West Fargo, North Dakota has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs, with tuition ranging from $8,514 to $45,942 per year for indexed programs. West Fargo has a population of about 39,325. Median household income is $96,877 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 45.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Dakota, the top-earning biology-related role is Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist at a median $81,330 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Biology Schools to West Fargo
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer biology programs near West Fargo, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from West Fargo city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
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:
BOCSCORE
- 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.
On this page, schools are ordered by distance from West Fargo.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Acceptance rate
95%
Graduation rate
64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$62,203
Avg net price
$15,543/yr
TuitionIn‑state$11,110
Out‑of‑state$15,764
Key stats- Retention rate: 78%
- Programs offered: 57
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$47,828
Avg net price
$11,456/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 73%
- Programs offered: 21
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
99%
Graduation rate
51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$52,725
Avg net price
$11,890/yr
TuitionIn‑state$8,514
Out‑of‑state$13,544
Key stats- Retention rate: 68%
- Programs offered: 33
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$63,552
Avg net price
$18,551/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 83%
- Programs offered: 61
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$56,621
Avg net price
$19,567/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 66%
- Programs offered: 28
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$60,909
Avg net price
$17,770/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 83%
- Programs offered: 52
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$51,759
Avg net price
$12,703/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 69%
- Programs offered: 48
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$50,720
Avg net price
$14,092/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 64%
- Programs offered: 38
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all North Dakota schools on the North Dakota biology page.
Biology Wages Near West Fargo
West Fargo is part of the Fargo, ND-MN metro area (BLS area code 22020). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Dakota statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|
| Medical Scientist | $63,840 | Fargo, ND-MN | $70,231 |
| Biological Technician | $55,330 | ND statewide | $60,869 |
| Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist | $81,330 | ND statewide | $89,472 |
| Soil and Plant Scientist | $65,320 | Fargo, ND-MN | $71,859 |
Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
West Fargo at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 39,325 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $96,877 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 45.2% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 90.9 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other West Fargo-Area Cities With Biology Programs
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited biology schools are near West Fargo, ND?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering biology programs near West Fargo. The closest is North Dakota State University-Main Campus in Fargo, ND (5.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Valley City State University (52.0 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying biology roles near West Fargo?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying biology-related roles near West Fargo are: Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($81,330), Soil and Plant Scientist ($65,320), Medical Scientist ($63,840). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with North Dakota statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Fargo instead of West Fargo?
Fargo, ND is 3.6 miles from West Fargo and has its own set of local biology programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is West Fargo an affordable place to study biology?
West Fargo’s median household income of $96,877 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in West Fargo while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Dakota public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
How do I verify a program is accredited?
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Learn More About Biology Programs
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Data verified: July 30, 2026.
Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.
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