University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, ND
76.9%
Acceptance Rate
$10,951
Avg Cost (In-State)
$15,570
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
62%
Graduation Rate
9,981
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
August 1
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
0
Letters of Rec
0
Application Fee
$35
Interview
Not required
Essays: No essay required for admission
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$54,312
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$62,203
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
64%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $73,097 | $79,624 | 172 |
| Mechanical Engineering. | $73,603 | $89,704 | 115 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | $42,057 | $45,955 | 100 |
| Marketing. | $48,843 | $64,912 | 96 |
| Air Transportation. | $46,193 | $104,472 | 84 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | $34,963 | $56,065 | 80 |
| Social Work. | $49,695 | $56,001 | 78 |
| Psychology, General. | $33,487 | $55,333 | 76 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
North Dakota State University Presidential Scholarship
Up to full tuition
universityTop NDSU freshmen via competitive process.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗ND Career and Technical Education Scholarship
Up to $6,000 lifetime ($1,500 × 4 semesters)
stateND HS grads pursuing approved CTE programs at ND colleges with 3.0+ GPA.
Deadline: FAFSA + ND application
Learn more ↗University of North Dakota Presidential Scholarship
$2,500-$10,000/year
universityTop UND freshmen via automatic merit grid.
Deadline: December 15
Learn more ↗North Dakota Chafee Education and Training Voucher
Up to $5,000/year
stateND current/former foster youth ages 14-23; ND DHS Chafee administered.
Deadline: Rolling
Learn more ↗ND Academic and Career & Technical Scholarship
Up to $6,000 lifetime
stateND HS grads with rigorous curriculum + 24 ACT/1110 SAT + 3.0+ GPA attending ND colleges.
Deadline: Annual application
Learn more ↗FM Area Foundation Scholarship (Fargo-Moorhead)
$500-$10,000
localHS seniors from Fargo-Moorhead ND/MN via FM Area community foundation funds; multiple sub-awards.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗North Dakota CPA Society Educational Foundation Scholarship
$1,000-$2,500
stateNorth Dakota accounting students at ND colleges.
Deadline: April
Learn more ↗Federal Work-Study
Varies (hourly wages, typically $10–$20/hr)
federalStudents with financial need who want to earn money through part-time employment while enrolled.
Deadline: Varies by school (apply via FAFSA)
Learn more ↗Federal Pell Grant
Up to $7,395/year
federalUndergraduate students with demonstrated financial need (determined by FAFSA EFC).
Deadline: June 30 (FAFSA deadline for current award year)
Learn more ↗Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 76.9% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
76.9%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
22.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
28.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
49.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
11.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
43.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
80.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
60.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Not considered
Visits, info sessions and opening emails don't move the needle here.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
Indiana University-Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN
76.4% acceptance
Both admit around 76% of applicants, with 14k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, MS
77.6% acceptance
Both admit around 78% of applicants, with 18k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Eastern Kentucky University
Richmond, KY
77.6% acceptance
Both admit around 78% of applicants, with 12k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
Youngstown State University
Youngstown, OH
84.5% acceptance
Similar selectivity (85% vs 77%) but out-of-state cost runs $11k — meaningfully less than $16k.
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT
67.8% acceptance
Similar selectivity (68% vs 77%) but out-of-state cost runs $7k — meaningfully less than $16k.
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC
81.8% acceptance
Similar selectivity (82% vs 77%) but out-of-state cost runs $9k — meaningfully less than $16k.
Reaches above this college
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI
45.2% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (45% vs 77%) — a stretch target if University of North Dakota is already on your list.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL
42.4% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (42% vs 77%) — a stretch target if University of North Dakota is already on your list.
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
17.7% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (18% vs 77%) — a stretch target if University of North Dakota is already on your list.
Safer alternatives
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale, IL
86.9% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (87% vs 77%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE
87.5% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (88% vs 77%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Illinois State University
Normal, IL
88.2% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (88% vs 77%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
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