LEWISTON, ID – Lewis-Clark State College continues its ascent in the U.S. News & World Report annual rankings, released on Tuesday. LC State was ranked No. 8 in the Top Public Schools – West Region category for the second year in a row, while also rising in the categories of social mobility and best regional colleges in the West.
“From rankings to enrollment, to the palpable energy and positivity on campus, LC State is clearly on the move and on the rise,” LC State President Cynthia Pemberton said. “We’re proud to offer a small-school experience at a public-school price where students thrive.”
In the Top Public Schools – West Region category, which includes public colleges in the West and Southwest, LC State was ranked No. 8 in 2024, No. 9 in 2023, and No. 10 in 2022.
Out of 97 regional colleges in the West, including public and private, LC State was ranked No. 24 overall, up three spots from its No. 27 ranking in 2024.
LC State was ranked No. 35 in social mobility among colleges in the West, surpassing last year’s ranking of No. 43. The organization defines social mobility as successfully enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants. The organization states that economically disadvantaged students are less likely than others to finish college. Nearly 50% of LC State students are Pell eligible.
U.S. News & World Report’s annual best college rankings were established to provide data-driven information and guidance for prospective students and their families.
According to the organization, the rankings are determined by 17 criteria factors including: graduation rates, first-year retention rates, graduation rate performance, Pell graduation rates, Pell graduation performance, college grad earnings, borrower debt, peer assessment, financial resources per student, standardized tests, and student-faculty ratio.
LC State offers the lowest tuition among Idaho’s public four-year institutions and has an enrollment of around 3,900 students. LC State was one of over 1,700 colleges and universities included in the rankings, which started in 1983.
