2024 Best Colleges in North Dakota
12
Colleges
$47,547
Avg Salary*
33%
Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*
It's not easy to decide which college to attend when you have so many options available. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Top North Dakota Colleges ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
Our analysis looked at 12 schools in North Dakota to determine which ones were the best in terms of overall quality. Our ranking is based on over 20 objective factors, including post graduate earnings, freshman retention, and graduation rate. We steer clear of subjective measures since they don't give a clear picture when determining how one school compares to another.
Get more details on our ranking methodology.
One Size Does Not Fit All
We've developed a number of other tools and rankings to help you make your college decision. Start by filtering this list by location or field of study and then explore our other rankings that feature schools great for different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.
We've created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you're torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another!
Top Colleges in North Dakota
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found University of North Dakota to be the best school for overall quality in North Dakota in this year’s ranking. UND is a fairly large public school situated in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It awarded 3,325 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $57,299 during the early years of their career..
Full University of North Dakota Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #2 in North Dakota on this year’s overall quality ranking. Located in Fargo, North Dakota, the fairly large public school handed out 3,338 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 2.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from North Dakota State University go into careers with an average salary of $56,246 during the early years of their career.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Mary. The school came in at #3 in North Dakota on this year’s overall quality ranking. Located in Bismarck, North Dakota, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 1,127 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 3.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UMary go into careers with an average salary of $55,720 during the early years of their career.
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A rank of #4 on our Best Colleges in North Dakota list means Valley City State University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Valley City State University is located in Valley City, North Dakota and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 454 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Valley City State University make an average of $45,429 a year.
Full Valley City State University Report
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Bismarck State College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in North Dakota. This small public school is located in Bismarck, North Dakota, and it awarded 1,094 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $49,499 during the early years of their career..
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With a ranking of #6, Minot State University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in North Dakota list.Minot, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 699 students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, graduates from MSU make an average of $45,458 a year.
Full Minot State University Report
With a ranking of #7, North Dakota State College of Science did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in North Dakota list. Located in Wahpeton, North Dakota, the small public school awarded 517 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from North Dakota State College of Science make an average of $46,940 per year during the early years of their career.
Full North Dakota State College of Science Report
With a ranking of #8, Rasmussen University - North Dakota did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in North Dakota list.Fargo, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 338 students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Rasmussen University - North Dakota is $35,667 during the early years of their career.
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Dickinson State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in North Dakota ranking. DSU is a small public school situated in Dickinson, North Dakota. It awarded 373 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $48,098 during the early years of their career..
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University of Jamestown came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in North Dakota ranking. UJ is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Jamestown, North Dakota. It awarded 237 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UJ is $49,050 during the early years of their career.
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With a ranking of #11, Williston State College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in North Dakota list. Williston State College is a small public school situated in Williston, North Dakota. It awarded 327 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $38,942 during the early years of their career..
Full Williston State College Report
Mayville State University did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in North Dakota ranking, coming in at #12.Mayville, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 265 students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Mayville State University go into careers with an average salary of $42,211 during the early years of their career.
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