North Dakota State University-Main Campus is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Fargo, North Dakota. It enrolls 9,471 students (a large 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 (4-Year Selective), 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.
Strong
71/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes59
Value84
Affordability45
Selectivity27
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
North Dakota State University-Main Campus admits 95% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
95%
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
19 – 25
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether North Dakota State University-Main Campus is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↑
2.3 pts
since 2019
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 $15,543 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)
$11,110
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$15,764
Room & Board (on-campus)
$9,928
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,928
Books & Supplies
$1,100
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,476
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,476
Total Cost of Attendance
$23,716
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
$9,370
$30,001 – $48,000
$11,343
$48,001 – $75,000
$11,923
$75,001 – $110,000
$16,082
Over $110,000
$18,856
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.
$3,50010%percentile
$6,44925%percentile
$23,199Medianpercentile
$25,74975%percentile
$31,00090%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 $18,707
↓ $4,492
No Pell $15,000
↓ $8,199
Dependent students $16,750
↓ $6,449
Independent students $18,148
↓ $5,051
Female students $17,500
↓ $5,699
Male students $15,871
↓ $7,328
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,750, less than completers ($23,199), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
58% of students who start here finish within six years, and 78% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. 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
58%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
78%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $62,203 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$62,203
Earning > $25K
88%
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
$46,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$63,300
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$51,000
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$54,800
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$57,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $16,900, about 27% 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 ↑
6.9 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 96% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 9,471 students, a large student community.
Total Enrolled
9,471
Part-Time
8%
First-Generation
17%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 83.6%7,920
Other 5.5%516
Hispanic 3.7%352
Black 3.4%323
Asian 1.8%168
International 0.9%85
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at North Dakota State University-Main Campus. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
North Dakota State University-Main Campus offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
166 distinct programs across
25 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 18 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.
Student : Faculty
18:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$13,383
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$440M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$92,802
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
493 instructional faculty across 5 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
150
30%
$117,683
Associate Professors
146
30%
$90,556
Assistant Professors
143
29%
$81,520
Instructors
1
0%
$65,274
Lecturers
53
11%
$59,396
Pros & Cons of North Dakota State University-Main Campus
No college is right for everyone. Here is where North Dakota State University-Main Campus 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 University-Main Campus 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 University-Main Campus
The questions families ask most about North Dakota State University-Main Campus, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is North Dakota State University-Main Campus hard to get into?
Not especially. North Dakota State University-Main Campus admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 95%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at North Dakota State University-Main Campus?
95% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for North Dakota State University-Main Campus?
Aim for 25 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 19 and 25 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does North Dakota State University-Main Campus cost?
Budget around $15,543 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 University-Main Campus worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $62,203 a year against a net price of $15,543, about 4.0 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 University-Main Campus known for?
Mostly Nursing, Business Administration, Mechanical Engineering. 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 University-Main Campus graduates earn?
About $62,203 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 University-Main Campus accredited?
Yes. North Dakota State University-Main Campus is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend North Dakota State University-Main Campus?
9,471 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at North Dakota State University-Main Campus?
58% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is North Dakota State University-Main Campus 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 University-Main Campus located?
North Dakota State University-Main Campus is located in Fargo, North Dakota.
What programs does North Dakota State University-Main Campus offer?
166 different programs, most commonly Nursing, Business Administration, Mechanical Engineering. 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 University-Main Campus?
18 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. 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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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
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