Best Liberal Arts Schools Near West Fargo, ND (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

West Fargo, North Dakota has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs, with tuition ranging from $11,110 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 the Fargo, ND-MN metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $90,220 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Liberal Arts Schools to West Fargo

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer liberal arts 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:

  • 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.

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

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#1

North Dakota State University-Main Campus

Fargo, ND 5.5 miles from West Fargo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • 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: 144

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Mayville State University

Mayville, ND 48.9 miles from West Fargo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
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: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Valley City State University

Valley City, ND 52.1 miles from West Fargo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • 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: 44

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, ND 74.0 miles from West Fargo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
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: 137

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

University of Jamestown

Jamestown, ND 84.8 miles from West Fargo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,621
Avg net price $19,567/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

United Tribes Technical College

Bismarck, ND 182.2 miles from West Fargo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
45.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $25,292
Avg net price $3,569/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,632
Out‑of‑state$4,632
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

University of Mary

Bismarck, ND 182.2 miles from West Fargo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
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: 77

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Bismarck State College

Bismarck, ND 184.9 miles from West Fargo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
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: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all North Dakota schools on the North Dakota liberal arts page.

Liberal Arts 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)
Public Relations Specialist $68,950 Fargo, ND-MN $75,853
Management Analyst $90,220 Fargo, ND-MN $99,252
Technical Writer $72,990 Fargo, ND-MN $80,297
News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist $43,420 ND statewide $47,767
Editor $60,600 Fargo, ND-MN $66,667
Training and Development Specialist $62,960 Fargo, ND-MN $69,263
Human Resources Specialist $76,550 Fargo, ND-MN $84,213

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 Liberal Arts Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited liberal arts schools are near West Fargo, ND?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts 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 Mayville State University (48.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying liberal arts roles near West Fargo?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near West Fargo are: Management Analyst ($90,220), Human Resources Specialist ($76,550), Technical Writer ($72,990). 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 liberal arts 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 liberal arts?

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 Liberal Arts Programs

Other Programs Available in West Fargo

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

Data verified: September 6, 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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