Lewis-Clark State College
Lewiston, Idaho · Public · 87.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 37/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho, scores 37 out of 100 (Below Benchmark). The strongest sub-score is debt-to-earnings at 63 (raw ratio 0.549, well below the 0.8 threshold that flags repayment trouble), driven by a low $18,500 median federal debt. In-state tuition is $7,610 (out-of-state $22,028), and the net price of $15,635 is reasonable. The drag on the overall score is the 40.2% completion rate and the 18.4-year payback period. Median earnings 10 years after entry sit at $46,001, modest but consistent with the rural Northwest labor market the college serves. The 188-student-graduate Registered Nursing program is the standout: B+ ROI grade, $77,965 first-year earnings, 0.346 debt-to-earnings ratio. Outside nursing and allied health, programs cluster in the C/D range with workable but unspectacular outcomes. The combination of low debt, strong nursing pipeline, and reasonable in-state tuition makes this a more defensible choice than the headline ROI score suggests.
How Lewis-Clark State College scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score37/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period18.4 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Lewis-Clark State College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $7,610/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $22,028/yr |
| Average net price | $15,635/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $62,540 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $46,001 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $18,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $196 |
| Estimated payback period | 18.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 40.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,385 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $7,610/year ($22,028/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $15,635/year, or roughly $62,540 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $13,080/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $19,004/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $18,500, which works out to about $196 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($33,700) and comes to 0.55, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $13,080 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $14,044 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,127 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $17,934 |
| $110,001+ | $19,004 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-$30,000 pay $13,080 net price - the lowest tier. Pell and Idaho state grants close most of the gap on this already-modest sticker. With $46,001 in 10-year earnings and $18,500 in median debt, low-income students who complete the nursing or allied health programs come out clearly ahead. Liberal arts and humanities students should still budget conservatively given the 40% completion rate.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $14,044, and $48,001-$75,000 pays $15,127.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $17,934 and $110,001+ pays $19,004. The aid model scales income-progressively without any inversions. High-income Idaho residents looking for a small-college-feel public option will find LCSC genuinely affordable.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Lewis-Clark State College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $83,303 | B+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $57,599 | C |
| Social Work | $49,429 | D |
| Allied Health Diagnostic and Treatment | $71,701 | B |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $57,214 | C |
| Teacher Education | $43,228 | C |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $58,327 | C |
| Psychology | $38,717 | C |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $49,716 | C |
| Accounting | $59,869 | D |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
By far the dominant program with 188 graduates - more than three times any other major - this nursing program earns a B+ grade. First-year earnings of $77,965 climb to $83,303 by year four against $27,000 median debt and a 0.346 debt-to-earnings ratio. This is excellent ROI. Lewis-Clark's nursing program is the largest in Idaho by volume and feeds the regional St. Luke's, Tri-State, and Northwest Specialty health systems with a steady graduate pipeline. For students who can complete this program, this single major is reason to choose LCSC.
Allied Health Diagnostic and Treatment
Thirty-one graduates earn a B grade. First-year earnings of $61,097 rise to $71,701 by year four with $23,810 median debt and a 0.39 ratio. Strong outcomes that mirror the nursing pipeline. Radiologic technology, sonography, and respiratory therapy roles are in structural demand across the rural Northwest, and LCSC's clinical placements are well-established.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Fifty-nine graduates earn a C grade. First-year earnings of $41,473 climb to $57,599 by year four against $26,000 median debt and a 0.627 ratio. The progression from $41K to $58K over three years suggests graduates are landing into real career-track roles in regional banking, manufacturing, and government.
Social Work
Forty graduates earn a D grade. First-year earnings of $35,456 rise to $49,429 by year four against $26,126 median debt and a 0.737 ratio. Social work is structurally low-paid; the four-year earnings progression to $49K is actually decent for the field. Students should plan for the MSW pathway and check Idaho's licensure structure - many roles require the master's.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Thirty graduates earn a C grade. First-year earnings of $33,176 climb to $57,214 by year four - one of the steeper earnings curves in the program mix. Median debt of $21,475 produces a 0.647 ratio. Many graduates likely advance into physical therapy, athletic training, or occupational therapy graduate programs; the four-year earnings number suggests the pipeline to advanced credentials is working.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 62.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 68.1% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 59.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 65.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Lewis-Clark State College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 87.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,385 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 24.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,551 |
Lewis-Clark State admits 87.7% of applicants, making it broadly accessible. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported. The 40.2% completion rate is the relevant fit signal: persistence is the binding constraint, not admissions. Idaho residents who enter prepared for the nursing or allied health pre-requisites can find a strong pathway here at a low cost. Less-prepared students should plan for academic support services and a realistic timeline to credential.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
In our view, Lewis-Clark's nursing program is its main asset.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis-Clark State College (this school) | 37 | $15,635 | $46,001 |
| Boise State University | 45 | $21,610 | $51,658 |
| Idaho State University | 38 | $12,193 | $45,608 |
| Southern Oregon University | 37 | $16,732 | $49,175 |
| SUNY College of Technology at Canton | 36 | $15,268 | $47,860 |
| Montana State University Billings | 34 | $16,524 | $44,296 |
Who Thrives Here
Lewis-Clark enrolls 2,385 students with a 24.3% Pell rate. The fit is clearest for Idaho and Washington residents pursuing nursing (188 graduates - by far the largest program), allied health, or teacher education. Students who already work in the Lewiston-area healthcare or government sector and are using LCSC for credential completion get strong value.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Lewis-Clark State College scores 37/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $15,635 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $46,001 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 18.4 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 40.2% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 68.1% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $18,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,700 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Lewis-Clark State College: Common Questions
Is Lewis-Clark State College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Lewis-Clark State College scores 37/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $15,635 a year after aid against $46,001 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 18.4 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Lewis-Clark State College cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $15,635 a year, or roughly $62,540 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Lewis-Clark State College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $46,001 ten years after enrolling, roughly $4,201 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Lewis-Clark State College?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 18.4 years for Lewis-Clark State College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Lewis-Clark State College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $18,500, against average earnings of $33,700 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Lewis-Clark State College?
The six-year graduation rate is 40.2%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.