Solid graduate outcomes with earnings above the peer average.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
Earnings at North Dakota State University show steady growth from early to mid-career periods. Graduates earn $54,312 six years after enrollment, increasing to $57,779 at eight years and reaching $62,203 at ten years, representing 14.5% growth from the six-year mark.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduate earnings exceed the peer average, indicating above-typical outcomes for this institution type.
Financial justification for the investment.
Healthy debt burden. Most graduates can manage $23,199 in debt with typical earnings.
North Dakota State University graduates carry median debt of $23,199, close to the peer median of $21,105, indicating typical borrowing levels for similar institutions. Debt ranges from $6,449 at the 25th percentile to $25,749 at the 75th percentile, showing variation in individual borrowing decisions and financial circumstances.
North Dakota State University demonstrates well above average return on investment, ranking at the 80.5th percentile nationally with strong tier performance. While graduates earn $3,152 below expectations relative to student demographics, placing the university around the national average for value-added performance at the 42nd percentile, absolute earnings of $62,203 rank in the 76th percentile nationally.
Approximately 27.1% of graduates continue to graduate or professional study, with high confidence in this estimate based on program mix analysis. Thi...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Clinical and Industrial Drug Development leads institutional earnings performance at $123,115, ranking #2 nationally and demonstrating the university's exceptional strength in specialized health fields. Engineering programs cluster in the high-earning category, with Electrical and Electronics Engineering graduates earning $80,276, Mechanical Engineering graduates earning $79,027, and Computer Science graduates earning $73,998.
These technical programs drive much of the university's strong absolute earnings performance, while business programs like Banking and Financial Support Services ($62,889) and Digital Marketing ($58,602) provide solid middle-income career paths. Lower-earning programs in education and human services, such as Psychology ($43,659) and Adult Development and Aging ($39,825), reflect career paths prioritizing service over earnings while still providing meaningful economic advancement for graduates.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
Earnings distribution shows meaningful variation in graduate outcomes across career paths and program choices. The spread from $43,700 at the 25th percentile to $85,613 at the 75th percentile represents a 2.0:1 ratio, indicating solid upward mobility potential for graduates entering higher-earning fields.
