State Rankings
Best Colleges in North Dakota
Top colleges in North Dakota ranked by national standing and graduate outcomes — updated 2026.
Top Colleges in North Dakota
Nationally ranked schools appear first. Remaining schools are ordered by median graduate earnings.
| State # | School | Grad Earnings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of North Dakota Grand Forks#346 national | $63,552 |
| 2 | University of Mary Bismarck#359 national | $60,909 |
| 3 | North Dakota State University-Main Campus Fargo#493 national | $62,203 |
| 4 | North Dakota State College of Science Wahpeton#850 national | $50,513 |
| 5 | Lake Region State College Devils Lake#885 national | $49,502 |
| 6 | Bismarck State College Bismarck#980 national | $54,277 |
| 7 | Minot State University Minot#1013 national | $51,759 |
| 8 | Williston State College Williston#1075 national | $44,017 |
| 9 | Valley City State University Valley City#1145 national | $52,725 |
| 10 | Turtle Mountain Community College Belcourt#1249 national | $32,079 |
| 11 | Dickinson State University Dickinson#1453 national | $50,720 |
| 12 | University of Jamestown Jamestown#1806 national | $56,621 |
| 13 | Mayville State University Mayville#2028 national | $47,828 |
| 14 | United Tribes Technical College Bismarck#2399 national | $25,292 |
| 15 | Dakota College at Bottineau Bottineau | $40,576 |
| 16 | Trinity Bible College and Graduate School Ellendale | $35,604 |
| 17 | Sitting Bull College Fort Yates | $28,488 |
| 18 | Cankdeska Cikana Community College Fort Totten | $17,008 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Excludes for-profit institutions.
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