Best Software Development Schools Near West Fargo, ND (2026)

West Fargo, North Dakota has 8 accredited schools offering software development programs, with tuition ranging from $5,908 to $24,990 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 software development-related role is Software Developer at a median $105,980 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Software Development Schools to West Fargo

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer software development 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.

#1

North Dakota State College of Science

Wahpeton, ND 43.6 miles from West Fargo BOC Score 72.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,513
Avg net price $11,261/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Minot State University

Minot, ND 226.2 miles from West Fargo BOC Score 51.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Dickinson State University

Dickinson, ND 278.3 miles from West Fargo BOC Score 45.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,720
Avg net price $14,092/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Software Development 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.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developer$105,980Fargo, ND-MN$116,590
Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester$85,670Fargo, ND-MN$94,246
Computer Programmer$92,280Fargo, ND-MN$101,518
Computer Systems Analyst$99,800Fargo, ND-MN$109,791

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

MetricValueSource
Population39,325Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$96,877Census 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 Software Development Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited software development schools are near West Fargo, ND?

Our directory has 8 accredited schools offering software development programs near West Fargo. The closest is Rasmussen University-North Dakota in Fargo, ND (2.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Jamestown (84.8 miles). 8 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying software development roles near West Fargo?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying software development-related roles near West Fargo are: Software Developer ($105,980), Computer Systems Analyst ($99,800), Computer Programmer ($92,280). 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 software development 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 software development?

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 Software Development Programs

Other Programs Available in West Fargo

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

Data verified: August 11, 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.