National university
#3 Best colleges in North DakotaNorth Dakota State University
Fargo, ND · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $15,543 a year
Median debt at graduation: $23,199 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In North Dakota
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in North Dakota#2 of 9
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in North Dakota#2 of 8
- Best colleges for chemistry in North Dakota#2 of 8
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in North Dakota#2 of 8
- Best colleges for education in North Dakota#2 of 8
- Best colleges for English in North Dakota#2 of 8
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.64%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.78%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,150 · ACT 22
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.19 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$11,618
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $23,716 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 9,791 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 49% · Women 51% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 17% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 65% |
| Total students | 11,952 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $15,543 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $23,716 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $23,199 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 64% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 55% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 55% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 81% |
| First-year retention | 78% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $62,203 |
| Admission rate | 95% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $917 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 20% |
| Average SAT | 1150 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | — |
| SAT math | — |
| ACT composite | 19–25 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Excellent · Top 20% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | |
| Electrical engineering | |
| Computer engineering | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Computer science | |
| Agricultural Engineering | |
| Industrial Engineering | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Agricultural Production Operations | |
| Finance | |
| Allied health | |
| Agricultural business | |
| Management information systems | |
| Accounting | |
| Nursing | |
| Marketing | |
| Business administration | |
| Clinical laboratory science | |
| Architecture | |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | |
| Homeland Security | |
| Agriculture | |
| Business/Corporate Communications | |
| Agricultural Mechanization | |
| Biology | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Design | |
| Apparel and Textiles | |
| Sociology | |
| Environmental Design | |
| Psychology | |
| Public relations | |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | |
| Interdisciplinary studies | |
| Political science | |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | |
| Secondary education | |
| Hospitality management | |
| Animal Sciences | |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | |
| Family and human development | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Fine arts | |
| Music | |
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | |
| Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services | |
| English |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Agricultural Public Services, Anthropology, Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Botany/Plant Biology, Broadcasting, Chemistry, Construction Engineering, Economics, Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering, Ethnic and gender studies, Experimental psychology, Food Science and Technology, Geology and earth science, German, Global studies, Health sciences, History, Information technology, International business, Journalism, Landscape Architecture, Liberal arts, Manufacturing Engineering, Mathematics, Nutrition Sciences, Philosophy, Physics, Plant Sciences, Romance languages, Soil Sciences, Statistics, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Health professions | |
| Engineering | |
| Agriculture | |
| Family and consumer sciences |
Campus life
| Setting | City |
|---|---|
| Part-time undergraduates | 8% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 6% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $9,928 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · The Summit League |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 19 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 7%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 98%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $41,476IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 57% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Hector International Airport (FAR)About 2 miles away · about 10 minutes by car |
| Town population | 131,627Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | MinneapolisAbout 216 miles away · about 4 hours 30 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 9°F in January · 71°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Fargo Hector International Airport, ND |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.25 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.08 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.42 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.17 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is North Dakota State University’s Compass Score?
- Good (grade B). It ranks in the top 39% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does North Dakota State University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $15,543 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into North Dakota State University?
- North Dakota State University admitted 95% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do North Dakota State University’s graduates do?
- 64% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $62,203; the median federal debt at graduation is $23,199.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 200332
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (very high research)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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Colleges like this one
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