University of Idaho
Moscow, ID875 Perimeter Drive MS 2282, Moscow, ID 83844-2282
888-884-3246
The University of Idaho (UI) is the state's land-grant and primary research university, located in the city of Moscow in Latah County in the northwestern United States. Founded in 1889, UI is the state's oldest public university. It is a research university with an enrollment of over 11,000 students, the majority of whom are based in the Moscow campus. The university also operates campuses in Boise, Coeur d'Alene, and Idaho Falls. UI offers 142 degree programs through 11 colleges and schools at its Moscow campus and provides online and distance education programs through its Division of Outreach and Distance Education.
The University of Idaho was the state's sole university for 71 years, until 1963, and its College of Law, established in 1909, was first accredited by the American Bar Association in 1925. More than 90 percent of UI's 11,000 students are from Idaho, and international students from 66 countries enrolled in fall 2015. The school is home to the Idaho Vandals, who compete on 17 varsity teams in the NCAA Division I-A's Western Athletic Conference. The Vandals joined the WAC in July 2005 after competing in the Big West Conference for their first 102 years of intercollegiate athletics.
The University of Idaho was founded in 1889 by the Idaho Legislature on January 30, with an endowment from the United States government of 130,000 acres (53,000 ha) of public land in north central Idaho. The university's mission was to "teach agriculture, the mechanic arts…and other industrial arts and sciences" and "promote the liberal and practical education of the people of the state of Idaho." The university began its first semester on September 16, 1890, with 34 students and two faculty members, offering ten courses.
The first graduating class in 1893 contained two men and two women. By 1900, UI had 12 faculty members and 300 students. UI began to expand rapidly in 1900 with the establishment of North Hall, its first dormitory. In 1901, the university's name was changed to the "University of Idaho" with the addition of the College of Law. The same year, the school launched its first agricultural experiment station west of the Rocky Mountains in Moravia, Idaho. UI's athletic teams were first referred to as the "Vandals" in 1913.
After the passage of the Morrill Act in 1862, the university added the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, now known as the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and the College of Engineering. In 1922, the Morrill Act was repealed and the university regained control of its endowment and lands. UI began to expand rapidly in 1920 with the establishment of the College of Education. The school's name was changed to "University of Idaho" in 1923.
In 1931, the University of Idaho was accredited by the Northwest Association of Secondary and Higher Schools, and in 1938, the Association of American Universities admitted UI into its membership. The school's main campus is in Moscow, with branch campuses in Boise, Coeur d'Alene, and Idaho Falls. The university offers 142 degree programs through 11 colleges and schools at its Moscow campus and provides online and distance education programs through its Division of Outreach and Distance Education.
The University of Idaho's athletic teams, nicknamed the Vandals, compete in 17 varsity sports in the NCAA Division I-A's Western Athletic Conference. The football team plays at the Kibbie-Asui Activity Center, a 16,000-seat stadium on campus. The men's basketball team plays at the Cowan Spectrum, a 10,000-seat arena in Moscow. The university is home to the Idaho Vandals, who compete on 17 varsity teams in the NCAA Division I-A's Western Athletic Conference. The Vandals joined the WAC in July 2005 after competing in the Big West Conference for their first 102 years of intercollegiate athletics.
Quick Facts
Enrollment: 10791
Acceptance Rate: 74.44%
Type: Public, 4-year or above
Main Website: https://www.uidaho.edu/
Financial Aid: https://www.uidaho.edu/financialaid
Annual Costs
Total Cost In-State On-Campus: $21820
Total Cost Out-State On-Campus: $41056
Return on Investment Rating
The estimated cost for four years as an undergraduate at University of Idaho is $83757.70. This includes the average cost of attendance for four years plus the interest on the average loan over a ten year repayment minus the average of grants and scholarships per student.
We then contrast this figure with average early-career and mid-career average incomes of graduates of four year programs at University of Idaho. For graduates of University of Idaho, we saw an average early-career income of $56400.00 and mid-career income of $104800.00. We then ranked the school's value based on how many years of mid-career income it takes to repay the educational costs.