Best Online Associate Degrees in North Dakota 2025
Top Online Associate Degree Programs in North Dakota in 2025
2025 Ranking Update
Our Influence Ranking Engine™ leverages machine learning to track the real-world influence of colleges and universities over time. Below you’ll see which schools gained or last ground for the 2025 school year.
There are no changes to our ranking of the best online associate degree programs in North Dakota for 2025.
Featured Programs
Best Online Associate Degrees in North Dakota 2025
- #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in North Dakota 2024 #4 Most Affordable Colleges in North Dakota 2025 #4 Best Public Colleges in North Dakota 2024 #4 Best Small Colleges in North Dakota 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
72%
Graduation
44%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1002/18
Career Outlook for degree at Dickinson State University
Cost of Degree: $9,118Expenses: $12,440Starting Salary: $49,300Cost Recoup Time: 6 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryDickinson State University offers a diverse array of learning opportunities within the framework of the North Dakota University System, with a shared commitment to serving the state’s communities. Graduates of the university’s online associate degree programs are prepared to make a meaningful impact on the world.
What we love about Dickinson State University:
Dickinson State University is committed to upholding values such as integrity, excellence, accessibility, and innovation. The institution emphasizes global responsibility while maintaining a student-centered approach to ensure academic success.
Dickinson State University is ideal for students who:
Seek a university that fosters innovative learning and development.
Dickinson State University might not be the best fit for students who:
Prefer a more structured and organized admissions process.
- #4 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in North Dakota 2024 #5 Most Affordable Colleges in North Dakota 2025 #6 Best Public Colleges in North Dakota 2024 #6 Best Small Colleges in North Dakota 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
51%
Student body
5K
Career Outlook for degree at Bismarck State College
Cost of Degree: $5,195Expenses: $12,800Starting Salary: $53,600Cost Recoup Time: 5 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryAs the third-largest institution of higher education in North Dakota, Bismarck State College provides an extensive selection of degree programs, including online associate degrees and transfer options. The college is dedicated to supporting students in turning their aspirations into reality by providing comprehensive resources and guidance.
What we love about Bismarck State College:
At Bismarck State College, students are empowered to achieve their goals through the college’s extensive resources and the supportive faculty and staff. The institution’s partnerships with both private and public entities enhance experiential learning, enriching the educational experience for all students.
Bismarck State College is ideal for students who:
Desire to attend a public state college that offers robust support systems.
Bismarck State College might not be the best fit for students who:
Are looking for more academically rigorous coursework.
- #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in North Dakota 2024 #6 Most Affordable Colleges in North Dakota 2025 #7 Best Public Colleges in North Dakota 2024 #7 Best Small Colleges in North Dakota 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
71%
Graduation
35%
Student body
1K
Career Outlook for degree at Mayville State University
Cost of Degree: $7,935Expenses: $13,188Starting Salary: $43,300Cost Recoup Time: 6 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryMayville State University offers a wide variety of majors and minors, including online associate degrees. The university fosters an environment where students can fully develop their abilities and talents.
What we love about Mayville State University:
Mayville State University is distinguished by its hands-on faculty, who employ modern and innovative teaching methods to prepare graduates for the contemporary workforce. Graduates are equipped to become conscientious contributors to society.
Mayville State University is ideal for students who:
Are seeking an education at an innovative state university.
Mayville State University might not be the best fit for students who:
Might find the university’s location limiting in terms of student activities.
- #5 Best Public Colleges in North Dakota 2024 #5 Best Small Colleges in North Dakota 2024 #6 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in North Dakota 2024 #7 Most Affordable Colleges in North Dakota 2025
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
83%
Graduation
47%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1070/20
Career Outlook for degree at Valley City State University
Cost of Degree: $8,514Expenses: $12,616Starting Salary: $41,700Cost Recoup Time: 6 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryAt Valley City State University, students are exposed to a variety of learning methodologies designed to cultivate their talents and foster comprehensive development.
What we love about Valley City State University:
Valley City State University is committed to academic excellence, striving to enhance the lives of its graduates. The university also provides full-time online learners with opportunities to acquire laptops, thereby enhancing their technology-driven education.
Valley City State University is ideal for students who:
Want to attend a college that has consistently been ranked as one of the best online colleges in the United States.
Valley City State University might not be the best fit for students who:
Prefer the amenities and resources of a larger university.
Tuition + fees
$18K
Acceptance
44%
Graduation
41%
Student body
<1K
Career Outlook for degree at Trinity Bible College and Graduate School
Cost of Degree: $18,762Expenses: $12,782Starting Salary: $31,700Cost Recoup Time: 10 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryPursue your online associate degree in a Christ-centered environment at Trinity Bible College and Graduate School. The college provides a safe and supportive space for students to pursue their missional passions and become disciples of the Gospel.
What we love about Trinity Bible College and Graduate School:
As a leading Pentecostal institution, Trinity Bible College and Graduate School emphasizes connected learning. Upon completion of their programs, graduates are prepared to lead and serve diverse communities effectively.
Trinity Bible College and Graduate School is ideal for students who:
Aspire to make a meaningful impact through community service and leadership.
Trinity Bible College and Graduate School might not be the best fit for students who:
Prefer to attend an institution with a less religious focus.
North Dakota is just one of many states offering excellent online associate’s degrees. To check out our rankings, look into the best online associate’s degrees in Montana, Minnesota, Texas, and more!
Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions
If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require a time of adjustment. Although you’ll typically learn the same material and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, going online will require greater independence and responsibility than going in person. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, for harnessing the online educational technology that you’ll need to use, and for completing the course requirements, such as listening to lectures, learning lessons, reading texts, and handing in assignments. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take the initiative in building relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.
No. The only part of online education that’s easier than campus-based education is ease of access: all you need is a computer and an internet connection for online education. But even this seeming advantage of online education can be misleading: what’s easier, studying online with your computer and internet connection from your home where you need to cook, clean, pay rent, and maintain a job? Or studying on campus in a dorm where all your living needs are handled by the school, and college staff are there to help you every step of the way?
If you take the commute to campus out of the equation, campus-based education is easier. All the support structures available on campus for students, especially with real people to help you in person, are not there online. The demands on you as an online student will largely be the same as for your campus-based counterpart, but without the same helps.
In general, your online courses will present the same material and test you in the same way as traditional in-person courses. In many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning with remote educational technology for the first time, online college may be considerably more challenging than campus-based college. For a few insights on how to manage this new online experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.
Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable non-profit institutions on the one end and less-than-reputable for-profit institutions on the other end. Accreditation gives you the power to identify the more reputable actors in online education. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency indicating that a college or university is meeting standards of quality and credibility. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.
Attending a college or university that is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. For students seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that they opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree. For more on this important topic, check out our What is Accreditation and Why Does It Matter? College & University Accreditation Guide.
As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited (see the previous point), you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer of credits. In many cases, you will encounter some bureaucratic haggling in which some of your credits will be transferred and others may be refused. However, provided that you have attended an online school with recognized regional accreditation, you should be in good shape in transferring your credits earned online.
In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript, or resumé differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.
Some employers may express the concern that because you did your degree online, you may need to transition from an online education experience to in-person workplace experience. But in an age of Covid, that concern seems much diminished. The fact is that much employment these days is remote. And collaboration increasingly happens online over Zoom. Many employers will therefore view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.
If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will be less than ideal for you (though depending on your circumstances, it may also be the only viable option).
While there is much in traditional campus-based education that can be substituted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing that can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual in-person classroom setting. As you transition to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face in getting the most out of your online classes is overcoming this difference between “real reality” and “virtual reality.” Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.
The advantages of online classes are many. Above all, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete at your own pace and on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.
Resources for Online College-Bound Students
Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.