US CollegesColleges in North Dakota: cost, admission and results
19 degree-granting colleges and universities in North Dakota, with the admission rate, net price, graduation rate and earnings of each. The largest are University of North Dakota (9,981 undergraduates), North Dakota State University-Main Campus (9,471 undergraduates), Bismarck State College (2,839 undergraduates).
North Dakota at a glance
- Colleges on this site
- 19
- Public / private nonprofit / for-profit
- 14 / 4 / 1
- Median in-state tuition and fees
- $8,337
- Median net price a year
- $13,501
- Median admission rate
- 76%
- Median graduation rate
- 46%
- Median earnings 10 years on
- $53,831
No college in this list matches.
| College | Admission rate | Net price a year | Graduation rate | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck State CollegeBismarck, ND · Public | not reported | $9,531 | 44% | $57,900 |
| Cankdeska Cikana Community CollegeFort Totten, ND · Public | not reported | $18,531 | 0% | $26,728 |
| Dakota College at BottineauBottineau, ND · Public | not reported | $11,499 | 48% | $45,217 |
| Dickinson State UniversityDickinson, ND · Public | 37% | $14,076 | 40% | $55,221 |
| Lake Region State CollegeDevils Lake, ND · Public | not reported | $13,501 | 53% | $51,503 |
| Mayville State UniversityMayville, ND · Public | not reported | $13,637 | 39% | $50,306 |
| Minot State UniversityMinot, ND · Public | 65% | $11,490 | 45% | $56,245 |
| North Dakota State College of ScienceWahpeton, ND · Public | not reported | $11,706 | 54% | $54,808 |
| North Dakota State University-Main CampusFargo, ND · Public | 95% | $15,636 | 65% | $65,925 |
| Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish CollegeNew Town, ND · Public | not reported | $3,497 | 25% | $45,924 |
| Rasmussen University-North DakotaFargo, ND · Private for-profit | not reported | $9,960 | 50% | $47,524 |
| Sitting Bull CollegeFort Yates, ND · Public | not reported | $2,278 | 20% | $34,471 |
| Trinity Bible College and Graduate SchoolEllendale, ND · Private nonprofit | 26% | $22,322 | 46% | $38,990 |
| United Tribes Technical CollegeBismarck, ND · Private nonprofit | not reported | $2,368 | 25% | $25,436 |
| University of JamestownJamestown, ND · Private nonprofit | 88% | $19,440 | 52% | $61,350 |
| University of MaryBismarck, ND · Private nonprofit | 75% | $23,020 | 66% | $62,839 |
| University of North DakotaGrand Forks, ND · Public | 77% | $18,131 | 61% | $67,456 |
| Valley City State UniversityValley City, ND · Public | 99% | $13,748 | 50% | $53,886 |
| Williston State CollegeWilliston, ND · Public | not reported | $7,309 | 42% | $53,831 |
"Not reported" means the Department of Education has no figure, often because the college is small, new, or does not take first-time students. Medians are the middle value of the colleges listed here.
The colleges of North Dakota in brief
Of the 19 colleges listed for North Dakota, 14 are public, 4 are private nonprofit and 1 is private for-profit. By level, 9 mainly award bachelor's degrees and 10 mainly award two-year associate degrees. Together they teach about 35,563 undergraduates, 88% of them at public colleges. The three largest, University of North Dakota, North Dakota State University-Main Campus and Bismarck State College, hold 63% of the total, and the middle-sized college has 733 undergraduates. The towns with the most colleges are Bismarck (3) and Fargo (2).
What college costs in North Dakota
At the public colleges, the median published tuition and fees are $6,324 a year for students from North Dakota and $7,749 for students from elsewhere. At the private nonprofit colleges the median is $21,675. Published prices are not what most families pay. Counting colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the lowest average net price after grants is at United Tribes Technical College ($2,368) and Williston State College ($7,309) and the highest at University of Mary ($23,020) and University of Jamestown ($19,440). The median net price across the state, $13,501, is 22% below the national median of $17,357.
Getting in
8 of the 19 colleges report an admission rate. The hardest to get into are Trinity Bible College and Graduate School (26% admitted), Dickinson State University (37% admitted) and Minot State University (65% admitted). 5 of them admit at least seven applicants in ten. 11 colleges have an open admission policy and report no rate: they do not turn applicants away on grades or test scores.
Finishing and earning
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the highest share of students finishing their course is at University of Mary (66%), North Dakota State University-Main Campus (65%) and University of North Dakota (61%). The median graduation rate of the state's colleges is 46%, against 49% for the country. Ten years after starting, former students with federal aid earn the most at University of North Dakota ($67,456), North Dakota State University-Main Campus ($65,925) and University of Mary ($62,839). The state median for that measure is $53,831, about the same as the national $53,132. Students who finish leave with a median federal loan debt of $19,913 (national median $19,994). Earnings follow the subjects a college teaches as much as its quality, so compare like with like.
Questions about colleges in North Dakota
How many colleges are there in North Dakota?
This site lists 19 open, degree-granting colleges and universities in North Dakota, out of 3,161 on the whole site. Schools that mainly give short certificates are not counted.
What is the largest college in North Dakota?
University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, with about 9,981 undergraduate students.
Which college in North Dakota has the lowest net price?
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, United Tribes Technical College: students with federal aid paid an average of $2,368 a year after grants. Students from other states or countries usually pay more.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education, data released on 2 November 2026; checked in November 2026. Net price, debt and earnings describe students who received US federal aid. Costs change each year. This is official data for general information, not advice: confirm costs and admission rules on the college's own website and at collegescorecard.ed.gov.