Best Online Early Childhood Education Programs in Bismarck, ND (2026)

Bismarck, North Dakota has 2 accredited schools offering early childhood education programs, with tuition ranging from $4,010 to $10,012 per year for indexed programs. Bismarck has a population of about 74,146. Median household income is $77,608 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 38.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Bismarck, ND metro area, the top-earning early childhood education-related role is Kindergarten Teacher at a median $61,590 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Early Childhood Education Schools to Bismarck

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer early childhood education programs near Bismarck, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Bismarck 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:

  • 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 Bismarck. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

University of Mary

Bismarck, ND 6.5 miles from Bismarck BOC Score 66.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all North Dakota schools on the North Dakota early childhood education page.


Early Childhood Education Wages Near Bismarck

Bismarck is part of the Bismarck, ND metro area (BLS area code 13900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Dakota statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Preschool Teacher$39,720Bismarck, ND$43,648
Kindergarten Teacher$61,590Bismarck, ND$67,681
Preschool and Childcare Center Director$49,110Bismarck, ND$53,967
Teaching Assistant$44,110Bismarck, ND$48,473

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.


Bismarck at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population74,146Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$77,608Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+38.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.0 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Bismarck-Area Cities With Early Childhood Education Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited early childhood education schools are near Bismarck, ND?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering early childhood education programs near Bismarck. The closest is University of Mary in Bismarck, ND (6.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Sitting Bull College (50.5 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying early childhood education roles near Bismarck?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying early childhood education-related roles near Bismarck are: Kindergarten Teacher ($61,590), Preschool and Childcare Center Director ($49,110), Teaching Assistant ($44,110). 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 Mandan instead of Bismarck?

Mandan, ND is 5.5 miles from Bismarck and has its own set of local early childhood education programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Bismarck an affordable place to study early childhood education?

Bismarck’s median household income of $77,608 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bismarck 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 Early Childhood Education Programs

Other Programs Available in Bismarck

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Bismarck:

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 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.