Rankings / By State (Affordable)
Most Affordable Colleges in North Dakota
- 17
- Schools
- $46,357
- Avg. Earnings
- 46%
- Avg. Graduation
- $11,221
- Avg. Net Price
- $17,515
- Avg. Debt
CollegeRanker Research
What Surprised Us Most
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Median graduate earnings across these 17 schools run from $17,008 to $63,552, a 3.7× gap. The category label alone says little about payoff.
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Turtle Mountain College delivers the most for the money: roughly $32,079 in median earnings against $3,428 a year in net price, the strongest earnings-to-cost ratio on the list.
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Turtle Mountain College is the lowest-cost school here at $3,428 a year in net price.
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University of Mary graduates 67% of its students, versus a 46% average across the list. Completion, more than selectivity, signals whether a degree actually gets finished.
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Bismarck State College carries the healthiest debt load, with graduates owing just 0.21× their annual earnings.
Surprising Comparisons
- #1 Williston State College ($44,017 earnings) outranks the list's highest earner, University of North Dakota ($63,552), because it does more on mobility and cost.
- Turtle Mountain College costs $3,428 a year and University of Jamestown costs $19,567. Yet their graduates earn $32,079 and $56,621, nowhere near the $16,139 price gap.
- On value, Turtle Mountain College beats University of North Dakota: comparable career payoff at a fraction of the net price.
The Takeaway
A consistent pattern: the schools that finish at the top get there by delivering strong earnings, manageable debt, and real mobility rather than by charging more or rejecting more applicants. Those outcomes are what define educational value.
What This Means for Students
For students evaluating these schools, begin with Turtle Mountain College and University of Mary. Look past sticker price: pull each school's net price for your income level, compare it against projected earnings, and let the data guide the decision instead of the brand.
Why this ranking matters
These schools are ranked on outcomes that compound: graduate earnings, upward mobility, debt, and value, all drawn from federal tax records and Scorecard data rather than reputation surveys. The list rewards results over prestige, led by institutions whose graduates earn a median of about $51K ten years after enrollment.
How we measure this — full methodology →How we rank · 4 pillars
Federal-source data only. Build your own weighting →
Data Behind This Page Updated 2026-07-13
Source datasets
Methodology
Schools are scored on the CollegeRanker 4-Pillar Algorithm: Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25–35%), Academic Quality (15–20%), and Value (20–25%). Every weight is published and every figure traces to a public dataset.
See the full methodology and weights →Confidence notes
- Earnings, completion, and debt figures come from federal administrative records — tax data and student-aid filings — not surveys or self-reports, the highest-confidence tier of education data available.
- Social-mobility estimates are drawn from de-identified tax records covering more than 30 million students (Opportunity Insights).
- Where an institution is missing a metric, it is excluded from that metric rather than imputed, so averages are never inflated by guesses.
Limitations
- Federal earnings data primarily cover students who received federal financial aid; outcomes for non-aided students may differ.
- Earnings are measured roughly ten years after enrollment, so they describe how earlier cohorts fared — historical outcomes, not guarantees of future results.
- An institution's field-of-study mix affects raw earnings; scores reflect measured outcomes and are not fully major-adjusted unless explicitly noted.
- Net price is an average; the actual cost a given student pays varies widely by family income.
At a Glance
How the Top Schools Compare
| School | Earnings | Net Price | Graduation | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Williston State College #1 overall | $44,017 ▼ -5% vs avg | $5,932 | 41% | 81 |
| 2 Turtle Mountain College #2 overall | $32,079 ▼ -31% vs avg | $3,428 | 49% | 76 |
| 3 United Tribes Technical College #3 overall | $25,292 ▼ -45% vs avg | $3,569 | 28% | 76 |
| $52,725 ▲ +14% vs avg | $11,890 | 51% | 74 | |
| $54,277 ▲ +17% vs avg | $10,270 | 48% | 74 |
Score uses our 4-pillar methodology. Earnings % is vs. this list's average.
See full ranking →Executive Summary
Most Affordable Colleges in North Dakota
This analysis ranks 17 institutions on graduate earnings, social mobility, completion, and cost. Across the list, alumni earn a median of $46,357 ten years after enrolling, against an average graduation rate of 46% and an average net price of $11,221.
Key takeaways
- Strongest Earnings-to-Cost Ratio: Turtle Mountain College — Net Price: $3,428 | Graduation Rate: 49%
- Strongest Completion Outcomes: University of Mary — 67% completion rate
- Highest Earnings Generator: University of North Dakota — Median alumni earnings: $63,552
Research Note
The most expensive quartile of colleges costs 373% more than the most affordable — but their graduates earn just 34% more.
Affordability & ROI Analysis
What does this ranking tell us about getting a real return on a degree?
$50,513
Median earnings (10yr)
48%
Median graduation rate
$11,456
Median net price
2.4%
Avg. mobility rate
A value ranking asks the question families actually care about: which school delivers the strongest outcome for the least cost and debt. The winners are rarely the cheapest schools or the highest earners. They are the ones that pair a low net price, what students pay after grants, with graduates who go on to earn. That is the definition of return on investment.
Start with the medians across these 17 schools. Graduates earn a median of $50,513 ten years after enrollment, or about $2,513 above the $48,000 a typical American worker earns. The median graduation rate is 48%, and the typical net price (what students pay after grants) runs $11,456 a year with about $18,585 in federal debt. Pell grants reach 30% of students on average, and the average mobility rate, the share of students lifted from the bottom income quintile to the top, is 2.4%.
What we’re seeing: value clusters at schools that hold net price down without sacrificing earnings. The median net price here is $11,456, with graduates earning a median of $50,513 ten years after enrollment. Strong results without heavy debt: that combination is the quiet argument for where higher education is headed.
The podium
Build your ranking
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Tip: Check the box on any 2–4 schools below to compare them side by side.
Full rankings
Why it ranks #1
Williston State College lands at #1 with a 81/100 composite, led by value per dollar (85/100) and pulled down by academic quality (66/100). Graduates earn a median $44,017 a decade after enrolling, 5% below this list's average, and net price runs $5,932 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #2
Turtle Mountain College lands at #2 with a 76/100 composite, led by value per dollar (94/100) and pulled down by economic outcomes (21/100). Graduates earn a median $32,079 a decade after enrolling, 31% below this list's average, and net price runs $3,428 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #3
United Tribes Technical College lands at #3 with a 76/100 composite, led by value per dollar (93/100) and pulled down by economic outcomes (41/100). Graduates earn a median $25,292 a decade after enrolling, 45% below this list's average, and net price runs $3,569 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #4
Valley City State University lands at #4 with a 74/100 composite, led by social mobility (81/100) and pulled down by academic quality (55/100). Graduates earn a median $52,725 a decade after enrolling, 14% above this list's average, and net price runs $11,890 a year. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #5
Bismarck State College lands at #5 with a 74/100 composite, led by social mobility (79/100) and pulled down by academic quality (65/100). Graduates earn a median $54,277 a decade after enrolling, 17% above this list's average, and net price runs $10,270 a year. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #6
Dakota College at Bottineau lands at #6 with a 72/100 composite, led by social mobility (80/100) and pulled down by academic quality (53/100). Graduates earn a median $40,576 a decade after enrolling, 12% below this list's average, and net price runs $10,039 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #7
Mayville State University lands at #7 with a 72/100 composite, led by social mobility (89/100) and pulled down by academic quality (58/100). Graduates earn a median $47,828 a decade after enrolling, 3% above this list's average, and net price runs $11,456 a year. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #8
Minot State University lands at #8 with a 72/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by academic quality (64/100). Graduates earn a median $51,759 a decade after enrolling, 12% above this list's average, and net price runs $12,703 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #9
North Dakota State College of Science lands at #9 with a 72/100 composite, led by social mobility (79/100) and pulled down by academic quality (66/100). Graduates earn a median $50,513 a decade after enrolling, 9% above this list's average, and net price runs $11,261 a year. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #10
Cankdeska Cikana Community College lands at #10 with a 71/100 composite, led by value per dollar (87/100) and pulled down by economic outcomes (10/100). Graduates earn a median $17,008 a decade after enrolling, 63% below this list's average, and net price runs $6,507 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #11
Sitting Bull College lands at #11 with a 71/100 composite, led by value per dollar (91/100) and pulled down by economic outcomes (17/100). Graduates earn a median $28,488 a decade after enrolling, 39% below this list's average, and net price runs $4,605 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #12
Dickinson State University lands at #12 with a 70/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by academic quality (54/100). Graduates earn a median $50,720 a decade after enrolling, 9% above this list's average, and net price runs $14,092 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #13
Lake Region State College lands at #13 with a 67/100 composite, led by social mobility (79/100) and pulled down by academic quality (65/100). Graduates earn a median $49,502 a decade after enrolling, 7% above this list's average, and net price runs $13,577 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Fargo, ND · 95% accepted · $15,543 net
Why it ranks #14
North Dakota State University-Main Campus lands at #14 with a 65/100 composite, led by academic quality (71/100) and pulled down by social mobility (57/100). Graduates earn a median $62,203 a decade after enrolling, 34% above this list's average, and net price runs $15,543 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #15
University of Mary lands at #15 with a 62/100 composite, led by social mobility (80/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (60/100). Graduates earn a median $60,909 a decade after enrolling, 31% above this list's average, and net price runs $17,770 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #16
University of North Dakota lands at #16 with a 61/100 composite, led by social mobility (81/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (60/100). Graduates earn a median $63,552 a decade after enrolling, 37% above this list's average, and net price runs $18,551 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #17
University of Jamestown lands at #17 with a 59/100 composite, led by social mobility (81/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (51/100). Graduates earn a median $56,621 a decade after enrolling, 22% above this list's average, and net price runs $19,567 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Cut it by what you care about
The same 17 schools, re-ranked by the outcome that matters to you.
Where the programs are
When considering options for higher education in North Dakota, affordability is a key factor that many families weigh. The colleges on this list share a common goal: providing quality education at a price that won't break the bank. For instance, the average net price across these institutions is significantly lower than the national average, making them appealing choices for budget-conscious students.
What sets the top schools apart in this ranking are their outcomes. We look at earnings, graduation rates, and debt levels to give a clearer picture of what students can expect after graduation. For example, while Williston State College has a net price of $5,932 and average earnings of $44,017, others like Valley City State University boast higher earnings at $52,725 but also come with a higher debt burden.
Two schools stand out: Turtle Mountain Community College offers the lowest net price at $3,428 and a graduation rate of 49%, while Cankdeska Cikana Community College, with a grad rate of only 22%, has a net price of $6,507. This contrast illustrates that lower prices do not always guarantee higher completion rates, making it crucial for students and families to consider both cost and outcomes as they explore their options.
The story behind the ranking
A ranking gives you an order; these charts give you the shape. They show how this group of schools spreads across the four things that decide whether a degree pays off — what graduates earn, whether they finish, how far they move up, and what it costs. Look for the standouts, the outliers, and the trade-offs the list alone can't show.
Earnings Outcomes
What graduates earn 10 years after enrolling. Data from College Scorecard.
Distribution of Median Earnings
Earnings vs. Net Price
Top-left = best value. Top-ranked schools are highlighted.
Completion & Access
Graduation rates and who gets in. Data from College Scorecard & IPEDS.
Graduation Rates
Pell Grant Rate vs. Graduation Rate
Right = more low-income students. Higher = more graduate.
What the Mobility Data Says
Social mobility carries the heaviest weight in this ranking, and the measure comes from Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card, built from more than 30 million anonymized tax records. Across the 12 schools here with that data, the average mobility rate is 2.4%. That figure is the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top. Dickinson State University leads the group at 4.1%, with Williston State College (3.2%) and North Dakota State College of Science (3%) close behind.
Access varies widely. On average, 10.2% of students at these schools come from families in the bottom income quintile. Lake Region State College enrolls the most, at 15.4%, a sign it is reaching the students mobility is meant to lift. A high mobility rate paired with strong access is the combination that changes a generation's trajectory.
For the low-income students who do enroll, the success rate (the odds of reaching the top quintile) averages 26% across the list, peaking at 44.4% at University of Jamestown.
These campuses can also be measured on social capital: the cross-class friendships Opportunity Insights links to long-run economic outcomes. Economic connectedness here averages 1.65, where about 1.0 is the national norm, and Dickinson State University is highest at 1.73.
Mobility, access, and social-capital figures from Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card & the Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas.
Cost & Debt
What families actually pay and what students owe. Data from College Scorecard.
Median Debt at Graduation
Affordability trends can reveal surprising insights. For instance, despite having a lower net price, Cankdeska Cikana Community College has a graduation rate of only 22%, while Turtle Mountain Community College manages a much healthier 49% graduation rate at a similar low cost. This data suggests that while cost is a critical factor, it doesn't paint the full picture of a school's effectiveness in helping students graduate.
As you sift through the options, it's essential to weigh these numbers against what truly matters to you. Consider factors like location, the specific programs offered, and the overall campus atmosphere. A school with a slightly higher net price may offer a program that aligns perfectly with your career goals, which could pay dividends in the long run.
The journey from college to a stable life can hinge on the right choice. For one family, selecting Turtle Mountain Community College could lead to a smoother transition into the workforce with lower debt and a higher completion rate. The decision on where to enroll is more than just a financial one; it’s about laying the foundation for future success.
Data Sources
U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard
Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card
Social Capital Atlas
Times Higher Education World Rankings
NCES IPEDS
Frequently Asked Questions
Most Affordable Colleges in North Dakota: Your Questions, Answered
What is the #1 school in the Most Affordable Colleges in North Dakota ranking? +
Williston State College in Williston, ND ranks #1 in our 2026 Most Affordable Colleges in North Dakota ranking. It earns the top spot on the strength of a median $44,017 in graduate earnings ten years after enrollment and a 41% graduation rate. Our score is built entirely from federal data on graduation rates, graduate earnings, debt, and social mobility. Reputation surveys play no part.
Which school has the highest graduate earnings? +
University of North Dakota posts the highest median earnings on this list: $63,552 ten years after enrollment, well above the $46,357 average across the 17 ranked schools with earnings data. Earnings that outpace cost are what separate a degree that pays off from one that does not.
Which school offers the best value? +
On a pure return-on-cost basis, Turtle Mountain College leads: graduates earn a median $32,079 against net price of about $3,428 a year, the strongest earnings-to-cost ratio in the ranking. Applicants should weigh that payback against sticker price rather than prestige.
Which school has the highest graduation rate? +
University of Mary has the highest graduation rate in this ranking at 67%, compared with a 46% average across the list. Completion matters because the students who finish are the ones who actually capture the earnings and mobility gains a degree promises.
How much does it cost to attend these schools? +
The average net price, meaning what students actually pay after grants and scholarships, is about $11,221 a year across the 17 ranked schools with cost data. Turtle Mountain College is among the most affordable at roughly $3,428. Net price is a far better guide to affordability than the published sticker price.
How is the Most Affordable Colleges in North Dakota ranking calculated? +
We score every school on a four-pillar algorithm: economic outcomes (graduate earnings and debt), social mobility (Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card, built on more than 30 million anonymized tax records), academic quality (graduation and retention), and value (net price and loan burden). Social mobility carries the heaviest weight, so schools that lift low-income students into higher earnings rank above those that simply admit wealthy students. Every input comes from federal data, and schools that withhold their numbers are scored lower for it.
How many schools are ranked and where does the data come from? +
This ranking evaluates 17 institutions using the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, the Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card and Social Capital Atlas, Times Higher Education, and NCES IPEDS. There are no opinion surveys or paid placements. The order is determined by the data alone and refreshed as new federal figures are released.
Sources & Citations
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