NIC’s degrees are secure. Enrollment is up. Spending is held in check. North Idaho College is moving forward - and Save NIC is working to keep it that way.
North Idaho College is back on solid ground.
Its degrees are secure, enrollment is growing, and it’s focused on students.
Good Standing
Accreditation is back & here’s why it matters
Accreditation is how everyone - students, employers, and taxpayers - knows an NIC degree is the real deal. Without it, credits don’t transfer and students lose financial aid.
In February 2026, NIC earned it back.
- NIC degrees and credits are accepted by employers and universities
- Students keep their financial aid
- The college can grow its programs again
North Idaho College & NWCCU, Feb. 9, 2026
Nearly 4,000 Jobs
What NIC means for North Idaho
- The average graduate earns about $5,700 more per year
- $205.9 million earned by former NIC students working here
- $273.2 million added to the local economy every year
Lightcast, Economic Value of NIC (five-county service area), 2025
Growing
Six straight semesters of rising enrollment
- 4,570 students this spring
→ Up 7% from a year ago - Growing more than twice as fast as community colleges nationwide
- More students coming from right here in Kootenai County
NIC Spring 2026 Enrollment Report
Where we were. Where we are.
For several years, the news about North Idaho College was mostly turmoil. Here’s a plain summary of what those years looked like — and what’s changed.
Those Years
| ⊗ | A revolving door of presidents and constant leadership turnover |
| ⊗ | Lawsuits the college couldn’t seem to get out of |
| ⊗ | Accreditation sanctions that kept getting more serious |
| ⊗ | The college’s insurance carrier walked away |
| ⊗ | A national ratings agency flagged NIC’s debt for review |
| ⊗ | Ongoing disputes over access to public records |
| ⊗ | Board policies out of date and out of line with best practices |
| ⊗ | National headlines, for all the wrong reasons |
Today
| √ | Full accreditation, restored to good standing in February 2026 |
| √ | A stable board and steady leadership |
| √ | Six straight semesters of enrollment growth |
| √ | Programs expanding again, with new employer partnerships |
| √ | The NIC Guarantee backing every graduate |
| √ | Nearly 4,000 local jobs supported |
| √ | Finances independently audited and published |
| √ | Trustees now invited to teach other colleges what good governance looks like |
A summary, not a full account. The complete record - accreditation letters, board minutes, and court filings - is public. See our Accreditation page for the original documents.
Living within its means - the record
A lot of people feel like public institutions just keep asking for more. Through its hardest years - FY2022 to FY2026 - NIC held the line on local property taxes instead. Every figure below comes from the college’s own public budget books and audits. Check them yourself.
A smaller share every year
NIC’s slice of the property tax has eased down to about $37–$38 for every $100,000 of taxable value — a little lower every year. For six budgets running (FY2022–FY2027), the college kept its own budget steady while the county grew, so its share of the rate kept shrinking.
NIC budget books, FY2022–FY2027
Growth paid for growth
New homes and businesses covered NIC’s rising costs, so the rate on the home you already own stayed right where it was. Idaho law would have let the college collect more — it chose to leave that money with you.
NIC budget books, FY2022–FY2027
NIC tightened its own belt
When money got tight, NIC found the savings in its own house — a cheaper legal contract, jobs left unfilled — and shrank its budget gap from $5.2 million to $1.2 million in a single year. Local taxes stayed put, and NIC’s tuition is still tied for the lowest in Idaho.
NIC Property Tax Historical Statistics, FY2025
The books are open
Every year, independent auditors go through NIC’s finances and give them a clean bill of health. Debt is going down, with money set aside for a rainy day. Want to see for yourself? It’s all public.
NIC board books & annual audited financial statements
Read NIC’s audited financial statements
Looking-ahead: Money from the state got tighter in 2026, and budgets ahead may be leaner. Whatever comes, decisions about local taxes will be made out in the open, by the elected board — and we’ll help you keep an eye on them.
NIC stands behind its graduates
The new NIC Guarantee is a plain promise: your time and money are backed by the college.
Get hired — or NIC keeps helping, free.
If an eligible graduate isn’t working in their field within six months, NIC keeps coaching them and lets them retake job training at no cost.
A clear path to a four-year degree.
Eligible graduates are guaranteed admission to the University of Idaho or Lewis-Clark State — or NIC keeps supporting the transfer.
Your experience counts.
Military service, a trade, or industry certificates can earn college credit — so you don’t pay to relearn what you already know.
Real, local wages.
NIC trains people for jobs that pay right here at home — from the trades to healthcare.
Starting pay in North Idaho: welding $25/hr · diesel $29/hr · robotics $30/hr · radiology $34/hr · nursing (RN) $44/hr · dental hygiene $50/hr
Median starting wages · Idaho Dept. of Labor & Lightcast, 2024
Save NIC’s Role
Save NIC is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to helping citizens understand important issues affecting North Idaho College. We do not speak on behalf of the college or its accreditor. Our goal is to provide plain-language explanations, official public records, and original source documents so community members can make informed decisions based on the facts.
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100% of Donations Fund community education
Donations to Save NIC help educate the community on the importance of accreditation to the North Idaho region. Our efforts support the North Idaho College community through awareness, engagement, and transparency. Save NIC is committed to supporting North Idaho College and will utilize all available check and balances to reach the goal to SAVE NIC! Join the movement!