Online Colleges in North Dakota: Accredited Schools & Tuition (2026)

Key takeaway: Our directory lists 19 schools in North Dakota that offer at least one fully online program, and among the 7 of those with published in-state tuition figures, the median is $6,128 a year (IPEDS/College Scorecard data in our directory). Every school below is ranked by our independent BOC Score, never by advertising.

Online colleges give North Dakota residents access to accredited degree programs without relocating or commuting to campus. The catch is that the online format does not automatically remove the state line from your tuition bill, so it’s worth understanding how residency, accreditation, and cost interact before you apply.

Studying online from North Dakota

Most public universities still set separate in-state and out-of-state tuition rates, even for fully online programs, and a smaller number of programs charge a flat rate regardless of where a student lives. Public, North Dakota-based institutions generally publish the lowest in-state rates for residents, while online programs run by out-of-state public universities typically bill at their non-resident rate unless the school participates in a regional tuition-reciprocity agreement. Among the schools in our North Dakota directory that offer online programs and publish an in-state tuition figure, the median is $6,128 a year (IPEDS/College Scorecard data in our directory). Check each school’s own tuition table for the current rate before you apply, since published figures can change year to year.

Online formats vary by school: some programs run fully asynchronous, some hold scheduled live classes, and some are hybrid with occasional in-person requirements such as clinical hours, labs, or proctored exams. Check the delivery format and any residency or in-person requirements on each school’s own program page before enrolling, since “online” does not always mean zero in-person contact.

Verifying accreditation

Before comparing costs or program length, confirm that any school you’re considering holds accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. You can verify a school’s status directly through the Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), which is searchable by institution name. Regional or national accreditation affects whether credits transfer and whether employers and licensing boards will recognize your degree, so this check should come before you compare tuition or program length.

Accreditation status can change. Even if a school appeared accredited in the past, re-check its current status in DAPIP before enrolling or transferring credits.

How we rank these schools

The schools listed below are ordered by our BOC Score, a composite measure built from federal graduation rate, median earnings, net price, retention rate, and fully-online availability data published by the U.S. Department of Education. Advertising placement never changes the ranking order; sponsored options are shown separately above the ranked list.

Accredited Online Colleges in North Dakota

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Bismarck State College

Bismarck, ND
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
76.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,277
Avg net price $10,270/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Rasmussen University-North Dakota

Fargo, ND
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
70.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,080
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

North Dakota State University-Main Campus

Fargo, ND
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
69.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 95%
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,203
Avg net price $15,543/yr
Tuition
In‑state$11,110
Out‑of‑state$15,764
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Mary

Bismarck, ND
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
66.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,909
Avg net price $17,770/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, ND
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
65.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,552
Avg net price $18,551/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 18

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Turtle Mountain Community College

Belcourt, ND
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
61.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $32,079
Avg net price $3,428/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,794
Out‑of‑state$2,794
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Sitting Bull College

Fort Yates, ND
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
53.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 23%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $28,488
Avg net price $4,605/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,010
Out‑of‑state$4,010
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 18

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Valley City State University

Valley City, ND
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
53.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 99%
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,725
Avg net price $11,890/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,514
Out‑of‑state$13,544
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 9

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#9

Minot State University

Minot, ND
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
51.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,759
Avg net price $12,703/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#10

Mayville State University

Mayville, ND
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
48.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,828
Avg net price $11,456/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Quick Answers

How many schools offer online programs in North Dakota?

Our directory lists 19 schools in North Dakota that report offering at least one fully online program, based on IPEDS/College Scorecard data.

What is the median in-state online tuition in North Dakota?

Among schools in North Dakota with online programs that publish an in-state tuition figure in our directory (7 schools), the median is $6,128 a year (IPEDS/College Scorecard data). Always confirm the current rate directly with the school, since published figures can change year to year.

How do I verify a school in North Dakota is accredited?

Search the school’s name in the U.S. Department of Education’s DAPIP database to confirm current, recognized accreditation before you apply or enroll.

How are the schools on this page ranked?

Schools are ordered by our BOC Score, which weighs graduation rate, median earnings, net price, retention rate, and fully-online availability using federal data. Advertising does not affect the ranking.

Next steps

For a broader comparison across states, see Best Online Colleges Ranking and Affordable Online Degrees. If you’re weighing a specific field of study, browse our program guides for degree-level cost and career detail, or read our BOC Score methodology to see exactly how schools on this page were ranked.