out
10
College of Eastern Idaho
Idaho FallsAssociate of Applied Science Degree (RN)· Public
57score
A 92.3% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across 104 test-takers carries its score.
NCLEX strength
92.3% of 104
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$8,778/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$57,062 1 yr out

Fill-in: a figure the program hasn’t published is scored at the 33rd percentile of programs that publish it (same degree type) — not its own number.

All 31 approved programs in Idaho Full rankings table

The Idaho leaders on each measure

Different students weigh these differently — here is who leads on each one alone, among programs that publish it.

Highest NCLEX pass rate: College of Western Idaho (Associate of Science in Nursing (RN)), 100% first-time.
Most students finish: College of Western Idaho (Associate of Science in Nursing (RN)), 79% on time.
Lowest average net price: College of Southern Idaho, $6,095/yr.
Highest graduates’ pay: North Idaho College, $81,741 one year out.
Top ADN vs top BSN: College of Western Idaho (#1 overall) and Lewis-Clark State College (#3 overall).

How we ranked Idaho’s nursing schools

NCLEX pass rate (33%). The 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN rate from the Idaho board of nursing, steadied for small cohorts.
Students who finish (33%). The program’s own on-time completion rate, where a board or the program publishes it.
Cost vs nurse pay (20%). Average net price per year next to Idaho’s median RN pay (College Scorecard + BLS).
Graduates’ early pay (14%). What the program’s nursing graduates earn one year out, next to the state’s RN median.

A missing figure is a labeled 33rd-percentile fill-in, never a guess. Programs without a published NCLEX rate, and direct-entry master’s programs, are not ranked. Every formula and source →

Frequently asked questions

What is the best nursing school in Idaho?

Under the NurseSavvy ranking, College of Western Idaho (Associate of Science in Nursing (RN), Nampa) ranks #1 of 13 RN programs in Idaho with a score of 80 out of 100 and a 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate. "Best" depends on what you weigh most — re-rank the list on this page by your own priorities.

How did NurseSavvy rank Idaho nursing schools?

Every RN program with a published 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate is scored 0–100 on four public measures: NCLEX pass rate (33%), students who finish (33%), cost next to local RN pay (20%), and graduates’ pay one year out (14%). Pass rates come from the Idaho board of nursing; cost and pay from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

What does “fill-in” mean on this list?

When a program has not published a figure, we do not guess it. It is scored at the 33rd percentile of programs (same degree type) that do publish it — below typical — and labeled “fill-in” wherever it appears. Publishing its real number can only help a program that performs well.

Can a school pay to rank higher?

No. Schools cannot pay, partner, sponsor, or advertise their way to a better rank. Every input is public data, and the same formula applies to every program.