Best Colleges in North Dakota

University of North Dakota ranked first and North Dakota State University ranked second for the best colleges in North Dakota. The state is well known for its Native American culture and heritage, which is evident in its music, food, and tribal college system. Students here can explore the historical sites of the Lewis and Clark trail and Enchanted Highway.

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Studying in North Dakota

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Best Colleges in North Dakota

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#1 in North Dakota | #160 in National Universities

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota

Economic score 3.27

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $17,681

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $63,552

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 62%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#2 in North Dakota | #173 in National Universities
Economic score 3.38

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $16,875

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $62,203

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 64%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#3 in North Dakota | #182 in National Universities

University of Mary

Bismarck, North Dakota

Economic score 3.45

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $18,191

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $60,909

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 56%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#4 in North Dakota

Valley City State University

Valley City, North Dakota

Economic score 3.92

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $11,672

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $52,725

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 49%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#5 in North Dakota

Minot State University

Minot, North Dakota

Economic score 4.54

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $12,121

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $51,759

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 56%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#6 in North Dakota

University of Jamestown

Jamestown, North Dakota

Economic score 4.97

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $19,586

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $56,621

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 55%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

Dickinson State University

Dickinson, North Dakota

Economic score 5.88

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $15,112

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $50,720

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 41%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

Mayville State University

Mayville, North Dakota

Economic score 7.56

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $14,298

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $47,828

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 40%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

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Average income based on education level

The following figures are the average salaries in North Dakota for each level of education.  

Average Income

The average income of people in this state with a high-school diploma, certificate, associate degree, bachelor’s degree, or master’s degree, 10 years after enrollment, based on 2021-2022 CSC data.

HS Diploma $39,250
Certificate $56,297
Associate $53,281
Bachelor $59,138
Master $61,400

Cost of attending college in North Dakota

In-state-tuition $9,999

The average in-state tuition, before financial aid, of all 4-year institutions in the state. Includes public, private, online, on-campus, non-profit, and for-profit institutions. Based on 2021-2022 CSC data.

Out-of-state-tuition $11,444

The average tuition for out-of-state students, before financial aid of all 4-year institutions in the state. Includes public, private, online, on-campus, non-profit, and for-profit institutions. Based on 2021-2022 CSC data.

Most popular degrees in North Dakota

In North Dakota the most popular degrees are Business Administration, Registered Nursing, and Education-grades & methods. To create this list, we complied and analyzed data from IPEDS and College Scorecard. 

They both provide information on how many graduates each program has annually. The list below is both undergraduate- and graduate-level programs.

Fastest growing careers

North Dakota job growth 10.1%

Nurse Practitioners
57.1%
Statisticians
42.9%
Physician Assistants
36%
Medical and Health Services Managers
35.8%
Audiologists
33.3%
Physical Therapist Assistants
33.3%
Drafters, All Other
33.3%
Psychiatrists
33.3%
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers
30.6%
Respiratory Therapists
29.4%

Best bachelor’s degrees in North Dakota

These majors are most likely to pay off economically after graduation.

Best colleges for social mobility in North Dakota

Higher education is supposed to act as an economic elevator that lifts students from low-income households into the middle class. But not all colleges do this: unfortunately, many of the nation’s most “prestigious” schools accept very few students from low-income backgrounds. 

To determine what colleges are doing the best job at lifting students out of poverty, we have devised a Social Mobility Index (SMI).  

The best colleges for social mobility in North Dakota are shown below. 

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Take our quiz to find the online degree that’s best for you. Compare hundreds of schools and apply to your dream college today.