North Dakota State College of Science is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Wahpeton, North Dakota. It enrolls 1,909 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (2-Year), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Good
69/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes69
Value61
Affordability27
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, North Dakota State College of Science admits essentially everyone who qualifies, so plan around cost and completion instead of your odds of getting in.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $11,261 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$5,974
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$6,973
Room & Board (on-campus)
$8,096
Room & Board (off-campus)
$8,096
Books & Supplies
$1,000
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,400
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,400
Total Cost of Attendance
$17,265
Application fee: $35 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$7,803
$30,001 – $48,000
$7,297
$48,001 – $75,000
$9,678
$75,001 – $110,000
$12,078
Over $110,000
$14,772
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,75010%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$12,000Medianpercentile
$12,42475%percentile
$18,50090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $8,250
↓ $3,750
No Pell $8,250
↓ $3,750
Dependent students $7,548
↓ $4,452
Independent students $10,500
↓ $1,500
Female students $8,286
↓ $3,714
Male students $7,873
↓ $4,127
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($12,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
45% of students who start here finish within six years, and 75% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
45%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
75%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $50,513 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$50,513
Earning > $25K
79%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$33,900
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$54,900
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$43,300
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$48,900
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$49,900
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $21,000, about 38% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
8.2 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 89% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,909 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
1,909
Part-Time
14%
First-Generation
24%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 80.6%1,539
Black 6.7%128
Other 5.6%107
Hispanic 3.6%68
Asian 0.9%18
International 0.9%17
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at North Dakota State College of Science. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
North Dakota State College of Science offers
a varied set of programs:
31 distinct programs across
10 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 12 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
12:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$9,648
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$55M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$63,180
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
98 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
2
2%
$67,768
Associate Professors
66
67%
$64,978
Assistant Professors
21
21%
$60,514
Instructors
9
9%
$56,698
Pros & Cons of North Dakota State College of Science
No college is right for everyone. Here is where North Dakota State College of Science is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, North Dakota State College of Science is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about North Dakota State College of Science
The questions families ask most about North Dakota State College of Science, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is North Dakota State College of Science hard to get into?
Not especially. North Dakota State College of Science admits most qualified applicants, and reports no competitive acceptance rate. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at North Dakota State College of Science?
No acceptance rate is reported, which for a college like this normally means admission is open to anyone meeting the basic requirements. Confirm with the admissions office rather than assuming it.
How much does North Dakota State College of Science cost?
Budget around $11,261 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is North Dakota State College of Science worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $50,513 a year against a net price of $11,261, about 4.5 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is North Dakota State College of Science known for?
Mostly Vehicle Maintenance, Liberal Arts, Electrical and Power Transmission Installers. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do North Dakota State College of Science graduates earn?
About $50,513 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is North Dakota State College of Science accredited?
Yes. North Dakota State College of Science is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend North Dakota State College of Science?
1,909 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at North Dakota State College of Science?
45% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is North Dakota State College of Science a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is North Dakota State College of Science located?
North Dakota State College of Science is located in Wahpeton, North Dakota.
What programs does North Dakota State College of Science offer?
31 different programs, most commonly Vehicle Maintenance, Liberal Arts, Electrical and Power Transmission Installers. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at North Dakota State College of Science?
12 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in North Dakota
Other colleges in North Dakota share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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