Most North Dakotans train for a trade at a public college: Bismarck State College, North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton and Fargo, Lake Region State in Devils Lake, Williston State and Dakota College at Bottineau, plus tribal colleges such as United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck. Electricians usually learn on the job through paid apprenticeships. This page sorts the 10 North Dakota schools we profile and the state’s public two-year and tribal colleges by region, from Fargo and Grand Forks to Bismarck, Minot and Williston.
North Dakota at a glance
- Schools on this page
- 10 profiled schools, including 3 public two-year colleges, plus 7 more public two-year and tribal colleges listed by region
- City guide
- Fargo (NDSCS, M State Moorhead and 5 more)
- Short programs
- 12- and 16-week welding certificates (Fargo, Bismarck); a 16-week EMT certificate (Bismarck); CNA and Class A CDL classes for adults (Grafton); a one-semester peace officer academy (Devils Lake, Grand Forks, West Fargo)
- Paid apprenticeships
- Two electrical apprenticeships train across the state: Dakotas Electrical (5 North Dakota sites, no tuition) and IEC Dakotas (Fargo, Grand Forks and online)
- Licensed trades
- Electricians need 8,000 hours of experience and a state exam; plumbers 4 years as apprentices; cosmetologists at least 1,500 hours of school. HVAC technicians and welders have no state license.
- Statewide median pay
- Electricians $65,710; HVAC mechanics $74,490; welders $62,000; diesel technicians $66,110; line workers $105,870 (BLS 2025)
Facts checked October 2026 from our school profiles, the colleges’ own sites and the North Dakota Century Code and Administrative Code.
North Dakota Trade Schools by Region
Pick a region. Our Fargo city guide compares every school there in detail; schools elsewhere in the state are listed here in full. Public and tribal colleges without a profile on this site link to their own websites.
Fargo and southeast North Dakota
Fargo and Moorhead have the region’s widest choice: NDSCS’s nursing, EMS and aircraft maintenance programs, M State Moorhead’s electrical, HVAC, plumbing and diesel programs across the river, Lynnes Welding Training, Rasmussen’s BSN and the headquarters of both electrical apprenticeships. NDSCS’s main campus in Wahpeton teaches most of North Dakota’s building and mechanical trades, and Valley City State offers online business and computing degrees.
The 7 schools on the Fargo page
- North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) · public college
- Dakotas Electrical Apprenticeship · union electrical apprenticeship
- IEC Dakotas · electrical apprenticeship
- TJP Electrical Training · electrician exam prep
- Lynnes Welding Training · welding school
- Rasmussen University · BSN nursing campus
- M State Moorhead · public technical college, Minnesota
North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS)
NDSCS lists 140 awards in its 2026-27 catalog, from diesel (with Case IH, John Deere, Caterpillar and Komatsu tracks), electrical, HVAC/R, plumbing, welding and machining in Wahpeton to practical and registered nursing, dental hygiene and FAA-certified aviation maintenance. Its plumbing certificate can count for up to 2,040 hours toward the North Dakota journeyman exam. Business and IT programs are also online.
- Length
- Certificates of about a year; 2-year AAS degrees; Practical Nursing 3 semesters
- Accredited
- Higher Learning Commission
- Federal aid
- Yes, except some short programs such as Nursing Assistant
Cost: $196.31 (Fargo), $211.51 (Wahpeton) or $227.03 (online) a credit for North Dakota residents, tuition and mandatory fees, 2026-27
View school profile →Valley City State University
Valley City State is a university, not a trade school: it awards bachelor’s degrees, associate concentrations and certificates in business, computing and teacher education, with more than 20 programs online. Its BAS in Management is built for people who already hold trade or health training (36 transferable technical credits), so it can turn a two-year technical degree into a bachelor’s.
- Length
- Bachelor’s degrees about 4 years; certificates 12 to 30 credits
- Accredited
- Higher Learning Commission
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: $7,402 a year for North Dakota residents (30 credits) plus a $2,093 university and technology fee, 2026-27
View school profile →Public colleges here: North Dakota State College of Science (Wahpeton and Fargo), M State Moorhead (Minnesota).
Grand Forks and northeast North Dakota
Lake Region State College teaches nursing and peace officer training in Devils Lake and Grand Forks, plus wind energy and automotive technology in Devils Lake. In Grafton, North Valley Career and Technology Center runs CNA, Class A CDL and introductory welding classes for adults. Both electrical apprenticeships hold classes in Grand Forks.
Lake Region State College
Lake Region teaches practical and registered nursing (in Devils Lake, Grand Forks, Mayville and Jamestown), peace officer training (academies in Devils Lake, Grand Forks and West Fargo), wind energy, automotive technology and IT. Its 2024-25 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate fell to 76-78%, against a state average of 92.38%; its practical nurses passed at 97%. About 48% of its credits are taken online.
- Length
- 1 semester (peace officer) to 2-year AAS degrees; practical nursing 11 months
- Accredited
- Higher Learning Commission
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: $195.19 a credit for every residency except non-Canadian international students, $238.65 with fees, capped at $6,030.96 a year (2026-27)
View school profile →North Valley Career and Technology Center
North Valley mostly teaches high-school electives for its member districts, but adults can take a state-listed CNA class (51 classroom and 24 clinical hours), Class A CDL training, an introductory welding class, a paraprofessional class and GED classes in Grafton. Adult prices and dates are not published; Job Service North Dakota or workforce funding may pay.
- Length
- CNA 75 hours; other adult classes not published
- Accredited
- None (programs approved by ND Career and Technical Education)
- Federal aid
- No
Cost: Adult prices not published; call 701-352-3705
View school profile →Public and tribal colleges here: Lake Region State College (Devils Lake and Grand Forks), Turtle Mountain Community College (Belcourt), Cankdeska Cikana Community College (Fort Totten).
Bismarck-Mandan and southwest North Dakota
Bismarck State College is the state’s polytechnic, with lineworker, electrician, HVAC, welding, automotive, nursing and energy programs. United Tribes Technical College in south Bismarck teaches automotive, welding, heavy equipment and truck driving, and Lynnes Welding Training runs a Bismarck campus with evening classes.
Bismarck State College
BSC is North Dakota’s only polytechnic, strong in energy through its National Energy Center of Excellence. It teaches lineworker training (60 seats, June start, in Mandan), electrician technician, HVAC, welding, carpentry, automotive and collision, practical and registered nursing, surgical technology, sonography and paramedic. All 24 of its first-time NCLEX-PN takers passed in 2024-25. Most trade programs start once a year, in fall.
- Length
- EMT 16 weeks; many certificates about a year; associate degrees 2 years
- Accredited
- Higher Learning Commission
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: $195.09 a credit (general courses) or $239.43 (technical courses) for in-state students, plus about $69.81 a credit in fees, 2026-27
View school profile →United Tribes Technical College
United Tribes is a tribal college in south Bismarck with hands-on career programs: ASE-accredited automotive technology (diploma or AAS, accreditation continued to 2030), welding technology, heavy equipment operations and commercial vehicle operations (truck driving), alongside degrees in criminal justice, education and other fields.
- Length
- One-year certificates to 2-year degrees
- Accredited
- Higher Learning Commission
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: $150 a credit or $1,800 a full-time semester for career programs, plus up to $516 a semester in course fees; welding gear and test fees $1,000, automotive tools $2,600 (current published rates, UTTC tuition)
Visit the college’s site →Lynnes Welding Training
Lynnes’ Bismarck branch teaches the same ACCSC-accredited Combination Welder I (12 weeks) and II (16 weeks) as Fargo, with evening Combination Welder II sections that meet 4 to 10 pm. Federal aid in Bismarck means Direct Loans only; Pell Grants are offered only at Fargo. For Bismarck Combination Welder I classes that started in 2021-22, the school reports 94% graduating and 96% employed in welding.
- Length
- 12 or 16 weeks (Combination Welder); 1 to 5 weeks (Skills courses)
- Accredited
- ACCSC (Combination Welder programs only)
- Federal aid
- Direct Loans at both campuses; Pell Grants only at Fargo, for Combination Welder II
Cost: $15,100 (Combination Welder I) or $17,900 (Combination Welder II), the same at every campus, 2026-27
View school profile →Other public and tribal colleges here: Sitting Bull College (Fort Yates).
TJP Electrical Training also holds its electrician exam-prep and continuing-education classes in Bismarck; see the Fargo page.
Minot, Williston and northwest North Dakota
In oil country, Williston State College teaches diesel, welding, petroleum technology and industrial controls. Dakota College at Bottineau teaches nursing, dental, medical assisting, sonography and paramedic programs at several Minot sites. Dakotas Electrical Apprenticeship has training sites in Minot and Williston, and Bismarck State runs oilfield and nursing classes at the Bakken Area Skills Center in Watford City.
Williston State College
In the heart of the Bakken oil region, Williston State teaches diesel technology, welding technology, petroleum technology and automation, electronics and industrial controls, nursing, massage therapy, agriculture, IT and cybersecurity, among its 13 career and technical programs.
- Length
- Certificates and 2-year AAS degrees
- Accredited
- Higher Learning Commission
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: $154.96 a credit (general courses) or $225.48 (welding, diesel, nursing and other career courses) for North Dakota residents, plus $60.58 a credit in fees, 2026-27 (2026-27 rate sheet)
Visit the college’s site →Dakota College at Bottineau
Dakota College teaches in Bottineau and at several Minot sites: practical and associate degree nursing (at Trinity Health in Minot, through the Dakota Nursing Program), dental assisting and dental hygiene, medical assisting, diagnostic medical sonography, paramedic technology and IT, plus agriculture, business and technical studies. Its nursing programs also run in Valley City.
- Length
- Certificates and 2-year AAS degrees
- Accredited
- Higher Learning Commission
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: $5,698.08 a year for 12 to 18 credits on campus for North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Montana and Canadian residents, 2026-27 (cost of attendance)
Visit the college’s site →Public and tribal colleges here: Williston State College, Dakota College at Bottineau (also in Minot), Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College (New Town).
We have not yet profiled North Dakota’s private beauty, massage and truck-driving schools or its other union apprenticeships (plumbing, pipefitting, carpentry and line work). Before you enroll at a private school, check that the North Dakota Department of Career and Technical Education lists it as an authorized private career school.
Electrical apprenticeships across North Dakota
Most North Dakota electricians learn on the job. In an apprenticeship you work full time for an electrical contractor, earn a wage and take classes in the evenings or in blocks, and the hours count toward the state journeyman license. Both programs below are approved by the North Dakota State Electrical Board.
Dakotas Electrical Apprenticeship
This is a paid job, not a school: selected applicants are placed with one of more than 75 union contractors, earn a wage that rises every six months, and attend classes at their nearest training site. The Inside Wireman apprenticeship is 8,000 on-the-job hours plus at least 720 classroom hours and leads to the North Dakota journeyman electrician exam. Applications are open all year; most applicants take an aptitude test and an online interview.
- Length
- 4 to 5 years (the program’s pages differ)
- Accredited
- Registered apprenticeship (U.S. Department of Labor)
- Federal aid
- No; classes are free and apprentices are paid
Cost: No tuition; apprentices pay a yearly access fee, books, courseware, tools and a laptop (amounts not published)
View school profile →IEC Dakotas
IEC Dakotas runs a four-year electrical apprenticeship for people already working full time for an electrical contractor: one evening class a week, in person or online, approved as related training by the North Dakota State Electrical Board. You apply through your employer. The 2026-27 intake is closed, and applications for 2027-28 open in March.
- Length
- 4 years, 8 semesters of weekly evening classes
- Accredited
- No accreditor applies; approved by the ND State Electrical Board
- Federal aid
- No
Cost: $1,835 a year (apprentices of member contractors) or $2,295 (non-members), books and tutoring included
View school profile →How much trade school costs in North Dakota
These are prices the schools on this page published, with the date. Public colleges charge by the credit (full-time years are about $5,700 to $7,500 in tuition and fees); private schools charge one price per program; apprentices are paid.
| Route | Example | Cost | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public two-year colleges | Bismarck State; Lake Region State; NDSCS; Williston State | $195.09 to $239.43 a credit plus fees (BSC); $238.65 with fees (LRSC); $196.31 to $227.03 with fees (NDSCS); $215.54 to $286.06 with fees (WSC), North Dakota residents | 2026-27 |
| Flat yearly rate | Dakota College at Bottineau | $5,698.08 a year for 12 to 18 credits on campus (ND, SD, MN, MT and Canadian residents) | 2026-27 |
| Tribal college | United Tribes Technical College | $150 a credit or $1,800 a full-time semester for career programs, plus course fees | Current published rate |
| Welding school | Lynnes (Fargo, Bismarck) | $15,100 (12 weeks) or $17,900 (16 weeks), including shop fee and materials | 2026-27 |
| Electrical apprenticeships | Dakotas Electrical; IEC Dakotas | No tuition, but fees, books and tools; or $1,835 to $2,295 a year, and apprentices are paid | Current published rates |
| University | Valley City State | $7,402 a year for North Dakota residents, plus a $2,093 fee | 2026-27 |
North Valley CTC publishes no adult prices. Ask any school for the total in writing before you sign. Williston State, Dakota College and United Tribes prices are from the colleges’ own pages; the others are from our school profiles.
Paying for training
- Federal aid: every public college and 6 of the 10 schools on this page take federal aid through the FAFSA (Lynnes offers loans, and Pell Grants only for Combination Welder II in Fargo). North Valley CTC and TJP do not, and apprentices are paid instead.
- North Dakota Scholarship: students certified by the state as eligible from high school get $750 a semester while enrolled full time at an accredited North Dakota college, $500 a term at an accredited private career school or in a registered apprenticeship, up to $6,000, while keeping a 2.75 GPA.
- Neighbor-state rates: Bismarck State charges its in-state rate to residents of 10 nearby states, Manitoba and Saskatchewan; Lake Region State charges every U.S. and Canadian student the same tuition; Minnesota residents get reciprocity rates at NDSCS and other North Dakota public colleges.
- Workforce funding: Job Service North Dakota can pay for some short training, such as North Valley’s CNA and CDL classes; Lynnes also lists WIOA funding, the Bank of North Dakota DEAL One loan and the GI Bill.
Trade pathways and licensing
How each trade works in North Dakota, where to train, what it pays and which license you need. Pay is the North Dakota median annual wage for all experience levels (BLS 2025, via O*NET OnLine); the Fargo guide shows Fargo pay.
Electrical and line work
North Dakota licenses electricians. The North Dakota State Electrical Board issues a journeyman license after 8,000 hours of electrical work over at least three years, plus a board-approved apprenticeship or a two-year course at an approved college, and an exam. Apprentices register with the board within six months of starting. A master license needs one more year as a licensed journeyman, and a Class B license for farm and residential wiring needs 18 months of experience.
- Length
- 4 to 5 years (apprenticeships); 2-year college programs count toward the experience
- License
- Journeyman after 8,000 hours over at least 3 years; master after 1 more year
Where to train:
- Apprenticeships: Dakotas Electrical Apprenticeship (union; Fargo, Grand Forks, Bismarck, Minot, Williston) and IEC Dakotas (Fargo, Grand Forks and online).
- College: Bismarck State (Electrician Technician AAS; Lineworker, 60 seats starting each June in Mandan), NDSCS (Electrical Technology in Wahpeton) and Williston State (electronics and industrial controls).
- Exam prep for people who already qualify: TJP Electrical Training (Fargo and Bismarck).
A school certificate is not a license. Register with the State Electrical Board within six months of starting work as an apprentice. Sources: N.D.C.C. 43-09-11 (electricians); N.D.A.C. 62-02-01-01 (plumbers); N.D.C.C. 43-11-16 (beauty school hours); N.D.C.C. 43-07-02 (contractor license); our school profiles.
Welding, HVAC, plumbing and construction
Plumbers are licensed by the State Plumbing Board. Apprentices register within 30 days of starting and need four years of experience under a licensed master plumber before the journeyman exam; the board may credit school hours, such as up to 2,040 hours for NDSCS’s plumbing certificate. North Dakota has no state license for HVAC technicians or welders: HVAC work needs EPA 608 certification to handle refrigerants, welders test to AWS codes for employers, and any contractor taking jobs over $4,000 needs a state contractor license. Check whether your city also licenses mechanical contractors.
- Length
- 12 or 16 weeks (Lynnes welding) to 1-year certificates and 2-year degrees; 4 years as an apprentice for a plumbing license
- North Dakota median pay
- $62,000 welders; $74,490 HVAC mechanics; $63,560 plumbers and pipefitters; $57,890 carpenters
- License
- Journeyman plumber; EPA 608 for HVAC; none for welders
Where to train:
- Welding: Lynnes Welding Training (Fargo, Bismarck), Bismarck State (1-year certificate), NDSCS, Williston State, United Tribes Technical College and an introductory adult class at North Valley CTC.
- HVAC and plumbing: NDSCS (HVAC/R, plumbing and mechanical systems in Wahpeton), Bismarck State (HVAC) and M State Moorhead (HVAC/R and plumbing).
- Carpentry and construction: Bismarck State (9-month carpentry certificate) and NDSCS (building construction and construction management).
Only Lynnes’ two Combination Welder programs are accredited; its shorter Skills courses are not. Most Bismarck State trade programs start once a year, in fall. Sources: N.D.C.C. 43-09-11 (electricians); N.D.A.C. 62-02-01-01 (plumbers); N.D.C.C. 43-11-16 (beauty school hours); N.D.C.C. 43-07-02 (contractor license); our school profiles.
Diesel, automotive, aviation and truck driving
North Dakota has no license for auto or diesel technicians; ASE certification is the usual credential. Truck drivers need a commercial driver’s license from the North Dakota Department of Transportation after federal entry-level driver training. Aircraft mechanics need an FAA mechanic certificate.
- Length
- 1-year certificates to 2-year degrees; Class A CDL courses are short
Where to train:
- Diesel: NDSCS (Case IH, John Deere, Caterpillar and Komatsu tracks), Williston State and Bismarck State (online with an employer co-op, after an automotive program).
- Automotive: NDSCS, Bismarck State (including collision), Lake Region State and United Tribes Technical College (ASE accredited).
- Aircraft maintenance: NDSCS-Fargo (FAA Part 147). Truck driving: United Tribes Technical College, North Valley CTC (adult Class A) and NDSCS’s non-credit TrainND course.
Sources: our school profiles and the colleges’ own sites.
Nursing and healthcare
Nurses are licensed by the North Dakota Board of Nursing after the NCLEX. Bismarck State, Lake Region State and Dakota College at Bottineau teach nursing through the Dakota Nursing Program, a consortium in which students finish an 11-month practical nursing certificate first and can then add a nine-month RN year. Check each program’s pass rates before you apply; North Dakota’s 2024-25 averages were 98.5% (PN) and 92.38% (RN).
- Length
- 75 hours (CNA) to 11 months (practical nursing) and 2 years or more (RN)
Where to train:
- Practical and registered nursing: Bismarck State (100% first-time NCLEX-PN pass rate, 2024-25), Lake Region State, NDSCS, Dakota College at Bottineau (Minot and Valley City) and Williston State; BSN at Rasmussen in Fargo.
- Other health careers: surgical technology, sonography, paramedic and medical lab at Bismarck State; dental hygiene, dental assisting, OTA and pharmacy technician at NDSCS; dental, sonography and paramedic at Dakota College in Minot.
- CNA: North Valley CTC (adult class in Grafton) and NDSCS (Nursing Assistant course).
Lake Region State’s 2024-25 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate was 76-78%, well below the 92.38% state average; ask what has changed. Sources: our school profiles.
Cosmetology and beauty
The North Dakota State Board of Cosmetology licenses cosmetologists, estheticians and manicurists. State law sets school training at a minimum of 1,500 hours for cosmetology, 600 for esthetics, 350 for manicuring and 1,100 for advanced esthetics; the board also runs an apprenticeship route.
- Length
- At least 350 hours (manicuring) to 1,500 hours (cosmetology)
Where to train:
- We have not yet profiled North Dakota’s cosmetology schools. Check that a school is licensed by the North Dakota State Board of Cosmetology and ask for its exam pass rates and total price.
- Massage therapy: Williston State.
N.D.C.C. 43-11-16 sets the minimum school hours.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best trade schools in North Dakota?
It depends on the trade and where you live. The public colleges teach most trades: Bismarck State College (energy, lineworker, electrical, HVAC, welding, nursing), NDSCS in Wahpeton and Fargo (diesel, electrical, HVAC/R, plumbing, aviation, nursing), Lake Region State, Williston State and Dakota College at Bottineau. Lynnes Welding Training teaches welding in Fargo and Bismarck, and electricians train through Dakotas Electrical Apprenticeship or IEC Dakotas. We list schools by region, not by rank.
How much does trade school cost in North Dakota?
At the public two-year colleges we checked, a full-time year costs about $5,700 to $7,500 in tuition and mandatory fees for North Dakota residents in 2026-27, from $5,698 at Dakota College at Bottineau to about $7,422 for technical courses at Bismarck State. Lynnes Welding Training charges $15,100 or $17,900 for its 12- and 16-week programs, and electrical apprentices pay little or no tuition and are paid while they train.
Where can I go to welding school in North Dakota?
Lynnes Welding Training teaches 12- and 16-week Combination Welder certificates in Fargo and Bismarck. Bismarck State, NDSCS, Williston State and United Tribes Technical College teach welding certificates and degrees, and North Valley CTC in Grafton runs an introductory adult class. North Dakota has no welding license; welders test to AWS codes.
How do you become an electrician in North Dakota?
Register with the North Dakota State Electrical Board as an apprentice, then complete 8,000 hours of electrical work over at least three years plus a board-approved apprenticeship or a two-year college program, and pass the journeyman exam. Dakotas Electrical Apprenticeship and IEC Dakotas are the two main apprenticeships; Bismarck State and NDSCS teach two-year electrical programs.
Are there apprenticeships in North Dakota?
Yes. Dakotas Electrical Apprenticeship (NECA-IBEW) trains electricians at five North Dakota sites with no tuition, and IEC Dakotas runs a four-year evening apprenticeship in Fargo, Grand Forks and online for apprentices already working for a contractor. The North Dakota Scholarship can pay $500 a term to eligible students in a registered apprenticeship.
How many hours is cosmetology school in North Dakota?
North Dakota law sets school training at a minimum of 1,500 hours for cosmetology, 600 for esthetics, 350 for manicuring and 1,100 for advanced esthetics. The State Board of Cosmetology licenses graduates and also runs an apprenticeship route.
Facts checked October 2026. School facts come from each school’s profile on this site, where the original sources are linked; facts on Williston State, Dakota College at Bottineau, United Tribes and M State come from the colleges’ own sites (read November 2026). Licensing and scholarship rules are from the North Dakota Century Code and Administrative Code. Pay figures are North Dakota median annual wages from BLS 2025 data, via O*NET OnLine.