Top Ranked Programs
Valley City State University's program mix is anchored in education and teacher-preparation fields—a signature aligned with the institution's regional mission as a public liberal arts university in North Dakota. Teacher Education is the largest program with 115 graduates, followed by Subject-Specific Teacher Education with 35 graduates, Business Administration with 27 graduates, Music, and Health/Medical Preparatory Programs. Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 254 students annually, several deliver solid four-year earnings outcomes aligned with regional labor-market demand. The earnings pattern reflects the institution's education-focused portfolio. Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management graduates earn median earnings of $69,799 four years after enrollment with 11 graduates, while Business Administration graduates earn $58,067 with 27 graduates. Subject-Specific Teacher Education delivers median earnings of $52,500, and Teacher Education graduates earn $48,841. These outcomes are consistent with regional education and public-service sector compensation, where demand for qualified teachers and administrators remains steady across rural and small-city labor markets. The program-mix signature—dominated by Education at 55%, followed by Business at 12% and Arts at 9%—positions Valley City State as a teaching-focused institution with complementary liberal arts breadth. This concentration in education and public-service pathways aligns with the [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/), where education and social-service fields show sustained regional hiring in North Dakota and the upper Midwest. For students seeking stable, locally rooted careers in education, administration, or community service, the program portfolio offers direct pathways to employment in sectors with predictable demand.