North Idaho College — ROI, Cost & Payback
North Idaho College charges a net price of $10,575/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $21,150. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,081, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, North Idaho College does not clear its cost — it ranks #10 of 14 Idaho colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $10,575/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $21,150 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $40,081 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$8,279/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$186,730 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on North Idaho College's own numbers. Net price $10,575 × 2 years = $21,150 total. Median earnings $40,081 fall $8,279 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $21,150 bill in about 2.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do North Idaho College students graduate with?
A median $9,000 in federal loans among completers, or 22% of the $40,081 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of North Idaho College students graduate?
38% finish their degree — 62% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $21,150 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $55,658 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is North Idaho College expensive compared with other Idaho colleges?
Its $10,575 net price runs $6,983 below the $17,558 median across the 14 Idaho colleges we profile, and $13,966 less across the full degree.