North Dakota Trade Schools: Cost, Completion & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Trade schools in North Dakota: 14 trade and vocational campuses (6 trade schools, 8 community colleges) median net price $10,766 (-24.3% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $31,788 (-9.1% vs U.S.) median completion rate 57.4% employment-outcome proxy 86.3% working & not enrolled at 8 years.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 14 campuses (6 trade schools, 8 community colleges)
- Total enrollment: 7,940 students
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $31,788 (-9.1% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 86.3% (+5.3 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $10,766 (-24.3% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $10,507 (+8.3% vs U.S. $9,699); regional median $10,498. Debt rank: #41 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #5 in Plains of 7
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 57.4%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 88.4%
- Earnings rank: #39 nationally (higher median 10-yr earnings = better rank)
- Employment-outcome rank: #5 nationally (higher working share = better rank)
- Student debt rank: #41 nationally of 52; #5 in Plains of 7 (lower debt = better rank)
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Full profile payload including top-college lists and peer comparisons.
Overview
Trade schools and vocational programs in North Dakota include certificate-focused campuses and community colleges with career and technical education pathways. 14 campuses in this profile (6 trade schools, 8 community colleges), with about 7,940 students enrolled, and median net price near $10,766. Programs span healthcare, skilled trades, manufacturing, and other workforce credentials—tables below compare completion, earnings, and employment outcomes with U.S. and Plains medians.
North Dakota vs regional & 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota (ND) | — | $10,766 | $10,507 | 57.4% | 7,940 |
| Plains (region median) | — | $13,566 | $10,498 | 60.4% | 279,250 |
| United States | — | $14,215 | $9,699 | 63.3% | 5,490,315 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota (ND) | $31,788 | 86.3% | 88.4% | 3.9% | — | 77.5% | 0.26 |
| United States | $34,984 | 80.9% | 64.9% | 11.1% | — | 50.5% | 0.28 |
North Dakota vs peer states (Plains region)
Peer states are other campuses in the same Scorecard region, chosen by similar total enrollment.
| State | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota (ND) | N/A | $10,766 | $10,507 | 57.4% | 7,940 | $31,788 | 86.3% |
| South Dakota (SD) | N/A | $13,840 | $12,000 | 76.3% | 7,950 | $31,694 | 85.8% |
| Nebraska (NE) | N/A | $14,639 | $10,498 | 60.4% | 24,632 | $38,729 | 85.9% |
| Iowa (IA) | N/A | $13,566 | $10,250 | 62.8% | 45,016 | $39,060 | 87.5% |
| Kansas (KS) | N/A | $12,039 | $9,339 | 55.2% | 51,362 | $40,244 | 87.3% |
| United States | N/A | $14,215 | $9,699 | 63.3% | 5,490,315 | $34,984 | 80.9% |
Outcomes by sector in North Dakota
Median campus-level metrics within each ownership type (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit).
| Sector | Campuses | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working share (8 yr) | Retention | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private for-profit | 5 | $29,678 | 84.4% | N/A | 4.5% | — | 68.3% |
| Public | 8 | $44,017 | 88.6% | 76.8% | 4.2% | — | 82.9% |
Top 10 trade schools in North Dakota by completion rate (150% time, certificate programs)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate among trade schools and community colleges in this profile (enrollment ≥ 50). Source: College Scorecard.
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Rank 1, Completion Rate, 98.1%, Lynnes Welding Training
Lynnes Welding Training
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Rank 2, Completion Rate, 95.5%, The Hair Academy
The Hair Academy
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Rank 3, Completion Rate, 83.3%, Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Grand Forks
Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Grand Forks
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Rank 4, Completion Rate, 72.7%, Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Fargo
Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Fargo
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Rank 5, Completion Rate, 60.0%, The Salon Professional Academy-Fargo
The Salon Professional Academy-Fargo
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Rank 6, Completion Rate, 54.7%, North Dakota State College of Science
North Dakota State College of Science
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Rank 7, Completion Rate, 52.4%, Lake Region State College
Lake Region State College
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Rank 8, Completion Rate, 48.0%, Dakota College at Bottineau
Dakota College at Bottineau
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Rank 9, Completion Rate, 41.9%, Williston State College
Williston State College
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Rank 10, Completion Rate, 28.0%, Cankdeska Cikana Community College
Cankdeska Cikana Community College
Top 10 trade schools in North Dakota by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 93.1%, North Dakota State College of Science
North Dakota State College of Science
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 92.3%, Bismarck State College
Bismarck State College
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 89.2%, Williston State College
Williston State College
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 88.6%, Dakota College at Bottineau
Dakota College at Bottineau
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 87.6%, Lake Region State College
Lake Region State College
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Rank 6, Employment Outcome, 86.4%, The Hair Academy
The Hair Academy
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Rank 7, Employment Outcome, 86.1%, The Salon Professional Academy-Fargo
The Salon Professional Academy-Fargo
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Rank 8, Employment Outcome, 82.6%, Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Grand Forks
Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Grand Forks
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Rank 9, Employment Outcome, 82.6%, Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Fargo
Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Fargo
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Rank 10, Employment Outcome, 76.5%, Turtle Mountain Community College
Turtle Mountain Community College
Top 10 trade schools in North Dakota by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $50,401, Bismarck State College
Bismarck State College
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $48,800, North Dakota State College of Science
North Dakota State College of Science
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $43,508, Lynnes Welding Training
Lynnes Welding Training
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $40,388, Lake Region State College
Lake Region State College
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $39,524, Williston State College
Williston State College
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Rank 6, Mid-Career Earnings, $32,758, Dakota College at Bottineau
Dakota College at Bottineau
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Rank 7, Mid-Career Earnings, $31,723, The Salon Professional Academy-Fargo
The Salon Professional Academy-Fargo
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Rank 8, Mid-Career Earnings, $30,931, Turtle Mountain Community College
Turtle Mountain Community College
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Rank 9, Mid-Career Earnings, $30,411, Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Grand Forks
Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Grand Forks
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Rank 10, Mid-Career Earnings, $30,411, Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Fargo
Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Fargo
Top 10 trade schools in North Dakota by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $50,690, Bismarck State College
Bismarck State College
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $49,782, North Dakota State College of Science
North Dakota State College of Science
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $46,349, Williston State College
Williston State College
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $45,507, Lake Region State College
Lake Region State College
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $37,988, Dakota College at Bottineau
Dakota College at Bottineau
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Rank 6, 8-Yr Earnings, $32,599, Turtle Mountain Community College
Turtle Mountain Community College
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Rank 7, 8-Yr Earnings, $31,320, The Salon Professional Academy-Fargo
The Salon Professional Academy-Fargo
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Rank 8, 8-Yr Earnings, $29,073, Sitting Bull College
Sitting Bull College
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Rank 9, 8-Yr Earnings, $26,698, Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Grand Forks
Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Grand Forks
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Rank 10, 8-Yr Earnings, $26,698, Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Fargo
Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Fargo
Top 10 trade schools in North Dakota by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $54,277, Bismarck State College
Bismarck State College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $50,513, North Dakota State College of Science
North Dakota State College of Science
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $49,502, Lake Region State College
Lake Region State College
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $44,017, Williston State College
Williston State College
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $40,576, Dakota College at Bottineau
Dakota College at Bottineau
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Rank 6, 10-Yr Earnings, $32,079, Turtle Mountain Community College
Turtle Mountain Community College
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Rank 7, 10-Yr Earnings, $31,497, The Salon Professional Academy-Fargo
The Salon Professional Academy-Fargo
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Rank 8, 10-Yr Earnings, $31,370, The Hair Academy
The Hair Academy
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Rank 9, 10-Yr Earnings, $28,488, Sitting Bull College
Sitting Bull College
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Rank 10, 10-Yr Earnings, $27,987, Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Grand Forks
Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Grand Forks
Top 10 trade schools in North Dakota by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year ROI among trade schools and community colleges with enrollment ≥ 50.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $226,222, Bismarck State College
Bismarck State College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $216,128, North Dakota State College of Science
North Dakota State College of Science
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $196,518, Williston State College
Williston State College
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $194,447, Lynnes Welding Training
Lynnes Welding Training
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $192,882, Lake Region State College
Lake Region State College
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Rank 6, 10-Yr ROI, $156,239, Turtle Mountain Community College
Turtle Mountain Community College
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Rank 7, 10-Yr ROI, $148,432, Dakota College at Bottineau
Dakota College at Bottineau
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Rank 8, 10-Yr ROI, $142,756, The Salon Professional Academy-Fargo
The Salon Professional Academy-Fargo
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Rank 9, 10-Yr ROI, $126,708, Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Fargo
Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Fargo
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Rank 10, 10-Yr ROI, $126,669, Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Grand Forks
Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Grand Forks
Top 10 most affordable trade schools in North Dakota (net price)
Lowest median net price among trade schools and community colleges with enrollment ≥ 50.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $4,605, Sitting Bull College
Sitting Bull College
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Rank 2, Net Price, $3,428, Turtle Mountain Community College
Turtle Mountain Community College
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Rank 3, Net Price, $5,932, Williston State College
Williston State College
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Rank 4, Net Price, $6,507, Cankdeska Cikana Community College
Cankdeska Cikana Community College
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Rank 5, Net Price, $10,039, Dakota College at Bottineau
Dakota College at Bottineau
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Rank 6, Net Price, $10,270, Bismarck State College
Bismarck State College
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Rank 7, Net Price, $11,261, North Dakota State College of Science
North Dakota State College of Science
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Rank 8, Net Price, $9,971, Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College
Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College
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Rank 9, Net Price, $12,773, Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Fargo
Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Fargo
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Rank 10, Net Price, $13,577, Lake Region State College
Lake Region State College
Student debt: North Dakota vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in North Dakota is $10,507 (+8.3% vs U.S. median $9,699). Regional median: $10,498. Rank: #41 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #5 in Plains of 7.
Median earnings (10 years out): North Dakota vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in North Dakota center around $31,788 (-9.1% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: 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 86.3% at the median North Dakota campus (+5.3 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
Median graduate debt is $10,507 (+8.3% above the U.S. median of $9,699, and +0.1% vs the Plains regional median of $10,498). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Student debt rank: #41 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #5 in Plains of 7 (1 = lowest median debt).
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in North Dakota are $31,788, about -9.1% vs the U.S. campus median ($34,984).
The median campus reports 86.3% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 80.9% (+5.3 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 88.4% vs a U.S. median of 64.9%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 3.9% (U.S. 11.1%); 3-yr repayment progress 77.5% (U.S. 50.5%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Nationally, North Dakota ranks earnings #39 and employment proxy #5 on these outcome medians (1 = best).
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include North Dakota State College of Science (93.1%), Bismarck State College (92.3%), Williston State College (89.2%), Dakota College at Bottineau (88.6%), Lake Region State College (87.6%), The Hair Academy (86.4%), The Salon Professional Academy-Fargo (86.1%), Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Grand Forks (82.6%), Josef's School of Hair Skin & Body-Fargo (82.6%), Turtle Mountain Community College (76.5%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within North Dakota, sector medians diverge: Private for-profit median 10-yr earnings $29,678 (5 campuses); Public median 10-yr earnings $44,017 (8 campuses). Public campuses often dominate enrollment while private nonprofits can show higher earnings medians at selective institutions.
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in North Dakota is 57.4% (national institution average about 63.3%).
FAQ
How much do trade schools cost in North Dakota?
Among trade schools and community colleges in North Dakota, median net price is $10,766 vs $14,215 nationally (-24.3% vs U.S.).
What is typical student debt at North Dakota trade schools?
Median federal loan debt among completers at trade and vocational campuses in North Dakota is $10,507 vs a U.S. median of $9,699 (North Dakota ranks #41 nationally for median debt among states.)
What do trade school graduates earn in North Dakota?
Median earnings 10 years after entry for North Dakota trade schools and community colleges reporting to the College Scorecard is $31,788 vs $34,984 nationally. Six-year medians are $31,723.
What share of North Dakota trade school students are working after completion?
The federal employment-outcome proxy on this site (8-year cohort working and not enrolled) has a median of 86.3% in North Dakota vs 80.9% nationally.
How many trade schools are in North Dakota?
This profile covers 6 trade schools and 8 community colleges (14 total) in North Dakota with roughly 7,940 total reported enrollment.
How many public vs. private trade schools are in North Dakota?
Among trade schools and community colleges with outcomes in the College Scorecard extract: 8 public, 0 private nonprofit, and 5 private for-profit institutions.
What are the top trade schools in North Dakota?
Rankings on this page use College Scorecard medians for trade schools and community colleges; standouts include highest completion rate: Lynnes Welding Training; highest 10-year earnings: Bismarck State College; lowest net price among large campuses: Sitting Bull College. See the ranked lists below for full details.
Are there Hispanic-serving or other designated trade schools in North Dakota?
Among 26 campuses in North Dakota, 5 tribal colleges (IPEDS TRIBAL flag), including Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College, Cankdeska Cikana Community College, and Sitting Bull College; 3 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Presbyterian Church (USA) (1), Roman Catholic (1), Assemblies of God Church (1).
How does North Dakota compare to its Census region for trade schools?
North Dakota is in the Plains region. Regional median net price is $13,566 and median 10-year earnings are $38,648 vs $10,766 net price and $31,788 earnings in North Dakota.
Sources & related
- All trade school profiles
- North Dakota college profile
- Trade school costs by state
- Trade schools and public community colleges (College Scorecard)
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
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