Bismarck, North Dakota Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Bismarck, North Dakota: median public in-state tuition $5,247 (-4.8% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $60,909 (+12.0% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 94.7% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $11,630 (-12.4% vs U.S.) 5,889 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Bismarck serve students across North Dakota with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 5 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 5,889 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $5,247. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Bismarck, North Dakota and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Bismarck vs North Dakota & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck, North Dakota | $5,247 | $12,610 | $11,630 | 47.2% | 5,889 |
| North Dakota (state median) | $6,051 | $11,358 | $18,442 | 43.0% | 36,454 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Bismarck, North Dakota vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck, North Dakota | $60,909 | 94.7% | 83.5% | 3.0% | — | 88.4% | 0.39 |
| North Dakota (state median) | $54,673 | 93.6% | 74.6% | 3.4% | — | 88.4% | 0.38 |
| United States | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in North Dakota (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck, North Dakota | $5,247 | $12,610 | $11,630 | 47.2% | 5,889 | $60,909 | 94.7% |
| Grand Forks | $10,951 | $16,104 | $14,987 | 60.5% | 10,042 | $63,552 | 94.9% |
| Fargo | $12,534 | $17,178 | $16,450 | 46.2% | 9,745 | $62,203 | 95.7% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
Top college in Bismarck, North Dakota by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 66.6%, University of Mary
University of Mary
Top college in Bismarck, North Dakota by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 94.7%, University of Mary
University of Mary
Most selective college in Bismarck, North Dakota (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 75.3%, University of Mary
University of Mary
Top college in Bismarck, North Dakota by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $72,453, University of Mary
University of Mary
Top college in Bismarck, North Dakota by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $74,651, University of Mary
University of Mary
Top college in Bismarck, North Dakota by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $50,191, University of Mary
University of Mary
Top college in Bismarck, North Dakota by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $55,628, University of Mary
University of Mary
Top college in Bismarck, North Dakota by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $60,909, University of Mary
University of Mary
Top college in Bismarck, North Dakota by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $189,056, University of Mary
University of Mary
Most affordable college in Bismarck, North Dakota (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $17,770, University of Mary
University of Mary
Top college in Bismarck, North Dakota by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 83.5%, University of Mary
University of Mary
In-state tuition: Bismarck, North Dakota vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Bismarck, North Dakota median in-state tuition is $5,247, -4.8% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Bismarck, North Dakota vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Bismarck, North Dakota is $11,630 (-12.4% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $16,750.
Median earnings (10 years out): Bismarck, North Dakota vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Bismarck, North Dakota center around $60,909 (+12.0% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Bismarck, North Dakota vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 94.7% at the median Bismarck, North Dakota campus (+6.7 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Bismarck, North Dakota median public in-state tuition is $5,247, about -4.8% vs the national median. Versus the Plains region, tuition is -15.7%.
Median graduate debt is $11,630 (-12.4% below the U.S. median of $13,271). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Bismarck, North Dakota are $60,909, about +12.0% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
The median campus reports 94.7% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 88.0% (+6.7 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 83.5% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 3.0% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 88.4% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include University of Mary (94.7%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Bismarck, North Dakota is 47.2% (national institution average about 50.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Bismarck?
This city profile covers 5 campuses in Bismarck, North Dakota with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Bismarck?
Median in-state tuition in Bismarck is $5,247 and median net price is $12,610. For North Dakota overall, medians are $6,051 and $11,358; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,969.
What do graduates earn in Bismarck?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Bismarck is $60,909 vs $54,673 for North Dakota and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for Bismarck colleges?
Median completer debt in Bismarck is $11,630 vs $18,442 for North Dakota and $13,271 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Bismarck?
Top campuses on this page include University of Mary (graduation) and University of Mary (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Bismarck?
Among 5 campuses in Bismarck, North Dakota, 1 tribal college (IPEDS TRIBAL flag), including United Tribes Technical College; 1 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campus (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Roman Catholic (1).
Sources & related
- North Dakota college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON