North Dakota State University
North Dakota State University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
North Dakota State University Featured Rankings
- #2 Best Research Universities in North Dakota 2026
- #2 North Dakota's Best Online Master's Degrees
- #2 Best Public Colleges in North Dakota 2026
- #2 Best Grad Schools North Dakota 2026
- #2 Most Affordable Colleges in North Dakota
- #2 Most Influential US Universities by State
- #2 Best Colleges in North Dakota 2026
About North Dakota State University
According to Wikipedia, North Dakota State University is a public land-grant research university in Fargo, North Dakota. It was founded as North Dakota Agricultural College in 1890 as the state's land-grant university. As of 2021, NDSU offers 94 undergraduate majors, 146 undergraduate degree programs, 5 undergraduate certificate programs, 84 undergraduate minors, 87 master's degree programs, 51 doctoral degree programs of study, and 210 graduate certificate programs. It is classified among "R1-Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity".
North Dakota State University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7,331 | 95% | 78% | 65% | 22 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does North Dakota State University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $11,738 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $11,551 |
| 30K - 48K | $11,944 |
| 48K - 75K | $11,418 |
| 75K - 110K | $15,226 |
| 110K+ | $18,993 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do North Dakota State University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former North Dakota State University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $65,925 a year, and 95% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
North Dakota State University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 13,041 | 10,508 | 2,533 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is North Dakota State University?
North Dakota State University is located at 1301 12th Avenue North, Fargo, ND 58108-6050.
How Safe is North Dakota State University?
North Dakota State University reported 1.8 violent and property offenses on campus per 1,000 students in 2024, fewer than most large residential campuses. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.
Relative to its enrollment, North Dakota State University has a violent crime rate of 0.07% and a property crime rate of 0.12%. Fargo has a violent crime rate of 0.50% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 3.73%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is North Dakota State University Known For?
North Dakota State University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Economics
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Earth Sciences
- Biology
- Social Work
- Psychology
- Engineering
- History
- Education
- Computer Science
- Nursing
- Business
- Communications
- Anthropology
- Medical
- Political Science
- Physics
- Sociology
- Philosophy
- Literature
- Criminal Justice
North Dakota State University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much North Dakota State University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
North Dakota State University ranks #173 in the U.S. and #782 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #212 in the U.S. and #1015 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #239 in the U.S. and #951 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #248 in the U.S. and #1063 worldwide for influence in Earth Sciences.
earth-science DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #260 in the U.S. and #1012 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #306 in the U.S. and #745 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #330 in the U.S. and #825 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #349 in the U.S. and #2157 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #355 in the U.S. and #1000 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #390 in the U.S. and #1666 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #398 in the U.S. and #1828 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #465 in the U.S. and #1242 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #482 in the U.S. and #1722 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #488 in the U.S. and #1770 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #489 in the U.S. and #1508 worldwide for influence in Anthropology.
anthropology DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #509 in the U.S. and #1903 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #518 in the U.S. and #2137 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #568 in the U.S. and #2502 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #627 in the U.S. and #2138 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #754 in the U.S. and #2521 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #756 in the U.S. and #2288 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesNorth Dakota State University ranks #909 in the U.S. and #1720 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesWho Are North Dakota State University's Most Influential Alumni?
North Dakota State University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Social Work, Economics, and Psychology. Here are some of North Dakota State University's most famous alumni:
- Mancur Olson
- An American economist.
- Donald Pederson
- An American professor of electrical engineering.
- Paul Johnsgard
- An Ornithologist.
- Ravindra Khattree
- An Indian statistician.
- Carson Wentz
- An American football player .
- David Schindler
- An American/Canadian limnologist.
- Ilhan Omar
- An American politician.
- Humayun Ahmed
- An Author, poet, dramatist and film director.
- Hilton Briggs
- An American animal scientist.
- Warren Magnuson
- An American politician .
- Philip E. Austin
- An American academic administrator.
- Edward Arthur Steinhaus
- An American insect pathologist .
Who Are North Dakota State University's Most Influential Faculty?
North Dakota State University's most influential faculty include professors in the fields of Social Work, Economics, and Psychology. Here are some of North Dakota State University's most famous faculty:
