North Dakota State University-Main Campus

Fargo, North Dakota · Public · 4-year · City

At a glance

Average net price: $15,543What students typically pay per year after grants and scholarships.
Acceptance rate: 95%
Graduation rate: 64%Share of students who finish within 150% of the normal time.
Undergraduates: 9,471
In-state tuition: $11,110Published price before aid.
Out-of-state tuition: $15,764
SAT midpoint: 1,205
Median earnings, 10 yrs: $62,203Median earnings of former students ten years after they first enrolled.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Data year: 2022-23 academic year. Updated September 2026. Figures are averages across all students and will differ from what any individual pays.

How it compares to similar colleges

Each rating covers one measure against public 4-year colleges nationally. Five stars means the top fifth on that measure. There is no overall score, because which of these matters is your call.

Affordability

$15,543

3/5

Better than 42% of public 4-year colleges (565 compared).

Completion

64%

4/5

Better than 75% of public 4-year colleges (566 compared).

Earnings

$62,203

4/5

Better than 71% of public 4-year colleges (590 compared).

Debt at graduation

$23,199

2/5

Better than 26% of public 4-year colleges (588 compared).

What these ratings are based on

Affordability: Based on average net price: what students receiving federal aid actually paid, after grants and scholarships. Your own cost depends on your family's finances.
Completion: Based on the share of first-time, full-time students who graduate within 150% of normal time. It excludes transfer and part-time students, which understates colleges serving many of them.
Earnings: Based on median earnings ten years after students first enrolled. It reflects the subjects a college teaches and the region it sits in as much as its teaching.
Debt at graduation: Based on median federal loan debt among students who completed. Private and parent loans are not included, so real totals are often higher.
Why there is no rating for selectivity: A lower acceptance rate is selectivity, not quality. Awarding stars for it would be us inventing a value judgement and hiding it behind a number.

What it actually costs

Published cost

$23,716

The sticker price: tuition, fees, housing, food and books for one academic year, before any aid.

Average net price

$15,543

What students receiving federal aid actually paid on average, after grants and scholarships. This is the more useful number, though your own figure depends on your family’s finances.

What would this cost me?

Use this college’s official net price calculator

Outcomes

Graduation, retention, debt and earnings for North Dakota State University-Main Campus
Graduation rateWithin 150% of normal time	64%
Retention rateFirst-year students who return	78%
Median debt at graduationFederal loans only, students who completed	$23,199
Median earnings, 10 years after entryFormer students, working and not enrolled	$62,203

What graduates of each major earn

Median earnings one year after finishing, for people who took that subject here. This is the figure a college-wide median hides: the spread between subjects at one college is usually far wider than the spread between colleges.

Bachelor’s programs at North Dakota State University-Main Campus by graduate earnings
Major	Earnings, 1 yr	Degrees awarded
Computer Engineering	$76,558	28
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering	$75,212	63
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician	$74,199	43
Civil Engineering	$72,729	60
Mechanical Engineering	$72,158	122
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing	$70,821	216
Industrial Engineering	$68,873	15
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions	$67,303	49
Management Information Systems and Services	$64,181	12
Agricultural Production Operations	$62,869	36
Computer Science	$60,426	80
Agricultural Business and Management	$59,953	50
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions	$58,799	8
Accounting and Related Services	$57,695	46
Agriculture, General	$55,828	8
Finance and Financial Management Services	$53,163	82
Agricultural Mechanization	$52,387	7
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services	$49,443	Not reported
Plant Sciences	$49,048	7
Business Administration, Management and Operations	$48,105	144
Marketing	$47,815	61
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas	$46,970	54
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other	$44,064	76
Homeland Security	$42,802	16
Hospitality Administration/Management	$41,984	10
Design and Applied Arts	$41,846	17
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services	$41,717	103
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy	$40,971	22
Apparel and Textiles	$40,558	9
Sociology	$40,451	6
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology	$40,262	14
Animal Sciences	$39,290	45
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication	$39,223	27
Criminal Justice and Corrections	$38,057	56
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians	$36,814	27
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness	$36,646	55
Business/Corporate Communications	$36,513	16
Psychology, General	$35,891	94
Biology, General	$34,165	93
Zoology/Animal Biology	$33,115	Not reported
Political Science and Government	$26,635	18
Architecture	Not reported	55
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration	Not reported	53
History	Not reported	20
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology	Not reported	16
Music	Not reported	16
Manufacturing Engineering	Not reported	15
Economics	Not reported	15
Journalism	Not reported	12
English Language and Literature, General	Not reported	11
Agricultural Engineering	Not reported	11
Mathematics	Not reported	11
Nutrition Sciences	Not reported	10
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft	Not reported	10
International Business	Not reported	9
Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services	Not reported	8
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General	Not reported	8
Fine and Studio Arts	Not reported	8
Biotechnology	Not reported	8
Environmental Design	Not reported	7
Anthropology	Not reported	5
Chemistry	Not reported	5
Statistics	Not reported	5
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Not reported	5
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences	Not reported	5
Physics	Not reported	4
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities	Not reported	4
Food Science and Technology	Not reported	4
Construction Engineering	Not reported	3
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Not reported	2
Agricultural Public Services	Not reported	1
International/Globalization Studies	Not reported	1
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management	Not reported	Not reported
Botany/Plant Biology	Not reported	Not reported
Soil Sciences	Not reported	Not reported
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services	Not reported	Not reported
Landscape Architecture	Not reported	Not reported
Research and Experimental Psychology	Not reported	Not reported
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Not reported	Not reported
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering	Not reported	Not reported
Philosophy	Not reported	Not reported
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication	Not reported	Not reported

All 82 bachelor’s programs this college reported.

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