North Dakota State University-Main Campus

North Dakota State University's published cost of attendance is $23,716. Net price by income band reflects the institution's public-tuition structure and aid reach: low-income families pay approximately $9,370, middle-income families pay around $11,923, and higher-income families pay approximately $18,856.

Azimuth ranks North Dakota State University-Main Campus #406 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

North Dakota State's aid structure combines federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs. The institution participates in standard federal aid application processes, and families apply using the FAFSA to determine eligibility for need-based support.

The relatively modest net-price figures across income bands reflect both the public-institution tuition baseline and the state's cost of living, which runs below the national average — a factor that shapes both affordability during enrollment and earnings purchasing power after graduation. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $23,199, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $14,621; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $67,679, median federal debt of $23,199 projects to a monthly payment of about $262 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of North Dakota State University-Main Campus earn median 4-year earnings of $67,679, placing North Dakota State University-Main Campus in the 71.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,680 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing North Dakota State University-Main Campus in the 75.1 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks North Dakota State University-Main Campus #352 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects a program mix anchored in Engineering, a field that consistently delivers strong early-career pay and positions graduates well against peers at comparable institutions.

The highest aggregate-return program at North Dakota State University-Main Campus is Nursing, which combines meaningful cohort scale with strong four-year earnings, making it a key driver of the institution's overall return profile. Among the most prominent programs by scale and earnings, Nursing program graduates 204 students with median earnings of $73,935 four years after enrollment — Azimuth ranks the program #290 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), at 0.8x the national benchmark for the field.

Mechanical Engineering and Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services also deliver competitive early-career outcomes, with 154 and 144 graduates earning median four-year earnings of $87,702 and $50,052, respectively — Azimuth ranks Mechanical Engineering #168 and Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services #46 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The program mix at North Dakota State University-Main Campus skews toward Engineering (16% of graduates), Business (16%), and Education (3%), a concentration in applied and technical fields that helps explain the institution's above-average earnings relative to ND's broader labor market.

North Dakota State University-Main Campus's program mix is anchored in engineering, agriculture, and applied sciences — a signature consistent with its land-grant research-university identity in Fargo. The dominant program family is Engineering, which shapes both the scale and the earnings profile of the institution's degree output.

Across 62 programs, 43 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, collectively serving roughly 2,356 students annually. The mix spans Engineering (16% of graduates), Business (16%), and Education (3%), reflecting a portfolio oriented toward technical, applied, and professional fields with direct workforce pathways.

The program with the highest aggregate return — combining strong cohort scale with competitive earnings — is Nursing, making it a central driver of the institution's overall financial outcomes. Among the highest-earning programs, Mechanical Engineering program graduates 154 students with median earnings of $87,702 four years after enrollment; Azimuth ranks the program #168 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Computer Science follows with median earnings of $87,562 and a cohort of 78 graduates; Azimuth ranks Computer Science #147 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Civil Engineering and Finance round out the top-earning tier, with Azimuth ranking Civil Engineering #120 and Finance #104 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, per [how Azimuth evaluates programs](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/).

The most popular programs by graduate volume — Nursing (204 graduates, median earnings $73,935), Mechanical Engineering (154 graduates, median earnings $87,702), and Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services (144 graduates, median earnings $50,052) — are predominantly high-mobility, direct-to-workforce pathways where four-year earnings reflect actual labor-market outcomes rather than a graduate-school-deferred trajectory. Business Administration and Psychology, General add breadth to the portfolio, with the former representing fields where some graduates continue to advanced study.

The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how North Dakota State University-Main Campus's engineering and applied-science concentration aligns with national labor-market demand.