Best Public Policy Schools Near Mandan, ND (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Mandan, North Dakota is home to about 24,293 residents. Median household income is $75,966 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 30.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Bismarck, ND metro area, the top-earning public policy-related role is General and Operations Managers at a median $93,540 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Public Policy Schools to Mandan

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer public policy programs near Mandan, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Mandan 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 Mandan. 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 193.0 miles from Mandan
  • 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

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, ND 193.8 miles from Mandan
  • 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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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all North Dakota schools on the North Dakota public policy page.

Public Policy Wages Near Mandan

Mandan 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.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Political Scientists N/A ND statewide –
Management Analysts $90,590 Bismarck, ND $99,549
Economists N/A ND statewide –
Social and Community Service Managers $91,970 Bismarck, ND $101,066
Survey Researchers N/A ND statewide –
Compliance Officers $69,940 Bismarck, ND $76,857
General and Operations Managers $93,540 Bismarck, ND $102,791
Financial and Investment Analysts $71,520 Bismarck, ND $78,593

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.

Mandan at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 24,293 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $75,966 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 30.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 91.0 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Mandan-Area Cities With Public Policy Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying public policy roles near Mandan?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying public policy-related roles near Mandan are: General and Operations Managers ($93,540), Social and Community Service Managers ($91,970), Management Analysts ($90,590). 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 Bismarck instead of Mandan?

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

Is Mandan an affordable place to study public policy?

Mandan’s median household income of $75,966 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Mandan 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 Public Policy Programs

Other Programs Available in Mandan

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

Data verified: September 5, 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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