Grand Forks, North Dakota Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Colleges in Grand Forks, North Dakota: median public in-state tuition $10,951 (+98.7% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $63,552 (+16.9% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 94.9% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $14,987 (+12.9% vs U.S.) 10,042 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 2 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 10,042 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $10,951 (+98.7% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $63,552 (+16.9% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 94.9% (+6.9 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $16,104 (+61.5% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $14,987 (+12.9% vs U.S. $13,271); regional median $16,750
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 60.5%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 84.0%
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Overview
Colleges and universities in Grand Forks serve students across North Dakota with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 2 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 10,042 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $10,951. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Grand Forks, North Dakota and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Grand Forks 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Forks, North Dakota | $10,951 | $16,104 | $14,987 | 60.5% | 10,042 |
| 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: Grand Forks, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Forks, North Dakota | $63,552 | 94.9% | 84.0% | 2.8% | — | 88.4% | 0.35 |
| 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Forks, North Dakota | $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% |
| Bismarck | $5,247 | $12,610 | $11,630 | 47.2% | 5,889 | $60,909 | 94.7% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
Top college in Grand Forks, 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, 60.5%, University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
Top college in Grand Forks, 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, 94.9%, University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
Most selective college in Grand Forks, 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, 76.9%, University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
Top college in Grand Forks, 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, $78,285, University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
Top college in Grand Forks, 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, $106,162, University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
Top college in Grand Forks, 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, $54,588, University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
Top college in Grand Forks, 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, $58,225, University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
Top college in Grand Forks, 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, $63,552, University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
Top college in Grand Forks, 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, $200,905, University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
Most affordable college in Grand Forks, 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, $18,551, University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
Top college in Grand Forks, 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, 84.0%, University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
In-state tuition: Grand Forks, North Dakota vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Grand Forks, North Dakota median in-state tuition is $10,951, +98.7% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Grand Forks, North Dakota vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Grand Forks, North Dakota is $14,987 (+12.9% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $16,750.
Median earnings (10 years out): Grand Forks, North Dakota vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Grand Forks, North Dakota center around $63,552 (+16.9% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Grand Forks, 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 94.9% at the median Grand Forks, North Dakota campus (+6.9 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
Grand Forks, North Dakota median public in-state tuition is $10,951, about +98.7% vs the national median. Versus the Plains region, tuition is +75.9%.
Median graduate debt is $14,987 (+12.9% above 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 Grand Forks, North Dakota are $63,552, about +16.9% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
The median campus reports 94.9% 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% (+6.9 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 84.0% 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 2.8% (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 North Dakota (94.9%)—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 Grand Forks, North Dakota is 60.5% (national institution average about 50.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Grand Forks?
This city profile covers 2 campuses in Grand Forks, North Dakota with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Grand Forks?
Median in-state tuition in Grand Forks is $10,951 and median net price is $16,104. 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 Grand Forks?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Grand Forks is $63,552 vs $54,673 for North Dakota and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for Grand Forks colleges?
Median completer debt in Grand Forks is $14,987 vs $18,442 for North Dakota and $13,271 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Grand Forks?
Top campuses on this page include University of North Dakota (graduation) and University of North Dakota (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Grand Forks?
Among 2 College Scorecard campuses in Grand Forks, North Dakota, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, and none meet our 25% Hispanic-enrollment HSI proxy or report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- North Dakota college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON