Best Nursing Schools in North Dakota for 2023

Nursing Degrees & Schools / Best Schools North Dakota

If all you know about North Dakota is that the winters are cold, you have a lot to learn. Though it’s true that the temperatures can drop below zero — and stay there — through much of the winter, the state enjoys all four seasons, and during the warmer months North Dakota grows more sunflowers and produces more honey than any other state. Nature lovers will thrive in the state’s wide-open spaces and national parks and marvel at the abundance of wildlife, including bison and moose. 

U.S. News & World Report places North Dakota #14 in its overall ranking of best states, noting it as #4 for infrastructure and #8 for its natural environment. Though known for farming, oil production has brought jobs and investment to the state, and the economy is growing. 

While nurses in North Dakota earn salaries that are marginally below the national average, the same is true for the cost of living, and nurses who pursue advanced degrees at one of North Dakota’s best nursing schools can earn substantially more.

North Dakota’s top nursing programs:

1. North Dakota State University
2. University of Mary
3. University of North Dakota
4. Minot State University
5. Mayville State University

1. North Dakota State University – Score 72

NCLEX Pass Rate – 93.53%

Annual In-State Tuition: $11,090

Annual Out-of-State Tuition: $16,634

North Dakota State University offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing that is broken down into two phases: a one-year pre-professional program that teaches prerequisite courses and three years of professional nursing courses. The school also offers LPNs the opportunity to expand their career through the following: a six-semester program primarily made up of online courses, an online RN-to-BSN course, and a DNP program leading to a career as a Family Nurse Practitioner. 

North Dakota State University’s DNP graduates have a 100% first time passing rate on the FNP certification exam and the school has a 59% graduation rate.

CCNE-accredited programs offered:

• LPN-BSN
• BSN
• RN-BSN (Online)
• DNP

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2. University of Mary – Score 64

NCLEX Pass Rate – 71.00%

Annual Tuition: $18,710        

The University of Mary offers multiple degree pathways to a nursing career, ranging from hybrid and online BSN programs for licensed practical nurses or registered nurses, to a variety of MSN degrees and DNP degrees. Individuals with a bachelor’s degree who are interested in a career in nursing have access to an in-person accelerated second-degree track that can be completed in 13 months. 

MSN programs include ADN-to-MSN and BSN-to-MSN programs in Leadership and management, an MSN/MBA healthcare administration dual degree, a nurse educator program, and a healthcare informatics program. DNP candidates can choose from a largely online Family Nurse Practitioner track or an online organizational leadership track. 

The University of Mary has a 56% graduation rate, which they encourage by offering all students enrolled in their nursing program on their main Bismarck campus up to $15,000 in scholarships, which is equivalent to a free year. The school has been ranked top in the country by Mountain Measurement, which produces NCLEX program reports to the nursing education community. 

CCNE-accredited programs offered:

• Accelerated BSN Program
• LPN-BSN (Hybrid)
• RN-BSN (Online)
• MSN (Online)
• DNP (Online)

3. University of North Dakota – Score 56

NCLEX Pass Rate – 86.61%

Annual In-State Tuition: $10,808       

Annual Out-of-State Tuition: $16,212

The University of North Dakota’s well-established nursing program has a 110-year history. Its first-time pass rate for the NCLEX is consistently above the national average, and the same is true for its certification pass rates. The school is proud that 79% of North Dakota’s registered nurses who are American Indian are also alumni of their programs. 

Degrees offered include an on-campus Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, an online RN-to-BSN program, online MSN tracks including Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, as well as a Nurse Educator program, a Nurse Anesthesia DNP program, and an online DNP program. The school has a 50% graduation rate.

CCNE-accredited program offered:

• BSN
• RN-BSN (Online)
• MSN (Online)
• Nurse Educator
• Nurse Anesthesia (DNP)
• DNP

4. Minot State University – Score 56

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NCLEX Pass Rate – 95.83%

Annual Tuition: $8,508          

Minot State University’s accredited nursing program offers a traditional four-year nursing degree on campus, as well as an online RN-to-BSN program for registered nurses who would like to earn their BSN degree. The online program is offered in a flexible format to match each student’s needs and can be completed on a part-time or full-time track. The in-person BSN offers clinical simulation at the school’s Nursing Clinical Simulation Center, as well as public health nursing experiences. 

The school has a 43% graduation rate and advertises itself as the most affordable university in the United States for out-of-state students. Noting that 47% of its students graduate with no student loan debt, Minot State offers dozens of nursing scholarships and an innovative automatic 4-year academic award to qualified incoming freshman that guarantees qualified student renewable financial aid based on their unweighted high school GPA and ACT or SAT scores.

CCNE-accredited programs offered:

• BSN
• RN-to-BSN (Online)

 5. Mayville State University – Score 52

NCLEX Pass Rate – 0%

Annual In-State Tuition: $7,623

Annual Out-of-State Tuition: $10,756

Mayville State University offers a fully online RN-to-BSN program for nurses who earned their Associate Degree in Nursing and who wish to pursue their baccalaureate degree. The program is offered both full time for completion within a calendar year and part time to be completed in 24 months. 

The school also offers online MSN programs in two tracks: Nurse Educator and Nursing Leadership and Management. Graduate certificate programs are also offered. Mayville State University has a 41% graduation rate.

CCNE-accredited programs offered:

• RN-BSN program (Online)
• MSN program (Online)

How to choose the right nursing program

Picking the right college is a different process for everybody. You may be pursuing a particular degree that is only available through in person classes, or you may be restricted by your work or family obligations to programs offered online. You may have cost considerations that drive your decision, or you may have the freedom to choose whatever school you find most appealing. Whatever your situation, start by making a list of your needs and priorities and then see which programs match. Other considerations to be taken into account include each school’s reputation, class sizes and faculty-to-student ratio, and the sites where clinical practice is offered.

Location

Once you’ve decided to study nursing in North Dakota, the location of each school will play a large role in your decision. The state is vast, but only has eight state board-approved baccalaureate degree programs: two  are located in Fargo, two in Bismarck, and the others spread across the state. 

If you’re planning on attending a traditional four-year program and living on campus then you can choose the setting that is most appealing to you, but if you are working and need to commute to campus, you will need to choose the campus that is most geographically available or consider a school that offers programs online.

Tuition

Pursuing a nursing degree is an investment in your future, but the funds needed can be hard to come by, especially as college and graduate school costs continue to rise. It’s important that you take the costs of each nursing program into consideration while also investigating the financial aid that may be available to you. There are numerous nursing scholarships offered directly through nursing schools, as well as available through local hospitals and online. You may also be eligible for federal, state, or local financial aid, as well as for student loans. 

NCLEX pass rate

Nursing program graduates have an additional step they need to take between graduation and starting their career: They need to pass the National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX, before they can get their state license. The percentage of their graduates that pass the exam on the first try is often a reflection of the quality of preparation that the schools provide. An NCLEX pass rate that exceeds the national average is an indication of a well-rounded, rigorous curriculum.

Programs offered

Perhaps the most important element to look for when choosing a nursing program is the availability of the particular track that you are looking for. Each nursing school in the state of North Dakota offers its own particular programs, so make sure that the education that you’re seeking is available.

Graduation rate 

Graduation rate is a statistic that indicates the percentage of students that graduate after four years of  study. Though this may be a reflection of student satisfaction with the education that they are receiving, in most cases it is an indication of complexities in the lives of the students who discontinue their education.

Next steps

Deciding to pursue nursing school is a big, life-changing decision. Whether you’re about to graduate high school and have always wanted to be a nurse or you’ve been in the field and you’re ready to take the next step on your career path, you’re laying the groundwork for your future. 

The application process may feel overwhelming, but if you take an organized approach to gathering the required documentation and submitting everything by each school’s deadline, you’ll quickly find yourself feeling in control. Don’t forget about asking mentors or professors for recommendations and filling out the necessary scholarship and financial aid forms. The sooner you get everything together and to the decision makers, the more quickly you’ll have your answer back and be ready to start on your educational journey — and before you know it you’ll have completed your program!

Once that happens it will be time to identify the perfect position to fit your newly acquired credentials. Incredible Health is here to help you with all the details, from making sure you comply with North Dakota’s licensing and continuing education requirements to getting you the answers you need about working in this beautiful state.

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Methodology

In order to determine the best nursing schools in a state, Incredible Health compared the top schools among five categories: graduation rate, tuition, NCLEX pass rate, accreditation, and the number of nursing programs offered.

Each metric was scored on a 100-point scale with 100 representing the highest total for that category. Then we compiled the individual scores to get an overall score.

We used data from: 

• North Dakota State University
• University of Mary
• University of North Dakota
• Minot State University
• Mayville State University
• North Dakota Board of Nursing
• Mountain Measurement
• U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard
• American Association of Colleges of Nursing
• Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
• U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings