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2023 Best Online Colleges in North Dakota

By OnlineU Staff Writers | Updated 9/12/2023
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Future students looking for flexible, affordable online degrees can find a variety of programs at online colleges in North Dakota. Many North Dakota universities offer online undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs. For those transitioning from another four-year university or community colleges in North Dakota, online colleges can transfer credits, allowing students to accelerate their degree program to graduate earlier.  

We’ve compiled this 2023 list of online colleges in North Dakota based on online enrollment to show the most popular options among students. View our methodology for more details about our list, or learn about OnlineU

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2023 Best Online Colleges in North Dakota

RankSchool Salary Score Online Enrollment
# 1 #1 Valley City State University 68 443
# 2 #2 Minot State University 63 564
# 3 #3 University of North Dakota 62 4,185
# 4 #4 North Dakota State University - Main Campus 58 671
# 5 #5 University of Mary 55 1,032
# 6 #6 Mayville State University N/A 601

#1 Valley City State University

  • Salary Score: 68
  • Online Enrollment: 443
  • Locations: Valley City
  • Accreditation: HLC

Valley City State University (VCSU) offers high quality online programs designed to fit students' unique needs. Students can choose from several online undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Sample online majors at VCSU are social science, Spanish education, and business process integration management.

For students looking for more intimate online education, VCSU has a student-faculty ratio of 13:1, so students have more direct support from professors and can interact with classmates. In addition, as one of the first laptop universities, VSCU ensures that students have the resources they need to further their education. Other resources at VCSU include career services, counseling, academic advising, and technology support.

#2 Minot State University

  • Salary Score: 63
  • Online Enrollment: 564
  • Locations: Minot
  • Accreditation: HLC

At Minot State University (MSU), students have a variety of online programs to choose from. The university offers over 100 areas of study across degrees, certifications, minors, concentrations, and non-degrees. The online majors available at MSU are entrepreneurship, disability human services, and sports management.

Online students at MSU are not required to attend online courses at specific times. In some instances, online courses may arrange synchronous activities around a students’ daily obligations. In addition, MSU offers online student resources — like counseling, academic advising, IT support, career services, an online library, a writing center, a peer tutoring program, and much more.

#3 University of North Dakota

  • Salary Score: 62
  • Online Enrollment: 4,185
  • Locations: Grand Forks
  • Accreditation: HLC

The University of North Dakota (UND) offers over 200 online programs prospective students can pursue. UND has online degrees, courses, and continuing education opportunities for distance learners. Some of the online degree programs offered at UND include aerospace engineering, geology, and reading education.

UND provides students with the option to take self-paced online courses or enroll in semester-based classes that follow the university’s academic calendar. For self-paced courses, which can be completed within 3 to 9 months, online students can enroll anytime. Online student resources at UND include tutoring, a writing center, academic advising, disability services, career services, veteran and military services, and other resources.

#4 North Dakota State University - Main Campus

  • Salary Score: 58
  • Online Enrollment: 671
  • Locations: Fargo
  • Accreditation: HLC

At North Dakota State University - Main Campus (NDSU), online students can pursue online undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Some of NDSU’s online master’s degrees are merchandising, computer science education, and community development. Online graduate degrees at this institution are 33-36 credit hours, so full-time students can expect to spend two years completing their studies. NDSU’s acceptance rate is 95%, with a graduation rate of 59%.

NDSU facilitates asynchronous and synchronous online learning on the learning management system Blackboard. The student-to-faculty ratio at this school is 18:1. Online students at NDSU may be eligible for financial aid, like scholarships, loans, and grants. Online student resources at NDSU include advising, career services, tutoring, a writing center, counseling, a bookstore, an online library, accessibility and disability services, and advising. The university offers completion degree programs for adults with college credit who want to transfer their prior credit to finish their online bachelor’s degree.

#5 University of Mary

  • Salary Score: 55
  • Online Enrollment: 1,032
  • Locations: Bismarck
  • Accreditation: HLC

The University of Mary (UMary) has delivered online education for over 25 years. The university, which has more than 60 years of experience in faith-based adult education, offers several online degree programs across multiple specialties. Some online majors at UMary include Bioethics, Catholic Studies, and Kinesiology.

UMary provides affordable and flexible for working professionals who desire to advance their careers and grow their faith. For students wanting to pursue religious online degrees, UMary offers several bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Catholicism. UMary’s online student support includes academic advising, counseling, library services, tutoring, and military and veteran support.

#6 Mayville State University

  • Salary Score: N/A
  • Online Enrollment: 601
  • Locations: Mayville
  • Accreditation: HLC

Distance learners interested in attending Mayville State University (MSU Online) can find several online programs. The university offers online undergraduate and graduate degrees, certifications, minors, and endorsements. Examples of MSU Online’s online degree programs include agribusiness, physical education, and nursing.

MSU Online offers asynchronous and synchronous online courses, giving students a flexible schedule to finish their degrees. In addition, the university provides online students with affordable and quality instruction from experienced professors. MSU Online offers online student resources, academic advising, library services, an online bookstore, tutoring, a writing center, disability services, counseling, career services, IT help, and others.

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Higher Education in North Dakota

North Dakota's 20 colleges include 14 public schools. North Dakota's community colleges make up more than half of the state's higher education institutions. It ranks 47th in state population density, so it's not surprising that three-quarters of its colleges are in rural areas or small towns.

As with many states, North Dakota is experiencing a shortage of trained and educated healthcare workers. The health professions as a whole are among the most popular majors in the state, but there is still plenty of opportunity for graduates of health-related programs.

North Dakota also encourages entrepreneurship and innovation in its major industries, which include agriculture, natural resource extraction, and aerospace and defense. However, the state's Innovate ND grant to fund business projects ran over budget and had to be paused.

A number of North Dakota colleges have fully online degree programs. Distance learning can provide a convenient route to earning a degree in a state as sparsely populated as North Dakota, helping balance school with work and other responsibilities.

Be sure to read our lists of online MSW programs in North Dakota and online nursing programs in North Dakota if you're considering a social work or nursing career.

FAQs About Online Colleges in North Dakota

How Many Colleges Are in North Dakota?


There are 20 colleges in North Dakota that offer associate degrees at minimum. The largest institution is the University of North Dakota, which has hundreds of online certificate and degree programs.

How Many Tribal Colleges Are in North Dakota?


Five tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) call North Dakota home. These are mainly community and trade schools, some of which offer bachelor's degree programs.

How Many Public Colleges Are in North Dakota?


Fourteen of North Dakota's colleges are publicly funded. These range from a tribal college with fewer than 300 students to a larger university with nearly 14,000.

How Much Is College in North Dakota?


Each college charges a different amount, but we can look to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for average costs. We've listed the average tuition and fee costs for North Dakota institutions during the 2020-2021 academic year (the latest with available data).

  • Public four-year college, in-state resident: $9,065
  • Public four-year college, out-of-state resident: $13,501
  • Private four-year college: $16,408
  • Public two-year college, in-state resident: $5,233
  • Public two-year college, out-of-state resident: $6,186

Higher Education in North Dakota

North Dakota's 20 colleges include 14 public schools. North Dakota's community colleges make up more than half of the state's higher education institutions. It ranks 47th in state population density, so it's not surprising that three-quarters of its colleges are in rural areas or small towns.

As with many states, North Dakota is experiencing a shortage of trained and educated healthcare workers. The health professions as a whole are among the most popular majors in the state, but there is still plenty of opportunity for graduates of health-related programs.

North Dakota also encourages entrepreneurship and innovation in its major industries, which include agriculture, natural resource extraction, and aerospace and defense. However, the state's Innovate ND grant to fund business projects ran over budget and had to be paused.

A number of North Dakota colleges have fully online degree programs. Distance learning can provide a convenient route to earning a degree in a state as sparsely populated as North Dakota, helping balance school with work and other responsibilities.

Be sure to read our lists of online MSW programs in North Dakota and online nursing programs in North Dakota if you're considering a social work or nursing career.

FAQs About Online Colleges in North Dakota

How Many Colleges Are in North Dakota?


There are 20 colleges in North Dakota that offer associate degrees at minimum. The largest institution is the University of North Dakota, which has hundreds of online certificate and degree programs.

How Many Tribal Colleges Are in North Dakota?


Five tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) call North Dakota home. These are mainly community and trade schools, some of which offer bachelor's degree programs.

How Many Public Colleges Are in North Dakota?


Fourteen of North Dakota's colleges are publicly funded. These range from a tribal college with fewer than 300 students to a larger university with nearly 14,000.

How Much Is College in North Dakota?


Each college charges a different amount, but we can look to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for average costs. We've listed the average tuition and fee costs for North Dakota institutions during the 2020-2021 academic year (the latest with available data).

  • Public four-year college, in-state resident: $9,065
  • Public four-year college, out-of-state resident: $13,501
  • Private four-year college: $16,408
  • Public two-year college, in-state resident: $5,233
  • Public two-year college, out-of-state resident: $6,186

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