Boise State University – Profile, Ranking Admission and Costs

Boise State University is a very large, 4-year, public university. This coed college is located in a city in an urban setting and is primarily a commuter campus. It offers certificate, associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. This college has an acceptance rate of 84% and a graduation rate of 59%.

Overview

  • Type:  4-year • Public
  • Campus Life:  Very Large • Urban
  • Average Per Year After Aid:  $18K
  • SAT Range:  Not available
  • Graduation Rate:  59%

From the Institution

Boise State University provides an innovative educational environment that prepares students for success and advances Idaho and the world. The university is nationally recognized for its trailblazing innovation. Often described as “Blue Turf Thinking” after our iconic football field, this mindset shapes the scrappy, creative, and boundary-breaking style of our academic enterprise and of all of Bronco Nation.
Boise State fosters a culture of innovation by encouraging the engagement of the whole community in our evolution and by building structures that incentivize creativity and bold new ideas. Providing this intellectually exciting and transformative experience, Boise State prepares students for the complex world they will enter. Boise State has risen on a stunning trajectory from a community college to a doctoral research university.
It now embodies the best of both of these worlds-a strong focus on students and their wellbeing, alongside the transformative potential of research and its impacts on both student outcomes and on the world around us through discovery. A top choice for students from Idaho and across the West, Boise State boasts a huge impact on the region.
Home to Idaho’s largest graduate school, we also enroll more than one-third of all students in Idaho’s public higher education system, and confer nearly half of all bachelor’s degrees awarded by the state’s public universities, setting records for the number of graduates for 10 straight years. Described by the Chronicle of Higher Education as a university that is “demonstrably on the move,” Boise State was one of five universities in the nation recognized in 2017 by the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities for innovative approaches to supporting students to improve retention and graduation rates.
Boise State has earned a Carnegie Classification of a High Research Activity Doctoral Universities and Boise State’s academic programs have earned accreditation or approval by specialized professional organizations and agencies.

About Boise State University (BSU)

Boise State University (BSU) is a public research university in Boise, Idaho. Founded in 1932 by the Episcopal Church, it became an independent junior college in 1934 and has been awarding baccalaureate and master’s degrees since 1965. It became a public institution in 1969.

Boise State offers more than 100 graduate programs, including the MBA and MAcc programs in the College of Business and Economics; master’s and PhD programs in the Colleges of Engineering, Arts & Sciences, and Education; MPA program in the School of Public Service; and the MPH program in the College of Health Sciences. In the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, it is among “R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity”.

According to the National Science Foundation, the university received approximately $48 million in research and development funding in 2022, ranking it 217th in the nation for research revenue and expenditures.

The university’s intercollegiate athletic teams, the Broncos, compete in the Mountain West Conference (MWC) in NCAA Division I.

Boise State University
150px Boise State University seal.svg
Former names
St. Margarets School (1892-1932)
Boise Junior College (1932–1965)
Boise College (1965–1969)
Boise State College (1969–1974)
Motto Splendor sine Occasu (Latin)
Motto in English
“Splendour Without Diminishment”
Type Public research university
Established September 6, 1932; 92 years ago
Parent institution
Idaho State Board of Education
Accreditation NWCCU
Academic affiliations
  • USU
  • Space-grant
Endowment $143 million (2023)
Budget $516 million (2018)
President Marlene Tromp
Provost John Buckwalter
Academic staff
757 (Fall 2018)
Students 26,727 (Fall 2023)
Undergraduates 23,543 (Fall 2023)
Postgraduates 3,184 (Fall 2023)
Location
Boise

,

Idaho

,

United States

17px WMA button2b43.604°N 116.204°W

Campus Midsize city, 285 acres (1.15 km2)
Newspaper The Arbiter
Colors Blue and orange
Nickname Broncos
Sporting affiliations
  • NCAA Division I FBS – Mountain West
  • Southland
Mascot Buster Bronco
Website boisestate.edu
200px Boise State University logo.svg

History

The school became Idaho’s third state university 50 years ago in 1974, after the University of Idaho (1889) and Idaho State University (1963). Boise State awards associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. As of 2010, it has over 75,000 living alumni.

 Academics

  • Graduation Rate:  59%
  • Majors Available:  135
  • Student-to-Faculty Ratio:  18:1
  • Retention Rate:  79%

AP Credit Policy

Minimum score of 3 accepted

  • Offers credits:  Yes

  • Offers placement into advanced courses:  Yes

AP Courses Min Score Required Number of Credits Course Equivalent
2-D Art and Design 3 3 ART 100XF
3-D Art and Design 3 3 ART 100XF
Art History 3 3 ART 100
Biology 3 8 BIOL 100XFN, 100XF
5 8 BIOL 191, 192
4 8 BIOL 191, 100XFN
Calculus AB 3 4 MATH 170
Calculus BC 3 8 MATH 170, 175
Chemistry 4 4 CHEM 111, 100XF
3 4 CHEM 101, 100XF
Chinese Language and Culture 4 12 101, 102, 201
5 16 101, 102, 201, 202
3 8 101, 102
Comparative Government and Politics 3 3 POLS 100XF
Computer Science A 3 4 CS 121
Computer Science Principles 3 3 CS 101
Drawing 3 3 ART 100XF
English Language and Composition 3 3 ENGL 101
5 6 ENGL 101, 102
English Literature and Composition 5 6 ENGL 175, 100XF
3 3 ENGL 175
Environmental Science 3 4 ENVSTD 121
European History 3 3 HIST 104
French Language and Culture 3 6 101, 102
4 9 101, 102, 201
5 12 101, 102, 201, 202
German Language and Culture 3 8 101, 102
4 11 101, 102, 201
5 14 101, 102, 201, 202
Human Geography 3 3 GEOG 102
Italian Language and Culture 3 8 FORLNG 100XFH
4 12 FORLNG 100XFH, 200XFH
5 16 FORLNG 100XFH, 200XFH
Japanese Language and Culture 3 8 101, 102
4 12 101, 102, 201
5 16 101, 102, 201, 202
Latin 3 3 LATIN 100XF
5 4 LATIN 212
4 4 LATIN 211
Macroeconomics 3 3 ECON 201
Microeconomics 3 3 ECON 202
Music Theory 3 3 MUS 100XF
Physics 1 3 4 PHYS 111
Physics 2 4 4 PHYS 112
3 4 PHYS 100XF
Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism 3 5 PHYS 100XF
4 5 PHYS 212, 212L
Physics C: Mechanics 3 5 PHYS 211, 211L
Psychology 3 3 PSYC 101
Research 3 3 GENED 100XF
Seminar 3 3 UF 100
Spanish Language and Culture 3 8 101, 102
4 12 101, 102, 201
5 16 101, 102, 201, 202
Spanish Literature and Culture 3 3 SPANISH 300XF
5 3 SPANISH 304
Statistics 3 3 MATH 254
United States Government and Politics 3 3 POLS 101
United States History 3 6 HIST 111, 112
World History: Modern 3 3 HIST 101

Study Options

Majors and Degrees

The college offers the following degrees: Certificate, Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral

  • A

    • Accounting
    • Accounting and Finance
    • American Government and Politics (United States)
    • American Sign Language (ASL)
    • Anthropology
    • Applied Mathematics
    • Arabic Language and Literature
    • Art History, Criticism and Conservation
    • Art Teacher Education
    • Athletic Training/Trainer
  • B

    • Bilingual and Multilingual Education
    • Biology Teacher Education
    • Biology/Biological Sciences, General
    • Business Administration and Management, General
    • Business/Commerce, General
    • Business/Managerial Economics
  • C

    • Chemistry Teacher Education
    • Chemistry, General
    • Chinese Language and Literature
    • Cinematography and Film/Video Production
    • City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning
    • Civil Engineering, General
    • Commercial and Advertising Art
    • Community Organization and Advocacy
    • Computer Engineering, General
    • Computer Science
    • Construction Management, General
    • Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
    • Creative Writing
    • Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
    • Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
    • Curriculum and Instruction
  • D

    • Design and Visual Communications, General
    • Drama and Dramatics/Theater Arts, General
  • E

    • Early Childhood Education and Teaching
    • Earth Science Teacher Education
    • Economics, General
    • Education, General
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals in Elementary Special Education Programs
    • Educational Leadership and Administration, General
    • Educational/Instructional Technology
    • Electrical and Electronics Engineering
    • Elementary Education and Teaching
    • English Language and Literature, General
    • English/Language Arts Teacher Education
    • Environmental Health
    • Environmental Studies
    • Ethnic Studies
    • Exercise Science and Kinesiology
  • F

    • Family Systems
    • Finance, General
    • Foreign Language Teacher Education
    • French Language Teacher Education
    • French Language and Literature
  • G

    • Game and Interactive Media Design
    • General Studies
    • Geographic Information Science and Cartography
    • Geography Teacher Education
    • Geology/Earth Science, General
    • Geophysics and Seismology
    • German Language Teacher Education
    • German Language and Literature
    • Gerontology
  • H

    • Health Information/Medical Records Administration/Administrator
    • Health Information/Medical Records Technology/Technician
    • Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
    • Health Teacher Education
    • History Teacher Education
    • History, General
    • Human Resources Development
    • Hydrology and Water Resources Science
  • I

    • Information Science/Studies
    • International Business/Trade/Commerce
  • J

    • Japanese Language and Literature
  • K

    • Korean Language and Literature
  • L

    • Latin Language and Literature
    • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
    • Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management
  • M

    • Marketing/Marketing Management, General
    • Mass Communication/Media Studies
    • Materials Engineering
    • Mathematics Teacher Education
    • Mathematics, General
    • Mechanical Engineering
    • Medical Radiologic Technology/Science – Radiation Therapist
    • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
    • Music Management
    • Music Performance, General
    • Music Teacher Education
    • Music Theory and Composition
    • Music, General
  • N

    • Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management
    • Nursing Practice
  • O

    • Organizational Leadership
  • P

    • Philosophy
    • Physical Education Teaching and Coaching
    • Physics Teacher Education
    • Physics, General
    • Political Science and Government, General
    • Pre-Chiropractic Studies
    • Pre-Dentistry Studies
    • Pre-Engineering
    • Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies
    • Pre-Nursing Studies
    • Pre-Occupational Therapy Studies
    • Pre-Optometry Studies
    • Pre-Pharmacy Studies
    • Pre-Physical Therapy Studies
    • Pre-Veterinary Studies
    • Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing
    • Psychology Teacher Education
    • Psychology, General
    • Public Administration
    • Public Policy Analysis
    • Public Relations/Image Management
  • R

    • Radiologic Technology/Science – Radiographer
    • Reading Teacher Education
    • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
    • Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist
  • S

    • Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
    • Social Science Teacher Education
    • Social Sciences, General
    • Social Work
    • Sociology
    • Spanish Language Teacher Education
    • Spanish Language and Literature
    • Special Education and Teaching, General
    • Speech Communication and Rhetoric
    • Speech Teacher Education
    • Sport and Fitness Administration/Management
    • Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General
    • Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling
  • T

    • Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor
    • Technology Teacher Education/Industrial Arts Teacher Education
Special Academics Program
  • Comprehensive transition and postsecondary program for students with intellectual disabilities
  • Distance Learning
  • Double Major
  • Dual Enrollment of High School Students
  • Honors Program
  • Independent Study
  • Internships
  • ROTC, Army
  • Student-Designed Major
  • Study Abroad
  • Teacher Certification
  • Undergraduate Research
  • Visiting/Exchange Student Program
  • Weekend College

 Costs

  • Average Per Year After Aid
    $17,724
  • Students Receiving Financial Aid
    49%
  • Average Aid Package
    $11,717
  • Financial Aid Application Due
    February 15

Tuition

Average Net Price: $17,724 per year
Your net price is a college’s cost of attendance minus the grants and scholarships you receive. The net price you pay for a particular college is specific to you because it’s based on your personal circumstances and the college’s financial aid policies. Use the college’s Net Price calculator for the most accurate estimate of your net price.
Average Net Price by Household Income

<$30k

$14,611 per year

$30-48k

$12,803 per year

$48-75k

$17,695 per year

$75-110k

$19,887 per year

$110k+

$20,834 per year

Sticker Price

In-State Tuition

$5,941 per year

Out-of-State Tuition

$24,135 per year

Other Costs

Housing

$14,224 per year

Books and Supplies

$0 per year

Personal Expenses

$0 per year

Transportation

$0 per year

Financial Aid

Financial aid can include grants, loans, scholarships and work-study jobs. Financial aid packages vary depending on your financial need. Most colleges determine financial need based on your FAFSA.

Distribution Details
  • Students Receiving Financial Aid:  49%

  • Freshmen With Need and Received Financial Aid:  63%

  • Percent of Need Met:  56%

Aid Package Details
  • Average Aid Packages Awarded

    $11,717

  • Need-Based Scholarship or Grant Award

    Scholarships and grants don’t need to be paid back.

    $6,492

  • Need-Based Loan Amount

    Loans must be paid back.

    $3,949

  • Non-Need-Based Aid

    $2,763

  • Debt at Graduation

    The typical amount of loans a student must pay back.

    $26,314

Tuition Guarantee Plans

Tuition at time of first enrollment guaranteed only to students making advance payment

Financial Aid Dates

Dates are subject to change, so confirm important deadlines by visiting the college website.
Application Due:  Feb 15

The last day to apply for financial aid or turn in related paperwork.

Priority Application Due:  Feb 15

Applications received prior to this date will be given the strongest consideration. Still apply for financial aid if you don’t make this due date.

Notification Date:  Mar 15

When students receive a letter with the amount and types of aid the college is offering.

Response Due:  Not available

The deadline for students to respond to the college’s aid offer.

Campus

The 285-acre (1.15 km2) campus is located near downtown Boise, on the south bank of the Boise River, opposite Julia Davis Park. With more than 170 buildings, the campus is at an elevation of 2,700 feet (825 m) above sea level, bounded by Capitol Boulevard on the west and Broadway Avenue to the east. Through the 1930s, the site was the city’s airport.

Boise State West Entrance
Boise State West Entrance
Main Campus in 2018
Main Campus, 2018
Interactive Learning Center
Interactive Learning Center

Albertsons Library

Albertsons Library on Campus in 2018
Albertsons Library

The university library is named for grocery pioneer Joe Albertson. It houses more than 650,000 books, over 130,000 periodicals, 107 public terminals for student use, and access to over 300 online databases.

Morrison Center

The “Velma V. Morrison Center for the Performing Arts” has 2,000 seats in its primary performance hall, and hosts a wide variety of fine arts performances, including the Broadway in Boise series, concerts and other events.[10] The venue opened its doors 40 years ago in April 1984.

Computer Science Department

The computer science department moved away from the main campus to a new building in downtown Boise. The CS department occupies 53,549 gross square feet, the full second and third floors of the building. The university’s CS program is now located in the same building as Clearwater Analytics and within short walking distance of about 20 more of Boise’s top technology companies.

Micron Center for Materials Research

[edit]

The Micron Center for Materials Research was established with a $25 million gift from Micron Technology, which is headquartered in Boise. Completed in 2020, the building was designed by Hummel Architects and Anderson Mason Dale Architects, with Hoffman Construction as lead contractor.

The building is designed with one research wing, home to sensitive equipment, and state of the art research laboratories, and a second wing, to hold classrooms, and office space. This latest donation by Micron marks a total of $40 million invested in materials science and engineering programs and associated research at BSU, resulting in a full complement of degrees in materials science and engineering including bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs.

Other campuses

Extended Studies at Boise State offers regional programming at the College of Western Idaho in Nampa, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Gowen Field, Twin Falls, Lewiston, and Coeur d’Alene. BSU also offers 29 degrees and certificates fully online. Beginning in 2016, Boise State began partnering with the Harvard Business School to offer the Harvard Business School Online business fundamentals program to Idaho students and the business community. This collaboration is the only such Harvard collaboration with a public U.S. university.

 Campus Life

  • Setting
    Urban
  • Undergraduate Students
    16,982
  • Average Per Year for Campus Housing
    $14,224
  • Sports
    Club, Intercollegiate, Intramural, NCAA Division I and NCAA Division IA

Housing

Average Housing Cost:  $14,224 per year

First-Years in College Housing: 65%

Housing Options
  • Apartments For Married Students
  • Apartments For Single Students
  • Coed Housing
  • Living Learning Communities

Extracurricular

Sports

The sports programs offered and athletic scholarships available are below.

  • Baseball
    • Men’s: Club, Intramural
  • Basketball
    • Men’s: Intercollegiate, Intramural, NCAA Division I Offers Scholarships
    • Women’s: Intercollegiate, Intramural, NCAA Division I Offers Scholarships
  • Bowling
    • Men’s: Club, Intramural
    • Women’s: Club, Intramural
  • Cheerleading
    • Men’s: Intercollegiate Offers Scholarships
    • Women’s: Intercollegiate Offers Scholarships
  • Cross-Country
    • Men’s: Intercollegiate, NCAA Division I Offers Scholarships
    • Women’s: Intercollegiate, NCAA Division I Offers Scholarships
  • Football
    • Men’s: Intercollegiate, NCAA Division IA Offers Scholarships
  • Golf
    • Men’s: Intercollegiate, NCAA Division I Offers Scholarships
    • Women’s: Intercollegiate, NCAA Division I Offers Scholarships
  • Gymnastics
    • Women’s: Intercollegiate, NCAA Division I Offers Scholarships
  • Handball
    • Men’s: Intramural
    • Women’s: Intramural
  • Ice Hockey
    • Men’s: Club
  • Judo
    • Men’s: Club
    • Women’s: Club
  • Lacrosse
    • Men’s: Club
  • Racquetball
    • Men’s: Club, Intramural
    • Women’s: Club, Intramural
  • Rodeo
    • Men’s: Club, Intramural Offers Scholarships
    • Women’s: Club, Intramural Offers Scholarships
  • Skiing
    • Men’s: Club
    • Women’s: Club
  • Soccer
    • Men’s: Club, Intramural
    • Women’s: Club, Intercollegiate, NCAA Division I Offers Scholarships
  • Softball
    • Women’s: Club, Intercollegiate, Intramural, NCAA Division I Offers Scholarships
  • Swimming
    • Men’s: Intramural
    • Women’s: Intercollegiate, Intramural, NCAA Division I Offers Scholarships
  • Tennis
    • Men’s: Intercollegiate, Intramural, NCAA Division I Offers Scholarships
    • Women’s: Intercollegiate, Intramural, NCAA Division I Offers Scholarships
  • Track And Field
    • Men’s: Club, Intercollegiate Offers Scholarships
    • Women’s: Club, Intercollegiate Offers Scholarships
  • Track: Indoor
    • Men’s: NCAA Division I
    • Women’s: NCAA Division I
  • Track: Outdoor
    • Men’s: NCAA Division I
    • Women’s: NCAA Division I
  • Triathlon
    • Men’s: Club
    • Women’s: Club
  • Ultimate Frisbee
    • Men’s: Club
    • Women’s: Club
  • Volleyball
    • Men’s: Club
    • Women’s: Club, Intercollegiate, Intramural, NCAA Division I Offers Scholarships
  • Wrestling
    • Men’s: NCAA Division I
Activities
  • Army ROTC
  • Choral Groups
  • Concert Band
  • Dance
  • Drama/Theater
  • Film
  • International Student Organization
  • Jazz Band
  • Literary Magazine
  • Marching Band
  • Music Ensembles
  • Musical Theater
  • Pep Band
  • Radio Station
  • Student Government
  • Student Newspaper
  • Symphony Orchestra
  • Yearbook

Student Body

  • Total Undergrad Students:  16,982

  • Total Graduate Students:  3,200

  • Full-Time Students:  13,402

  • Part-Time Students:  4,139

Race and Ethnicity
  • Black or African American:  2%

  • Asian:  3%

  • Hispanic or Latino:  15%

  • Multiracial:  5%

  • Native American:  Less than 1%

  • Pacific Islander:  Less than 1%

  • Unknown:  2%

  • White:  72%

  • International (Non-Citizen):  1%

Student Primary Residence
  • Out-of-State:  42%

 Academics and organization

Boise State’s more than 190 fields of study are organized into these colleges:

  • Arts and Sciences
  • Business and Economics
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • Graduate Studies
  • Health Sciences
  • 220px Center for the Visual Arts Boise State University wiki
    Center for the Visual Arts Boise State University, 2022

    School of Public Service

  • Innovation and Design

Boise State’s fall enrollment in 2016 was 23,886 students, and approximately 76 percent of these students were Idaho residents. More than 90 percent of Boise State’s first-year students come directly from high school.

In the 2015–2016 school year, Boise State awarded diplomas to 3,916 distinct graduates, including 18 doctorates, 10 education specialists, 670 master’s and 2,998 bachelor’s degrees. The university is classified among “Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity”.

Publishin

Since 1971 the university has published the Western Writers Series, monographs focusing on authors of the American Frontier and American West. The university also maintains an on-line library of publications and documents related to Idaho history through the Albertsons Library.[

The Center for Idaho History and Politics offers a nine-credit place-based field school called “Investigate Boise” which focuses on heritage, government, and urban affairs. Each series of classes results in a student written and faculty edited publication.

Athletics

Boise State’s athletic nickname is the Broncos, and the official mascot is Buster Bronco. Men’s teams include football, basketball, cross country, track and field, golf, and tennis. Its women’s teams include volleyball, basketball, cross country, swimming and diving, soccer, track and field, gymnastics, golf, softball and tennis. Most of these teams compete in the Mountain West Conference (MWC).

Boise State College joined the NCAA in 1970 in the university division (Division I), except for football, which was in the college division (later Division II) for the first eight seasons.

Big Sky Conference football moved up to the new Division I-AA (now FCS) in 1978, and the Broncos won the national championship two years later. BSU moved up to Division I-A (now FBS) in 1996 in the Big West Conference, joined the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in 2001, and the Mountain West in 2011. The last two moves came after the conferences dropped sponsorship of football.

Albertsons Stadium

Albertsons Stadium is home to the Boise State football program. It hosted the NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships in 1994 and 1999, and has been the home to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl since 1997.

600px BSUwide
Boise State vs Fresno State on The Blue Turf, November 9th 2018

Boise State Football has a long history of success starting with the junior college days and the national championship team of 1958, coached by the father of Bronco football, Lyle Smith. Now named Lyle Smith Field in Albertsons Stadium, the synthetic turf field was standard green before 1986.

“The Blue” was the idea of athletic director Gene Bleymaier and was the first non-green football field in the country. This field is also nicknamed “The Smurf Turf” due to its color. Through 2019, Boise State’s home record was 189–39 (.829) in 34 seasons on The Blue, with fifteen conference championships.

Ground was broken after the 1969 season, and it opened in September 1970 with a capacity of 14,500. Subsequent expansions were completed in 1975 and 1997, and current capacity sits at around 37,000.

ExtraMile Arena

Known as the “Boise State University Pavilion” until June 2004, and “Taco Bell Arena” between 2004 and 2019, ExtraMile Arena is home to BSU basketball, wrestling, women’s gymnastics, community events, and several concerts each year. Opened 42 years ago in May 1982, the arena seats 12,380 on three levels. It has hosted rounds one and two of the NCAA basketball tournament on eight occasions from 1983 to 2009, and the third and fourth rounds of the NCAA women’s tournament in 2002.

The construction of the pavilion began in February 1980 on the site of the tennis courts and a portion of the BSU baseball field. The Bronco baseball team played their home games in 1980 at Borah Field (now Bill Wigle Field) at Borah High School, and the program was discontinued that May. The tennis courts were rebuilt immediately west of the arena, on the former baseball field (infield & right field).

Student life

Undergraduate demographics as of Fall 2024 
Race and ethnicity Total
White 71%
Hispanic 14%
Other[a] 8%
Asian 3%
Black 2%
Foreign national 1%
Economic diversity
Low-income 24%
Affluent 76%

Boise State’s enrollment for the 2023-24 year was 26,727 students, with approximately 69 percent Idaho residents. Boise State University has the largest graduate enrollment in Idaho. More than 90 percent of Boise State’s first-year students come directly from high school.

Housing

At Boise State “18% of the students live in college-owned, -operated or -affiliated housing and 82% of students live off campus.”

Social fraternities and sororities

Boise State has seen an increase in its Greek community; as of fall of 2023, there are 8 Panhellenic sororities and 11 fraternities active on campus. In 2023, the fraternity Alpha Kappa Lambda was suspended for a period of four years due to hazing rituals and incidents of alcohol abuse.

List of Boise State University people

This list of Boise State University people includes notable graduates, non-graduate former students, and administrators affiliated with Boise State University, a public research university in Boise, Idaho. As of 2015, the university has approximately 22,000 current students and over 80,000 living alumni.

Bachelor’s degrees were first awarded in the late 1960s; degrees granted prior are associates only.

Business and finance

Name Class year(s) Notability
Steve Appleton 1983 Chairman and CEO of Micron Technology
Jim Cathey 1992 Chief Commercial Officer at Qualcomm
William Agee 1958 Former president and CEO of Bendix Corporation and Morrison-Knudsen
Butch Otter 1964 Former president of Simplot International
Larry Williams 1964 Founder and president of Idaho Timber Corp.

Government and public policy

Name Class year(s) Notability
Butch Otter 1964 Former Governor of Idaho; former U.S. Congressman and four-term Lieutenant Governor of Idaho
Mike O’Callaghan 1950 Former governor of Nevada and executive director of The Las Vegas Sun; earned the Bronze Star in Korea
Tom Luna 1985 Former Superintendent of Public Instruction for the State of Idaho
Bill Sali 1981 Former U.S. Congressman and eight-term Representative in the Idaho Legislature
Edward Lodge 1955 Federal Judge on the United States District Court for the District of Idaho
Robert Bakes 1952 Former Chief Justice of the Idaho Supreme Court
Sergio Gutierrez 1980 Judge on the Idaho Court of Appeals
Celia Gould 1979 Director of the Idaho Department of Agriculture; former eight-term Idaho State Legislator
Kate Kelly 1991 Senate minority leader in the Idaho Legislature
Bethine Church 1943 Widow of U.S. Senator Frank Church; Democratic political organizer; winner of the Lawrence O’Brien Award

Arts, media, and entertainment

Name Class year(s) Notability
Michael Hoffman 1974 Rhodes Scholar; Hollywood director of 13 movies, including several Oscar-winning titles
Earl Boen 1961 Hollywood actor with roles in over 50 films and 400 televisions appearances, including Naked Gun, the Terminator series, SeinfeldThe Golden GirlsLA Law, and The Wonder Years
William Anderson 1939 Best-selling author of 22 books; his book BAT-21 sold a million copies and became a Hollywood movie
Gary Green 1968 Award-winning conductor; Music Department chairman at the University of Miami
Michelle Willis 1996 Popular composer of LDS and Christian music
Randy Davison Actor who portrayed Joseph McCarthy in The United States vs. Billie Holiday and the maitre d’ of the Café Trocadero in Mank
Trevor Powers withdrew c. 2010 Musician; originally performed as Youth Lagoon from 2010–16; pursuing English degree during initial growth of music career

Academia and the sciences

Name Class year(s) Notability
Radhika Ramana Dasa 1999 Professor at The College of William & Mary and Bhaktivedanta College
Gary L. Bennett 1960 Former manager at NASA; worked on the Voyager 1, Voyager 2, and New Horizons missions
Gary Green 1968 Award-winning conductor; Music Department chairman at the University of Miami
Cheryl Schonhardt-Bailey 1984 Professor at London School of Economics and Political Science

Sports

Name Class year(s) Notability
Graham DeLaet 2004 Professional golfer on the PGA Tour
Ryan Clady 2007 Two-time NFL All-Pro left tackle for the Denver Broncos; first Pro Bowl appearance in 2009
Chris Childs 1989 Former NBA player with the New Jersey Nets, the New York Knicks, and the Toronto Raptors
Tyrone Crawford 2011 NFL defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys;
Gus Johnson 1962 Five-time NBA All-Star player with the Baltimore Bullets
Larry Jackson 1952 All-Star Major League pitcher with the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies
Scott Jorgensen (Psychology) three-time NCAA Wrestling Qualifier; current mixed martial artist, formerly competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship
Alva Liles Super Bowl XV champion Oakland Raiders
Dave Wilcox 1962 Former NFL lineman for the San Francisco 49ers; inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Don Summers 1983 Former NFL tight end for the Green Bay Packers and the Denver Broncos
Daryn Colledge 2005 NFL offensive guard for the Arizona Cardinals
Chuck Compton 1986 Former NFL defensive back for the Green Bay Packers
Korey Hall 2006 NFL fullback for the Arizona Cardinals
Alexander Mattison 2018 NFL running back for the Minnesota Vikings
Shea McClellin 2011 NFL defensive end for the Chicago Bears
Cedric Minter 1985 Former NFL running back for the New York Jets; also CFL
Kimo von Oelhoffen 1994 Former NFL defensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals and Super Bowl XL champion
Elaine Elliott 1977 Head coach of the University of Utah’s Women’s Basketball team
Renward Wells Olympic runner in the 1996 and 2000 summer Olympic Games
Charles Burton 1996 Competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Men’s Wrestling; wrestling coach at Nebraska
Doug Martin 2011 Former NFL running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Shawn Stasiak 1994 Former WWE wrestler and three-time World Tag Team Champion
Orlando Scandrick 2007 Former NFL cornerback for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Dallas Cowboys.[42]
Jens Pulver  1995 Mixed martial arts fighter, first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight champion, and former featherweight with World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC)
Jeb Putzier 2007 Former NFL tight end for the Denver Broncos
Kyle Wilson 2009 NFL cornerback for the NY Jets
Roland Woolsey 1974 Former NFL safety for the Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks and Cleveland Browns
Ardie McInelly 1982 NCAA Division I head coach for Idaho State Bengals women’s basketball (1996–2001) and Air Force Falcons women’s basketball (2001–10)
Geraldo Boldewijn American football player
Kellen Moore 2012 Former NFL quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. Currently, the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers (2023–Present).
Chandler Hutchison 2018 Current NBA player for the Chicago Bulls
Doc Haskell 2012 head coach of Boise State Esports
  • James Webb III (born 1993), basketball player for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Basketball Premier League

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