Best Community Colleges in North Dakota 2024

Badge for BEST IN NORTH DAKOTA COMMUNITY COLLEGES

The best community colleges provide an effective springboard into higher education, offering students high-quality two-year degree programs in a wide range of disciplines. The top-rated community colleges in North Dakota offer a broad selection of associate’s degrees, affordable tuition rates, and strong partnerships with public four-year schools so that students can easily transfer their credits into accredited bachelor’s degree programs.

Best Community Colleges in North Dakota 2024

  1. North Dakota State College of Science
    • Most Popular Degrees: Biology, Computer Science, and Nursing
  2. Sitting Bull College
    • Most Popular Degrees: Sociology, Education, and Social Work
  3. Williston State College
    • Most Popular Degrees: Medical Sciences, Nursing, and Computer Science
  4. United Tribes Technical College
    • Most Popular Degrees: Social Work, Education, and Criminal Justice
  5. Lake Region State College
    • Most Popular Degrees: Criminal Justice, Nursing, and Medical Sciences
  6. Turtle Mountain Community College
    • Most Popular Degrees: Education, Criminal Justice, and Nursing
  7. Dakota College at Bottineau
    • Most Popular Degrees: Education, Computer Science, and Nursing
  8. Cankdeska Cikana Community College
    • Most Popular Degrees: Social Work, Education, and Nursing
  9. Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College
    • Most Popular Degrees: Education, Engineering, and Mathematics

We’ve identified 9 community colleges in North Dakota. The following list shows the best community colleges and primarily associate degree granting colleges in North Dakota.

Best Community Colleges in North Dakota 2024

  1. Tuition + fees

    $6K

    Graduation

    43%

    Student body

    3K

    Career Outlook for degree at North Dakota State College of Science

    Cost of Degree: $5,880
    Expenses: $11,270
    Starting Salary: $47,700
    Cost Recoup Time: 8 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    North Dakota State College of Science uses new equipment and technologies to help students gain real-world skills. It is also committed to preparing students to be ready to take on challenging roles right after graduation.

    What we love about North Dakota State College of Science:

    North Dakota State College of Science provides a complete collegiate experience and a vibrant campus life.

    North Dakota State College of Science is ideal for students who:

    Would enjoy the perks of a college that has a placement rate of 97%.

    North Dakota State College of Science might not be the best fit for students who:

    Prefer a more competitive academic environment.

  2. #2

    Sitting Bull College

    Fort Yates , ND

    Tuition + fees

    $4K

    Graduation

    21%

    Student body

    <1K

    Career Outlook for degree at Sitting Bull College

    Cost of Degree: $4,010
    Expenses: $10,580
    Starting Salary: $21,400
    Cost Recoup Time: 13 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Sitting Bull College is a public tribal college committed to providing academic, career, and technical education. It also aims at producing graduates who are able to display their critical thinking and technical skills.

    What we love about Sitting Bull College:

    Sitting Bull College helps develop students’ work ethics and skills so they can thrive in any work environment.

    Sitting Bull College is ideal for students who:

    Appreciate low student-to-faculty ratios.

    Sitting Bull College might not be the best fit for students who:

    Want to go to a college with sports programs.

  3. #3

    Williston State College

    Williston , ND

    Tuition + fees

    $6K

    Graduation

    33%

    Student body

    1K

    Career Outlook for degree at Williston State College

    Cost of Degree: $5,768
    Expenses: $12,556
    Starting Salary: $45,800
    Cost Recoup Time: 9 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Williston State College’s main goal is to make education affordable for everyone through the generous scholarships offered by the WSC Foundation. It is also committed to providing actionable data, open communication, and quality experiences to foster personal relationships within its community.

    What we love about Williston State College:

    WSC is passionate about supporting its students’ lifelong learning and personal growth.

    Williston State College is ideal for students who:

    Would opt for a college that celebrates its students’ success to inspire others.

    Williston State College might not be the best fit for students who:

    Favor a college that offers sporting events other than baseball, basketball, hockey, and volleyball.

  4. Tuition + fees

    $4K

    Graduation

    12%

    Student body

    <1K

    Career Outlook for degree at United Tribes Technical College

    Cost of Degree: $4,252
    Expenses: $8,570
    Starting Salary: $21,100
    Cost Recoup Time: 12 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    United Tribes Technical College provides quality career and technical education and training to improve the leadership and knowledge of all indigenous nations. Its goal is also to help create educated and healthy leaders who will empower and serve their communities.

    What we love about United Tribes Technical College:

    United Tribes Technical College provides individualized instructions.

    United Tribes Technical College is ideal for students who:

    Are inclined toward a college in an urban setting so they can enjoy city life.

    United Tribes Technical College might not be the best fit for students who:

    Prefer larger class sizes.

  5. #5

    Lake Region State College

    Devils Lake , ND

    Tuition + fees

    $5K

    Graduation

    45%

    Student body

    2K

    Career Outlook for degree at Lake Region State College

    Cost of Degree: $5,435
    Expenses: $12,100
    Starting Salary: $39,800
    Cost Recoup Time: 9 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Lake Region State College is committed to changing lives and creating an empowering environment. It offers associate programs in the arts and sciences, including business, automotive technology, and nursing.

    What we love about Lake Region State College:

    Lake Region State College tracks student movement to provide a complete report of their progress and completion in the higher education system.

    Lake Region State College is ideal for students who:

    Want a college that provides a seamless transfer to schools that offer bachelor’s degrees.

    Lake Region State College might not be the best fit for students who:

    Are more concerned about the prestige and quality of education offered by four-year universities.

  6. Tuition + fees

    $2K

    Graduation

    38%

    Student body

    <1K

    Career Outlook for degree at Turtle Mountain Community College

    Cost of Degree: $2,482
    Starting Salary: $26,100

    Turtle Mountain Community College, considered one of the original tribal colleges in the early 1970s, serves the tribal community by helping them improve their educational attainment at all levels.

    What we love about Turtle Mountain Community College:

    Turtle Mountain Community College helps develop students’ character by teaching them about the Seven Teachings of the Tribe.

    Turtle Mountain Community College is ideal for students who:

    Want to be part of a college that is committed to enriching the lives of the communities around it.

    Turtle Mountain Community College might not be the best fit for students who:

    Want to be a part of a larger university.

  7. Tuition + fees

    $5K

    Graduation

    33%

    Student body

    1K

    Career Outlook for degree at Dakota College at Bottineau

    Cost of Degree: $5,347
    Expenses: $13,015
    Starting Salary: $43,000
    Cost Recoup Time: 9 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Dakota College at Bottineau offers Associate of Science and Associate of Arts programs in agriculture, business, and technical studies, among others. Its curriculum is transfer-ready, allowing students to easily pursue bachelor’s degrees in the future.

    What we love about Dakota College at Bottineau:

    Dakota College at Bottineau prioritizes its students’ success and serves the communities around it.

    Dakota College at Bottineau is ideal for students who:

    Seek a college that offers career and technical programs and provides students with aid finding a job upon graduation.

    Dakota College at Bottineau might not be the best fit for students who:

    Have a career path in mind that requires them to earn a four-year bachelor’s degree.

  8. Tuition + fees

    $4K

    Graduation

    11%

    Student body

    <1K

    Career Outlook for degree at Cankdeska Cikana Community College

    Cost of Degree: $3,950
    Starting Salary: $20,000

    Cankdeska Cikana Community College offers 12 associate and certificate programs. It also offers apprenticeship opportunities for more structured training and learning experiences.

    What we love about Cankdeska Cikana Community College:

    Cankdeska Cikana Community College helps students to be more independent and self-sufficient.

    Cankdeska Cikana Community College is ideal for students who:

    Desire a college committed to optimizing the skills of its students.

    Cankdeska Cikana Community College might not be the best fit for students who:

    Want more options for financial aid.

  9. Tuition + fees

    $4K

    Graduation

    6%

    Student body

    <1K

    Career Outlook for degree at Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College

    Cost of Degree: $3,870
    Starting Salary: $31,200

    Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College’s mission is to establish and maintain an educational community founded in spirituality and culture and empower students to succeed in any career path. It has been enriching the lives of MHA Tribal members since 1973.

    What we love about Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College:

    This college honors the past by integrating cultural principles to shape the future of its students.

    Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College is ideal for students who:

    Values a college that helps strengthen the identity of the MHA Tribal nations.

    Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College might not be the best fit for students who:

    Want to go to a college with more students, as the college only enrolled 107 students in the 2023-2024 school year.

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2024 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2023. That’s because we took a fundamentally different approach. For 2024 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.

  1. Bismarck State College
  2. Turtle Mountain Community College
  3. Williston State College
  4. North Dakota State College of Science
  5. Sitting Bull College
  6. United Tribes Technical College
  7. Dakota College at Bottineau
  8. Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College
  9. Lake Region State College
  10. Cankdeska Cikana Community College
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