Best Online Community Colleges in North Dakota
Online community colleges in North Dakota offer key benefits such as reduced costs, flexible scheduling, and the ability to balance work, life, and study. Each school is accredited and offers support services such as academic advising, library resources, and career services that are often accessible online to enhance the student experience.
Key Takeaways
- Bismarck State College boasts graduate earnings of $68,299, giving it an A grade in our Salary Scores metric.
- All colleges recognized for affordability maintain tuition costs below $6,466, ensuring financial accessibility.
Our methodology for organizing the best colleges by state is meant to accommodate the diverse needs of prospective students. We classify schools into three distinct categories (Best by Salary Score, Best by Affordability, and an Honorable Mention) rather than providing a traditional numerical ranking system.
Best by Salary Score
We evaluate online schools by alumni salaries to help prospective students determine the best financial investment. Each school gets a Salary Score letter grade based on top-earning graduates. The high-earning online community college in North Dakota we chose has median graduate earnings of $68,299.
Bismarck State College
Why We Like Them:
BSC has high median earnings for alumni at $68,299, situating them among the top 6% of community colleges. This suggests a high return on investment for students who choose to pursue their education here. Comparing this metric with another significant performance indicator, BSC also boasts a substantial online student enrollment of 1,294 individuals. This places the college in the top 31% of institutions for online enrollment. BSC offers online associate and bachelor's degrees across various fields. Standout programs include an online Bachelor of Applied Science in Cybersecurity and Information Technology.
Best by Affordability
The OnlineU staff manually researches and verifies tuition costs and online degrees on official school websites. Highly affordable schools in North Dakota have tuition costs below $7,000.
Williston State College
Why We Like Them:
WSC secures its position as the most affordable community college in North Dakota with a tuition fee of $4,276, placing it among the top 12% of the most economical institutions nationwide. WSC also excels in offering support to its students, as evidenced by 93% of the student body receiving financial aid. This commitment to reducing financial barriers helps ensure that education is accessible. With Blackboard as its learning management system, WSC ensures an engaging online education experience. The online programs include associate degrees in arts, science, accounting, and business management.
Dakota College at Bottineau
Why We Like Them:
DCB earns its position on our list thanks to its affordable tuition of $6,298, placing it among the top 25% of the most cost-effective community colleges across the country. Another benefit is the student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1, placing the school in the top 17%, and ensuring personalized attention for distance learners. If you are interested in pursuing online education, DCB offers over 100 online classes across a plethora of programs, including accounting technology, medical coding, and an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts.
Lake Region State College
Why We Like Them:
LRSC is a highly affordable college in North Dakota with a tuition rate of $6,466. Coupled with the fact that 99% of students receive financial aid, LRSC clearly emphasizes affordability and accessibility in higher education. Additionally, while many institutions have adopted online learning models, LRSC鈥檚 online campus offers distance learning courses in semester or 8-week formats that are delivered asynchronously, giving you the flexibility to complete your studies while keeping a part-time job. Online programs include associate degrees in business administration, early childhood education, and marketing.
Honorable Mention
Many community colleges don't fit neatly into a single category. Our Honorable Mention section highlights schools that have unique attributes worth considering. For example, our Honorable Mention category showcases an online community college in North Dakota with a low 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
North Dakota State College of Science
Why We Like Them:
NDSCS offers strong educational support and accessibility. Of note is its student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1, placing NDSCS among the top 17% of nationwide schools for this metric, ensuring you receive personalized attention and support from faculty. Additionally, with 100% of students receiving financial aid, NDSCS demonstrates a commitment to making education accessible, putting in the top 18% for this category. NDSCS offers a wide array of online programs across various fields, including health information, business management, and information and communications technology.