Colleges › North Dakota › North Dakota State University-Main Campus
North Dakota State University-Main Campus
North Dakota State University-Main Campus admits nearly everyone — 95% of applicants. A feature, not a flaw: the page below asks whether North Dakota State University-Main Campus is worth attending, not whether you'll get in.
Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →
North Dakota State University-Main Campus sits in Fargo proper — a public campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it. It carries a land-grant charter — the 1862 mandate that ties it to agricultural and practical education.
Its highest-earning path is Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration, where graduates median $125,175 four years out. Faculty pay averages $127,488 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 9,471 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 78.4% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 19 and 24 on the ACT composite. Put your own practice estimate on North Dakota State University-Main Campus's range with the ACT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
North Dakota State University-Main Campus is test-optional — scores count when submitted, none required. North Dakota State University-Main Campus's submitters' middle half scored 19–24 on the ACT; read that as the stronger-tester end of the admitted class.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Composite | 19 | 22 | 24 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
In the Fall 2023 cycle, North Dakota State University-Main Campus received 7,331 applications and admitted 7,024 (95.8%), with 2,214 enrolling.
How North Dakota State University-Main Campus compares
| North Dakota State University-Main Campus | North Dakota median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 95% | 76.1% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $11,110 | $10,951 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $62,203 | $52,725 | $53,781 |
Ten years after enrolling, the median North Dakota State University-Main Campus student earns $62,203 — 18% above the North Dakota median of $52,725 for college-goers.
Cost, size & completion
As a public university, North Dakota State University-Main Campus prices by residency: $11,110 in-state versus $15,764 out-of-state — a $4,654 gap that makes state lines part of the decision.
North Dakota State University-Main Campus enrolls 9,471 undergraduates — mid-sized, with the trade-offs North Dakota State University-Main Campus's scale implies: more programs than a small college, more anonymity too.
63.9% graduate within six years. Roughly 36% don't — ask a North Dakota State University-Main Campus tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Top majors by earnings at North Dakota State University-Main Campus
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $125,175 |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | $95,019 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $94,510 |
| Computer Engineering | $92,878 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $87,702 |
| Computer Science | $87,562 |
| Agricultural Engineering | $84,529 |
| Industrial Engineering | $84,016 |
| Civil Engineering | $83,992 |
| Agricultural Production Operations | $83,779 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $80,522 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $77,589 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | $77,296 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | $76,527 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $74,888 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $73,935 |
| Marketing | $71,027 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $67,405 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | $65,292 |
| Architecture | $65,148 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $64,014 |
| Homeland Security | $62,649 |
| Agriculture, General | $62,285 |
| Business/Corporate Communications | $62,181 |
| Agricultural Mechanization | $58,690 |
| Biology, General | $58,662 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $58,252 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $57,663 |
| Apparel and Textiles | $56,197 |
| Sociology | $56,040 |
| Environmental Design | $55,647 |
| Psychology, General | $54,784 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $54,656 |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | $54,301 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $53,907 |
| Political Science and Government | $52,834 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | $52,570 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $52,339 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | $51,277 |
| Animal Sciences | $50,975 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | $50,701 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $50,052 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $48,986 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $46,117 |
| Music | $45,578 |
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | $44,457 |
| Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services | $42,973 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $40,460 |
Median earnings for these 48 North Dakota State University-Main Campus programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $62,203 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 34 additional North Dakota State University-Main Campus programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for North Dakota State University-Main Campus?
The middle 50% of North Dakota State University-Main Campus's submitters earned ACT composites of 19–24; no GPA cutoff is published.
What is North Dakota State University-Main Campus's acceptance rate?
95.8% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 7,024 admitted from 7,331 applicants.
How much does North Dakota State University-Main Campus cost?
In-state tuition is $11,110; out-of-state students pay $15,764. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do North Dakota State University-Main Campus graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $62,203 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in North Dakota
- University of Jamestown — 88.1% admitted
- Valley City State University — 99.1% admitted
- University of North Dakota — 76.9% admitted
- Minot State University — 64.6% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.