More selective than 14% of North Dakota colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $23,716. College Scorecard.
Higher than 92% of North Dakota colleges we cover and 68% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 92% of North Dakota colleges we cover and 74% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
North Dakota State University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 7,331 applicants, North Dakota State University admitted 7,024 and 2,214 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
North Dakota State University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for North Dakota residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What North Dakota State University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of North Dakota State University took 4.3 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in North Dakota. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $9,370 | $40,666 | 1.9 years |
| $30–48k | $11,343 | $49,229 | 2.3 years |
| $48–75k | $11,923 | $51,746 | 2.4 years |
| $75–110k | $16,082 | $69,796 | 3.2 years |
| $110k+ | $18,856 | $81,835 | 3.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (45% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($62,203) minus $40,610 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in ND (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $21,593 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
North Dakota State University majors, earnings & careers
North Dakota State University offers 82 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 22
- Engineering · 13
- Business & Finance · 10
- Health & Medicine · 9
- Humanities & Languages · 9
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 9
- Arts & Design · 4
- Communications & Media · 3
- Technology & Computing · 2
- Education · 1
Highest-earning majors at North Dakota State University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $125,175 | $19,500 |
| Construction Engineering Technology / Technician | $95,019 | $27,000 |
| Electrical Engineering | $94,510 | $22,000 |
| Computer Engineering | $92,878 | $21,511 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $87,702 | $27,000 |
| Computer Science | $87,562 | $25,959 |
| Agricultural Engineering | $84,529 | — |
| Industrial Engineering | $84,016 | $26,000 |
Quick list of all 82 majors
- Accounting$74,888
- Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services$42,973
- Agricultural Business$77,296
- Agricultural Engineering$84,529
- Agricultural Mechanization$58,690
- Agricultural Production Operations$83,779
- Agricultural Public Services—
- Agriculture$62,285
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)$77,589
- Animal Sciences$50,975
- Anthropology—
- Apparel and Textiles$56,197
- Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services—
- Architecture$65,148
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$58,662
- Biotechnology—
- Botany / Plant Biology—
- Broadcasting / Digital Media—
- Business / Corporate Communications$62,181
- Business Administration$67,405
- Chemistry—
- Civil Engineering$83,992
- Computer Engineering$92,878
- Computer Science$87,562
- Construction Engineering—
- Construction Engineering Technology / Technician$95,019
- Criminal Justice$58,252
- Dietetics$54,301
- Economics—
- Education (Subject Teaching)$52,339
- Electrical Engineering$94,510
- English$40,460
- Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy$52,570
- Environmental Design$55,647
- Environmental Engineering—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Finance$80,522
- Food Science and Technology—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- German—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$57,663
- Health Sciences—
- History—
- Homeland Security$62,649
- Hospitality Management$51,277
- Human Development and Family Studies$50,052
- Industrial Engineering$84,016
- Information Technology—
- International / Global Studies—
- International Business—
- Journalism—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$48,986
- Landscape Architecture—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Management Information Systems$76,527
- Manufacturing Engineering—
- Marketing$71,027
- Mathematics—
- Mechanical Engineering$87,702
- Medical Laboratory Science$65,292
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology$64,014
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other$53,907
- Music$45,578
- Nursing$73,935
- Nutrition Science—
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration$125,175
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Plant Sciences—
- Political Science$52,834
- Psychology$54,784
- Psychology (Research)—
- Public Relations and Advertising$54,656
- Sociology$56,040
- Soil Sciences—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Statistics—
- Studio Art$46,117
- Theatre—
- Veterinary / Animal Health Technologies / Technicians$44,457
- Zoology / Animal Biology$50,701
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Mechanical Engineering → Mechanical engineer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 11.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Fargo
Overall prices in the Fargo, ND-MN area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,104. Housing costs 19% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 25 inches of rain a year, 51 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: winter weather (very high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Cass County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Cass County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare North Dakota State University with similar schools
Similar public colleges in North Dakota by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota State University | 95% | $15,543 | 64% | $62,203 | This school |
| University of North Dakota | 77% | $18,551 | 60% | $63,552 | |
| Valley City State University | 99% | $11,890 | 53% | $52,725 | |
| Minot State University | 65% | $12,703 | 45% | $51,759 | |
| Bismarck State College | — | $10,270 | 47% | $54,277 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
North Dakota State University would cost you $3,008 less per year than University of North Dakota, on average.
- Lower sticker price at North Dakota State University, mostly from lower housing & meal costs (−$1,481).
- North Dakota State University gives aided families $1,119 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, North Dakota resident | North Dakota State University | University of North Dakota | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $11,110 | $10,951 | +$159 |
| Books & supplies | $800 | $800 | $0 |
| Housing & meals | $9,565 | $11,046 | −$1,481 |
| Personal & travel | $3,476 | $3,446 | +$30 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$1,235 | −$638 | −$597 |
| Sticker price | $23,716 | $25,605 | −$1,889 |
| Average grants | −$8,173 | −$7,054 | −$1,119 |
| You pay | $15,543 | $18,551 | −$3,008 |
“+” means North Dakota State University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about North Dakota State University
What is the North Dakota State University acceptance rate?
North Dakota State University accepts 95% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 7,024 of 7,331 applicants were admitted.
How much does North Dakota State University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $23,716 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $15,543 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $9,370 and families earning $110k+ pay $18,856.
How much do North Dakota State University graduates earn?
Former North Dakota State University students earn a median $62,203 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the North Dakota State University graduation rate?
64% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 78% return for their second year.
How long does a North Dakota State University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at North Dakota State University costs about $51,746 after grants ($11,923 a year for 4.3 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $62,203 ten years after starting, $21,593 more than high school graduates in North Dakota ($40,610), so the cost is repaid in 2.4 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “North Dakota State University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/north-dakota-state-university-main-campus (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).