Best Online Colleges in North Dakota for 2023

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North Dakota is home to a diverse economy that is fueled by its educated population. North Dakotans have many strong options when it comes to working in their home state. Perhaps the most popular choice for employment is the trade, transportation, and utilities sector, which employs more people than any other single industry sector. Following that, government and education and health services are close behind. Regardless of which industrial sector is most popular, North Dakota's economy is currently maintaining strong employment numbers. While a few sectors have reported falls in overall employment, those retractions are small and relatively rare in the North Dakota economy.

To ensure that workers remain fully prepared for the demands of the contemporary North Dakotan economy, the state's colleges and universities provide appropriate degree programs. From community colleges and associate degrees to universities and master’s degrees, students in North Dakota can pursue the credentials that will make them successful for a lifetime.

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Online Higher Education in North Dakota

College education is not cheap, even in North Dakota. However, state residents are able to find tremendous value in the state's publicly funded colleges and universities. In fact, North Dakotans pay an average of only around $7,500 for tuition and fees. Even students from other states can find a great value in North Dakota. Non-resident tuition in North Dakota averages only around $8,000, which is less than in-state tuition in some states.

However, the cost of living raises the cost significantly. This is where online education, or distance learning, can be of great help. This is because an online student has more options in terms of where they would like to study. If their university is in a larger city, such as Fargo, they can take the online option and live in a more affordable town up near the Canadian border, for example.

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In fact, it seems that North Dakota's students are following trends found across the United States. The state's undergraduate population tends to favor exclusively online degree programs by nearly 25%. Nearly half of all students take at least some of their courses online, with fewer opting for an exclusively on-campus experience. These numbers are fairly steady for graduate students, as well, nearly half of whom are in school exclusively online or are taking some portion of their courses online.

While online education tends to cost roughly the same as a campus degree, it does offer more benefits. The chief benefit is that students have a lot more flexibility for when they choose to study and even when they choose to submit assignments. While each program and instructor will have their own rules, the lack of rigid class times can be very appealing to students who need time for their jobs or families.

Our School Rankings Methodology

Our researchers are constantly striving to provide students with the most objective, useful rankings possible. The goal is to present information that students and their families can weigh against their own subjective thoughts regarding college degree programs. For instance, some may prefer certain schools based on the athletic team or whether it’s a family tradition to attend. But our researchers evaluate educational statistics such as the retention rate, graduation rate, and student-to-faculty ratios to determine which online degree program is the best.

The retention rate is a figure many might not be familiar with. This statistic measures how many first-time, full-time students return to campus for a second year. A high retention rate indicates that students and their families are pleased with the campus, faculty, and curriculum. Then a high graduation rate likewise indicates a very strong academic program, as does a very small student-faculty ratio.

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What are the Best Online Associate & Community College Programs in North Dakota?

Best Online Associates & Community Colleges In North Dakota badge
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North Dakota has many remote areas that may not have great access to a community college. However, motivated students find many terrific community college options available online. After all, since community college is only a two-year experience, it may not make much sense for people to pack up and move away. They might rather enroll into an online degree program where they can continue to care for their family and friends, as well as keep their current job.

Students who opt for an online degree can also be more discerning when it comes to accreditation, specific degree types, and more. While most, likely all, North Dakota community colleges are accredited, some may have special credentials that students may want to know about. With the online option, students aren't limited to any specific geographic location and can freely apply to programs that have achieved national recognition. For instance, an engineering program that's been accredited by ABET may be preferred as well as a business program with AACSB, ACBSP, or IACBE accreditation.

Bismarck State College
College Type
4-year, primarily associate's, Public		 Student Population
3,716		 Graduation Rate
48%		 Net Price
$10,350		 Grads Salary
$49,500
Dakota College at Bottineau
College Type
2-year, Public		 Student Population
1,060		 Graduation Rate
25%		 Net Price
$9,869		 Grads Salary
$41,700
Williston State College
College Type
2-year, Public		 Student Population
959		 Graduation Rate
38%		 Net Price
$9,094		 Grads Salary
$38,900
Lake Region State College
College Type
2-year, Public		 Student Population
1,771		 Graduation Rate
47%		 Net Price
$9,695		 Grads Salary
$38,800
Rasmussen University-North Dakota
College Type
4-year, primarily associate's, Private for-profit		 Student Population
628		 Graduation Rate
42%		 Net Price
$18,559		 Grads Salary
$35,667

What are the Best Online Universities & College Programs in North Dakota?

Best Online Colleges In North Dakota
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The best online college programs are those that offer students accredited programs in the fields that they desire most. The online option is creating more and more opportunities for students in North Dakota, and nationwide. This is because it brings nearly any sort of college degree straight to students' laptops so that they can earn a degree from their kitchen table, home office, or coffee shop.

When choosing the best online degree program, students should ensure that the program offers the classes they like and do so according to a schedule that best suits them. Most students will want to look for an asynchronous program, which does not have many rigid, scheduled events. In this program type, students can access course materials at their leisure and submit assignments in a rather wide time window.

Students should also evaluate our rankings which offer objective measures that can offset each student's subjective tendencies.

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North Dakota State University
College Type
4-year, Public		 Student Population
13,173		 Graduation Rate
62%		 Net Price
$16,638		 Grads Salary
$70,000
University of North Dakota
College Type
4-year, Public		 Student Population
13,615		 Graduation Rate
61%		 Net Price
$16,780		 Grads Salary
$71,000
University of Mary
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Student Population
3,799		 Graduation Rate
59%		 Net Price
$18,167		 Grads Salary
$73,000
Valley City State University
College Type
4-year, Public		 Student Population
1,676		 Graduation Rate
45%		 Net Price
$12,108		 Grads Salary
$57,200
University of Jamestown
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Student Population
1,147		 Graduation Rate
55%		 Net Price
$19,744		 Grads Salary
$71,000
Bismarck State College
College Type
4-year, primarily associate's, Public		 Student Population
3,716		 Graduation Rate
48%		 Net Price
$10,350		 Grads Salary
$78,000
Dickinson State University
College Type
4-year, Public		 Student Population
1,441		 Graduation Rate
36%		 Net Price
$13,080		 Grads Salary
$60,000
Mayville State University
College Type
4-year, Public		 Student Population
1,168		 Graduation Rate
31%		 Net Price
$13,891		 Grads Salary
$61,000
Minot State University
College Type
4-year, Public		 Student Population
2,920		 Graduation Rate
55%		 Net Price
$11,949		 Grads Salary
$41,200
Trinity Bible College and Graduate School
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Student Population
231		 Graduation Rate
46%		 Net Price
$19,101		 Grads Salary
$56,000
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