Back to Colleges
North Dakota State University-Main Campus
Fargo, ND 9,567 Undergrads 64.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$23,391
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,334
After Aid
Median Earnings
$62,203
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$16,334
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$62,203
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate64.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients19.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time91.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS85.8%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
95.8%
SAT Avg
1,120
SAT Reading
25th: -58975th: -
SAT Math
25th: -61675th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 192375th: 24
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$534k
+$138k
+$50k
Median Cost$16k/yr
+$475k
+$79k
-$9k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$450k
+$53k
-$35k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
38
∞
Median Cost$16k/yr
Never
-16%
Full Cost$23k/yr
Never
-41%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return25%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-42%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$67,821
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Agricultural Business and Management
BachCIP: 0101
Median Debt
$17,875
Earnings (5yr)
$70,611
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Agricultural Engineering
BachCIP: 1403
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$86,932
Lifetime Value Added
+$187k
Agricultural Mechanization
BachCIP: 0102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,309
Lifetime Value Added
+$85k
Agricultural Production Operations
BachCIP: 0103
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$72,312
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$68,652
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$21,439
Earnings (5yr)
$55,921
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Apparel and Textiles
BachCIP: 1909
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$54,262
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$26,875
Earnings (5yr)
$68,574
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,784
Earnings (5yr)
$49,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$61,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$1k
Business/Corporate Communications
BachCIP: 5205
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (5yr)
$55,166
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$81,230
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5110
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (5yr)
$68,601
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (2yr)
$72,828
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$88,466
Lifetime Value Added
+$199k
Construction Engineering
BachCIP: 1433
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$59,417
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Construction Management
BachCIP: 5220
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$93,771
Lifetime Value Added
+$238k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$21,125
Earnings (5yr)
$55,813
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,837
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services
BachCIP: 5131
Median Debt
$26,625
Earnings (5yr)
$56,261
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$228k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$21,050
Earnings (5yr)
$92,081
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$47,226
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$69,912
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$282k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,801
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$26,748
Earnings (5yr)
$45,134
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Homeland Security
BachCIP: 4303
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,675
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$22,775
Earnings (5yr)
$45,968
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Industrial Engineering
BachCIP: 1435
Median Debt
$25,625
Earnings (5yr)
$85,379
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,133
Lifetime Value Added
-$241k
Landscape Architecture
BachCIP: 0406
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$48,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$22,875
Earnings (5yr)
$92,403
Lifetime Value Added
+$228k
Manufacturing Engineering
BachCIP: 1436
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$67,660
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$67,720
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$83,767
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$26,097
Earnings (5yr)
$86,495
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
BachCIP: 2605
Median Debt
$24,520
Earnings (5yr)
$68,195
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$17,815
Earnings (5yr)
$52,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Natural Resources Management and Policy
BachCIP: 0302
Median Debt
$25,125
Earnings (5yr)
$60,668
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
BachCIP: 5120
Median Debt
$18,481
Earnings (5yr)
$128,964
Lifetime Value Added
+$500k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,342
Earnings (5yr)
$66,331
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,736
Earnings (5yr)
$50,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$21,968
Earnings (5yr)
$58,541
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$71,767
Lifetime Value Added
+$73k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$23,324
Earnings (5yr)
$48,327
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$24,791
Earnings (5yr)
$50,243
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 0183
Median Debt
$21,378
Earnings (5yr)
$35,933
Lifetime Value Added
-$216k
Zoology/Animal Biology
BachCIP: 2607
Median Debt
$23,808
Earnings (5yr)
$56,284
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,362
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
MastCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Architecture
MastCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$20,293
Earnings (5yr)
$68,652
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$88,342
Lifetime Value Added
+$309k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$18,865
Earnings (5yr)
$76,117
Lifetime Value Added
+$204k
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
MastCIP: 1905
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,151
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
MastCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Natural Resources Management and Policy
MastCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,721
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$24,880
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$38,791
Earnings (5yr)
$58,849
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Doctoral Degrees
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
DocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$46,124
Earnings (5yr)
$121,884
Lifetime Value Added
+$396k
Professional Degrees
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
ProfCIP: 5120
Median Debt
$79,304
Earnings (5yr)
$140,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$528k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.