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2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in North Dakota

8 Colleges
$42,800 Avg Salary
$19,208 Avg Student Debt

It's not easy to decide which school to attend when you have so many options available. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our Best Associate Degree Colleges in North Dakota ranking is part of that endeavor.

What's on This Page: * Our Methodology

Choosing the Best School for You

After analyzing 8 schools in North Dakota, we came up with our list of those that offered the best associate degree programs. Our ranking methodology focuses on different objective factors to make this determination of the best schools. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.

Average Early-Career Salaries

To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving an associate degree from the school. That is, everyone wants their degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.

Student Loan Borrowing

Students may also take on a lot of debt while working on their associate so we factor that into our rankings as well. During their time at college, associate degree seekers from schools in North Dakota take out an average of $19,208. We consider this number in conjunction with average post-graduation earnings to gauge the difficulty associate recipients will have paying back their loans.

Additional Ranking Factors We Use

In addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt loads, we also look at a host of other factors to determining our Best Associate Degree Schools ranking. These factors include things like the educational resources, the demand associated with the school, whether or not the school offers online classes, and the student body caliber - just to name a few.

Find out more about our best schools ranking methodology

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Are you more interested in the top associate degree schools in your area? Try narrowing this list by location. Also, check out our other college rankings to help you with your college decision.

Top Associate Degree Schools in North Dakota

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

1
BSC crest
Bismarck State College
Bismarck, North Dakota
792 Associate Degrees Awarded
$52,912 Average Early-Career Earnings
$13,549 Average Student Debt

Our 2024 rankings named Bismarck State College the best school in North Dakota in terms of overall quality for students working on their associate degree. Bismarck, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 792 students in 2020-2021.

Graduates with a associate degree from BSC make an average of $52,912 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $13,549 after getting their degree.

Learn More About Bismarck State College

2
460 Associate Degrees Awarded
$41,257 Average Early-Career Earnings
$15,415 Average Student Debt

The excellent associate degree programs at North Dakota State College of Science helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in North Dakota. North Dakota State College of Science is a small public school located in Wahpeton, North Dakota that handed out 460 associate degrees in 2020-2021.

Graduates with a associate degree from North Dakota State College of Science make an average of $41,257 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $15,415.

Full North Dakota State College of Science Report

3
189 Associate Degrees Awarded
$39,207 Average Early-Career Earnings
$25,834 Average Student Debt

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Rasmussen University - North Dakota. The school came in at #3 in North Dakota on this year’s best associate degree schools ranking. Located in Fargo, North Dakota, the small private for-profit school handed out 189 associate degrees in 2020-2021.

Those who receive a associate degree from Rasmussen University - North Dakota go into careers with an average salary of $39,207 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $25,834 after getting their degree. Average monthly loan payments are around $175 for a 10-year repayment plan.

Read full report on Rasmussen University - North Dakota

4
MSU-Bottineau crest
Dakota College at Bottineau
Bottineau, North Dakota
120 Associate Degrees Awarded
$45,945 Average Early-Career Earnings
$19,813 Average Student Debt

Out of the 8 associate degree schools in North Dakota that were part of this year’s ranking, Dakota College at Bottineau landed the #4 spot on the list. Dakota College at Bottineau is a small public school located in Bottineau, North Dakota that handed out 120 associate degrees in 2020-2021.

Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $45,945 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $19,813.

Learn More About Dakota College at Bottineau

5
DSU crest
Dickinson State University
Dickinson, North Dakota
53 Associate Degrees Awarded
$20,000 Average Student Debt

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Dickinson State University. The school came in at #5 in North Dakota on this year’s best associate degree schools ranking. DSU is a public institution located in Dickinson, North Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 53 associate degrees in 2020-2021.

The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $20,000.

Learn More About Dickinson State University

6
Williston State College crest
Williston State College
Williston, North Dakota
241 Associate Degrees Awarded
$25,122 Average Early-Career Earnings
$13,375 Average Student Debt

Williston State College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in North Dakota ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Williston, North Dakota, the small public school awarded 241 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.

During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Williston State College make an average of $25,122 a year. Associate students leave the school with an average of $13,375 in student loans.

Full Williston State College Report

7
Lake Region State College crest
Lake Region State College
Devils Lake, North Dakota
214 Associate Degrees Awarded
$38,427 Average Early-Career Earnings
$16,957 Average Student Debt

Lake Region State College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in North Dakota ranking, coming in at #7. Devils Lake, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 214 students in 2020-2021.

Graduates with a associate degree from Lake Region State College make an average of $38,427 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $16,957 in student loans.

Learn More About Lake Region State College

8
Mayville State University crest
Mayville State University
Mayville, North Dakota
9 Associate Degrees Awarded

Mayville State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in North Dakota ranking. Mayville State University is a public institution located in Mayville, North Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 associate degrees in 2020-2021.

Learn More About Mayville State University

Best Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region

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Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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