Best Colleges for Social Mobility in North Dakota (2026)
Updated
Best Colleges for Social Mobility in North Dakota lists 9 nonprofit four-year institutions in North Dakota. Schools are ordered by Azimuth's mobility pillar for North Dakota, highest first.
The pillar measures historical low-income earnings relative to peers, the scale of Pell enrollment and Pell completion, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. North Dakota State University-Main Campus ranks 1st on this list and reports median earnings of $67,679 for its graduates four years after completing.
Public institutions account for 6 of the 9 schools, with 3 private nonprofits rounding out the list. Mayville State University posts the lowest average net price at $11,456, while University of Mary holds the highest six-year completion rate at 67%.
North Dakota State University-Main Campus ranks 367th on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years after completion | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota State University-Main Campus · Fargo, ND | $67,679 | $15,543 | $9,370 | 95.0% |
| North Dakota State University-Main Campus ranks 1st on this list and posts median earnings of $67,679 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 2 | University of North Dakota · Grand Forks, ND | $69,563 | $18,551 | $13,126 | 76.9% |
| An average net price of $13,126 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with a six-year completion rate of 60% at University of North Dakota. | |||||
| 3 | Valley City State University · Valley City, ND | $52,034 | $11,890 | $7,879 | 99.1% |
| Valley City State University admits 99% of applicants and reports an average net price of $11,890. | |||||
| 4 | Minot State University · Minot, ND | $56,408 | $12,703 | $9,492 | 64.6% |
| Graduates across all fields at Minot State University earn a median of $56,408 four years after completing, and the school ranks 697th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 5 | Mayville State University · Mayville, ND | $54,027 | $11,456 | $5,971 | Not reported |
| Mayville State University carries an average net price of $5,971 for families earning under $30,000 and a six-year completion rate of 41%. | |||||
| 6 | Dickinson State University · Dickinson, ND | $59,571 | $14,092 | $10,479 | 37.0% |
| With a 37% admission rate, Dickinson State University reports median earnings of $59,571 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | Trinity Bible College and Graduate School · Ellendale, ND | $42,326 | $19,359 | $19,123 | 25.8% |
| Trinity Bible College and Graduate School, a private nonprofit institution, shows an average net price of $19,359 and a six-year completion rate of 46%. | |||||
| 8 | University of Mary · Bismarck, ND | $65,398 | $17,770 | $11,593 | 75.3% |
| University of Mary reports median earnings of $65,398 for its graduates four years after completing, alongside a six-year completion rate of 67%. | |||||
| 9 | University of Jamestown · Jamestown, ND | $59,388 | $19,567 | $14,788 | 88.1% |
| An average net price of $14,788 for families earning under $30,000 sits alongside an 88% admission rate at University of Jamestown. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by Azimuth's mobility pillar for North Dakota, highest first. The pillar measures historical low-income earnings relative to peers, the scale of Pell enrollment and Pell completion, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The earnings figures cited below are the median earnings of each institution's federally aided completers across all fields, measured four years after completing, among those who were working and not enrolled. The list does not adjust for cost or for differences in who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. North Dakota State University-Main Campus and University of North Dakota hold the top two spots, and the list includes 6 public and 3 private institutions.