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AccessibleProfile current for 2026-2027

Boise State University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in

Boise State University, a public university in Idaho, reports a 87% acceptance rate and sits in the accessible band. In practice that means it admits most qualified applicants, so a strong application is judged against an applicant pool that is already self-selected.

Your odds at Boise State University
Three numbers, no account, the same published model the full calculator runs.

Use this page to see what Boise State University weighs, where it ranks among Idaho schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1250, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.

Acceptance rate
87%
Accessible
Admitted SAT (75th pct)
1250
of admitted students
Type
Public
Boise, ID
Average net price
$21,610
per year after aid

What do students study at Boise State University?

Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.

Health Professions and Related Programs · 891 (22.4%)Business, Management and Marketing · 862 (21.6%)Multi and Interdisciplinary Studies · 262 (6.6%)Biological and Biomedical Sciences · 251 (6.3%)Communication and Journalism · 224 (5.6%)Education · 203 (5.1%)Engineering · 202 (5.1%)Psychology · 186 (4.7%)Homeland Security, Law Enforcement and Firefighting · 182 (4.6%)Visual and Performing Arts · 159 (4%)Social Sciences · 135 (3.4%)Computer and Information Sciences · 132 (3.3%)

Will I get into Boise State University?

Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Boise State University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.

What are my chances of getting into Boise State University?

Your odds at Boise State University are not the same as its 87% acceptance rate. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Boise State University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.

Is Boise State University hard to get into?

Boise State University is accessible: it admits most qualified applicants, with about a 87% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.

What GPA do you need to get into Boise State University?

There is no hard GPA cutoff at Boise State University, but admitted students span a wide GPA range, with many in the 2.8 to 3.5 band. Boise State University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.

What SAT score do you need for Boise State University?

Boise State University does not publish a required score, but the admitted-student 75th-percentile SAT is around 1250. A score at or above that range strengthens your application, while a lower score puts more weight on your rigor, activities, and essays. CollegeCalcAI shows how your exact score shifts your odds at Boise State University.

Calculate your chances at Boise State University →

Your chances at Boise State University by GPA and SAT

Estimated chance of admission at Boise State University for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).

What are my chances at Boise State University with a 3.1 GPA and a 1190 SAT?

About 98% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1190 SAT, the middle of Boise State University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1250 SAT comes out near 98%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.

Estimated admission chance at Boise State University by unweighted GPA (rows) and SAT score (columns)
GPASAT 112025th pctSAT 1190middleSAT 125075th pctNo testtest-optional
2.568%Likely81%Safety88%Safety72%Safety
2.890%Safety95%Safety97%Safety94%Safety
3.197%Safety98%Safety98%Safety98%Safety
3.498%Safety98%Safety98%Safety98%Safety

Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/boise-state-university.

How to get into Boise State University

Built from Boise State University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.

There is no formula that guarantees a spot at Boise State University, but the applicants who get in tend to do the same four things. Here is what the numbers say each one looks like.

Step 1
Match the typical admit on the transcript

CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Boise State University carries about a 3.04 core GPA and a 1200 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.

Step 2
Build the file around what Boise State University weighs

Boise State University rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.

Step 3
Apply in the round that helps

Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by Boise State University's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.boisestate.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.

See your odds and your top moves at Boise State University →Add it to your college list →Official site: www.boisestate.edu ↗

How many students apply to Boise State University, and how many get in?

Boise State University admitted 13,391 of the 15,949 students who applied for fall 2023, which works out to 84%. 3,080 enrolled. Only about 23% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. Boise State University enrolls about 17,674 undergraduates in total, 57% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 20 to 1.

Applied
15,949
fall 2023
Admitted
13,391
84% of applicants
Enrolled
3,080
23% yield
Undergraduates
17,674
Boise, midsize city

Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.

What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Boise State University?

Boise State University reports that it neither requires nor recommends test scores, so admission turns on your transcript, rigor, and the rest of the file.

Test scores
Neither required nor recommended
admissions policy

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.

What Boise State University looks for

What Boise State University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.

The factors that carry the most weight at Boise State University are rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Boise State University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.

Rigor of secondary school record
Very important
Academic GPA
Very important
Standardized test scores
Important

SAT score positioning at Boise State University

How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.

SATWhere it sits at Boise State University
1600Above the admitted 75th percentile
1500Above the admitted 75th percentile
1400Above the admitted 75th percentile
1300Above the admitted 75th percentile
1200Below the middle, makes the rest of the profile matter more
1100Well below the admitted range
Colleges for a 1250 SAT →Colleges for a 26 ACT →See colleges by GPA →

How much does Boise State University cost after financial aid?

Boise State University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $28,224 per year. Tuition and fees are $9,048 for ID residents and $27,788 for out-of-state students, a $18,740 gap that makes residency the single biggest lever on cost. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $21,610 a year, and it ranges from $18,165 for families earning under $30,000 to $25,893 for families earning over $110,000. 18% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.

Sticker price
$28,224
per year, before aid
Average net price
$21,610
after grants and scholarships
In-state tuition
$9,048
$27,788 out of state
Pell recipients
18%
of undergraduates
Family incomeAverage net price per year
$0 to $30k$18,165
$30k to $48k$17,974
$48k to $75k$20,731
$75k to $110k$23,573
Over $110k$25,893

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.

What do Boise State University graduates earn, and how many graduate?

Ten years after enrolling, the median Boise State University student who received federal aid earns $51,658 a year, up from $45,251 at six years. 60% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 79% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $20,500; 24% of undergraduates take federal loans.

Median earnings
$51,658
10 years after entry
Graduation rate
60%
within six years
Retention
79%
return for year two
Median debt
$20,500
at graduation, borrowers

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.

How Boise State University compares in Idaho

Boise State University ranks #4 most selective of 6 schools in Idaho in our database.

Among the 6 Idaho schools we track, Boise State University ranks #4 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like College of Idaho (49%) and Northwest Nazarene University (65%) sit nearby, which makes Idaho a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.

College of Idaho
49%acceptance · ID
Northwest Nazarene University
65%acceptance · ID
University of Idaho
76%acceptance · ID
Lewis-Clark State College
88%acceptance · ID
Idaho State University
97%acceptance · ID
See all Idaho schools →

Similar to Boise State University

Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.

Applicants targeting Boise State University often weigh George Mason University, North Carolina Central University, and Southern Illinois University, which sit at a similar level. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.

George Mason University
87%acceptance · VA
North Carolina Central University
87%acceptance · NC
Southern Illinois University
87%acceptance · IL
University of Hawaiʻi
87%acceptance · HI
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
87%acceptance · LA
University of Nebraska
87%acceptance · NE

Frequently asked questions

What is Boise State University's acceptance rate?

Boise State University admitted 13,391 of 15,949 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 84% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 23% of admitted students enrolled.

Is Boise State University test-optional?

Boise State University reports that it neither requires nor recommends test scores.

How much does Boise State University cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Boise State University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $21,610 a year against a sticker price of about $28,224. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $18,165 on average.

What do Boise State University graduates earn?

Median earnings ten years after entering Boise State University are $51,658 a year among students who received federal aid, and 60% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).

What does Boise State University value most in applicants?

Based on its admissions profile, Boise State University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.

Does Boise State University favor in-state applicants?

As a public university, Boise State University generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.

How can I improve my chances at Boise State University?

Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Boise State University specifically.

What are the admission requirements for Boise State University?

Boise State University reviews GPA, course rigor, test scores (where submitted), activities, and essays. With a more accessible acceptance rate, meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.

Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.