| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public college in the North Dakota University System; campus-based, with business, IT and health information programs also online |
| Campuses | 3 teaching sites, all in North Dakota: Wahpeton (main campus) and two in Fargo (NDSCS-Fargo and the Career Innovation Center) |
| Credentials | Certificates, certificates of completion, a Practical Nursing diploma, AAS, AA and AS degrees, and one bachelor’s degree (BAS in Dental Hygiene) |
| Programs | 140 awards in the 2026-27 catalog |
| Accreditation | Higher Learning Commission, reaffirmed through 2034-35 (announced February 2026) |
| Federal aid | Yes; some short programs, such as Nursing Assistant, are not eligible |
| 2026-27 cost | $196.31 to $227.03 per credit for North Dakota residents, tuition and mandatory fees, depending on site and delivery |
| Students | 3,681 in fall 2025, a record |
| Founded | 1903, as the State Scientific School; named NDSCS since 1987 |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
NDSCS: a public college in Wahpeton and Fargo
North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) is one of the 11 institutions of the North Dakota University System, governed by the State Board of Higher Education. It was founded in 1903 as the State Scientific School and took its current name in 1987. The main campus is in Wahpeton, and the college teaches at two sites in Fargo: the older NDSCS-Fargo building on 19th Avenue North and the Career Innovation Center, which opened in August 2025 and now houses the Fargo nursing and EMS programs.
Many of its 140 awards are certificates and AAS degrees in trades, technology and health. Recent additions are Aviation Maintenance Technology in Fargo, under an FAA Part 147 certificate received in June 2025, and the college’s first bachelor’s degree, an online BAS in Dental Hygiene. Fall 2025 enrollment was a record 3,681 students.
Career programs at NDSCS, and where they are taught
The 2026-27 catalog lists 140 awards; the college markets them as “100 Career Pathways”. The table shows the main career programs. NDSCS does not publish whole-program prices on the pages we used, so costs are given per credit in the next section.
| Program | Credential | Length | Where | Exam or accreditation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practical Nursing | Diploma, 42 credits | 3 semesters | Wahpeton; Fargo (Career Innovation Center); partly online | NCLEX-PN; ACEN |
| Registered Nursing | AAS, 63 credits | 4 semesters | Wahpeton; Fargo (Career Innovation Center); partly online | NCLEX-RN; ACEN |
| Registered Nursing (LPN to RN) | AAS | – | Wahpeton; Fargo | NCLEX-RN; ACEN |
| Nursing Assistant | Certificate of completion, 4 credits | One course | Wahpeton; Fargo (Career Innovation Center); hybrid | State CNA exam |
| Dental Hygiene | AAS, 73 credits | 5 continuous semesters | Wahpeton; some hybrid courses | NBDHE and CRDTS; CODA |
| Dental Hygiene (for licensed hygienists) | BAS, 120 credits minimum | Starts any semester | Online | – |
| Dental Assisting | Certificate, 43 credits; AAS option | 300+ clinical hours | Wahpeton; some hybrid courses | DANB exams; CODA |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | AAS, 71 credits | 3 semesters plus a fieldwork semester | Wahpeton; some online courses | NBCOT (COTA); ACOTE |
| Pharmacy Technician | Certificate, 29 credits; AAS, 62 credits | 1 year / 2 years | Wahpeton; hybrid | National certification; ASHP/ACPE |
| EMT | Certificate, 18 credits | – | Fargo (Career Innovation Center); online lectures, weekend labs | NREMT |
| Paramedic Technology | Certificate; AAS | – | Fargo (Career Innovation Center) | CAAHEP |
| Health Information Technician / Medical Coding | AAS / certificate | – | Wahpeton; online | CAHIIM (AAS) |
| Aviation Maintenance Technology | Certificate; AAS | – | Fargo (19th Avenue North) | FAA Part 147 school |
| Diesel Technology | AAS (General, Case IH, Komatsu); John Deere Tech and Caterpillar AAS; 4 certificates | – | Wahpeton | ASE NATEF Heavy Truck; AED |
| Automotive Technology | AAS; certificate; 4 specialty certificates | – | Wahpeton | ASE/NATEF |
| Collision Engineering Technology | AAS, 72 credits | Paid apprenticeships | Wahpeton | PPG; I-CAR |
| Electrical Technology | AAS (3 options) | – | Wahpeton | – |
| HVAC/R Technology | AAS; certificate | – | Wahpeton | – |
| Plumbing | Certificate, 36 credits | – | Wahpeton | Credit toward journeyman schooling hours |
| Mechanical Systems | AAS, 71 credits | Two 9-month periods | Wahpeton | – |
| Welding Technology | Certificate, 33 credits; AAS; process certificates | – | Wahpeton; Fargo | – |
| Precision Machining Technology | AAS; certificates | – | Wahpeton | – |
| Robotics, Automation & Mechatronics (RAMT) | Two AAS degrees | – | Wahpeton | – |
| Construction | Building Construction and Construction Management AAS; Carpentry and Commercial Construction certificates | – | Wahpeton | – |
| Fire Science | AAS, 61 credits; Firefighter I and II certificates | – | Wahpeton; hybrid or online | Firefighter I and II state certification |
| Business Management | AAS (4 options); 4 certificates | – | Wahpeton; Fargo; online | – |
| Computer Science and Cybersecurity | IT Support, Systems Administrator, Software Engineering, Web Developer and Cybersecurity awards | – | Wahpeton; Fargo; online | – |
Several programs are built around employers. The diesel program has Case IH, Komatsu, John Deere and Caterpillar tracks, and these and Collision Engineering Technology use paid internships or apprenticeships in industry. Paramedic Technology is delivered with Sanford Health EMS Education and F-M Ambulance, and Aviation Maintenance Technology trains in a hangar run with Fargo Jet Center. Auto Body Repair and Refinishing has been renamed Collision Engineering Technology.
What the main programs cover
Practical Nursing
Practical Nursing is a 42-credit diploma over three semesters, 24 credits in nursing and 18 in general education. The North Dakota Board of Nursing’s report counts 392 clinical hours and notes that the diploma, which replaced an AAS, took its first cohort in January 2023. Admission is points-based: applicants need a high school diploma or GED with a 2.0 GPA, Anatomy and Physiology I and II with labs, an assessment exam, a current CNA and a background check. It is taught at Wahpeton and the Career Innovation Center, partly online; Fargo cohorts run periodically, depending on funding and demand.
Registered Nursing
The Registered Nursing AAS is 63 credits over four semesters: 41 in nursing and 22 in general education. Students do not need to be LPNs first, but they must hold a current CNA and a 2.25 GPA. Classes are at Wahpeton or at the Career Innovation Center in Fargo, with some courses online. Licensed practical nurses take a separate LPN-to-RN AAS, listed by the Board of Nursing at 61 credits. Both tracks hold ACEN continuing accreditation and full North Dakota Board of Nursing approval, and graduates sit the NCLEX-RN.
Dental Hygiene
The Dental Hygiene AAS is 73 credits taught over five continuous semesters, face to face at Wahpeton with some hybrid courses, and it is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. Graduates take the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination and the CRDTS clinical exam toward licensure. Admission is selective. Licensed hygienists can go on to the college’s first bachelor’s degree, a Bachelor of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene of at least 120 credits, 60 of them from the AAS, taught online and starting any semester.
Occupational Therapy Assistant
The OTA program is a 71-credit AAS accredited by ACOTE. Students complete three academic semesters at Wahpeton, some of them through online courses with evening or weekend sessions, and then a semester of full-time Level II fieldwork. Admission is selective. Graduates are eligible for the NBCOT exam for certified occupational therapy assistants. NDSCS reported 90% of 10 responding 2023-24 OTA graduates employed or in further study, with an average reported salary of $57,497. The program trains assistants, not occupational therapists.
Plumbing and Mechanical Systems
The 36-credit Plumbing certificate prepares students for the journeyman exam they take later in their careers. The North Dakota State Plumbing Board may credit up to 2,040 hours of schooling from it, and the college lists 1,750 hours for Minnesota and 1,900 for South Dakota. The 71-credit Mechanical Systems AAS combines plumbing and HVAC/R over two nine-month periods and credits apprenticeship hours. Both are taught at Wahpeton. NDSCS reports all 14 responding 2023-24 plumbing graduates employed or in further study, at an average reported salary of $42,068.
Fire Science
The Fire Science AAS is 61 credits. It includes Firefighter I (FIRE 100) and Firefighter II (FIRE 201), which the college says are for state certification, and students can take those two courses as stand-alone Firefighter I and Firefighter II certificates instead of the full degree. NDSCS delivers the program in person at Wahpeton, as a hybrid or online, so part of it can be completed away from campus. EMT and Paramedic Technology, the college’s emergency medical programs, are taught separately at the Career Innovation Center in Fargo.
Tuition for 2026-27 and how students pay
NDSCS charges per credit, and the rate depends on where a course is taught and on residency. The figures below are 2026-27 tuition ($168.83 per credit for North Dakota residents) plus the mandatory per-credit fees for each site. Course instructional fees of $5 to $95 per credit are extra, and online courses carry a $38 per-credit online access fee, which is why they cost more. The ConnectND, NDSA, student and technology fees stop at 12 credits a semester; the online access fee does not.
| 2026-27, per credit, tuition plus mandatory fees | North Dakota resident | Minnesota reciprocity | Other U.S. states |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wahpeton | $211.51 | $231.77 | $245.28 |
| Fargo | $196.31 | $216.57 | $230.08 |
| Online | $227.03 | $247.29 | $260.80 |
Minnesota residents get the reciprocity rate after applying through the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. Residents of Manitoba and Saskatchewan pay the other-U.S. rate. Out-of-state students who live on campus at Wahpeton with a 160-meal or larger dining plan pay the North Dakota resident tuition.
The college’s 2026-27 estimated annual budget puts tuition and fees at $6,427 for North Dakota residents, $7,075 for Minnesota residents and $7,507 for other U.S. students. Adding $9,870 for housing and food, $1,000 for books and $3,600 in personal costs gives a total of $20,897 for a North Dakota resident living on campus. NDSCS takes federal student aid, but some short programs are not eligible: the Nursing Assistant certificate is one.
Open admission, with selective health programs
Admission to the college is open. Practical Nursing, Registered Nursing, Dental Hygiene, Occupational Therapy Assistant and some other programs use selective, points-based admission with their own requirements, and the catalog has a page listing the selective and limited-admission programs. Nursing applicants need a current CNA before they apply.
NDSCS runs on semesters. Dental Hygiene runs for five continuous semesters, OTA ends with a full-time fieldwork semester, and the Dental Hygiene BAS can start in any semester. The EMT certificate is hybrid, with online lectures and weekend labs.
Accreditation and results
NDSCS is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. On 2 February 2026 the college announced that HLC had reaffirmed its accreditation, continuing through 2034-35. Programmatic accreditors listed in the catalog are CODA (Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting), ACOTE (Occupational Therapy Assistant), ASHP/ACPE (Pharmacy Technician), ACEN (Practical and Registered Nursing, which also have full North Dakota Board of Nursing approval), CAAHEP (Paramedic), CAHIIM (Health Information Technician, through 2028), ASE/NATEF (Automotive Technology), ASE NATEF Heavy Truck and AED (Diesel Technology), and PPG Partners in Education and I-CAR (Collision Engineering Technology). The aviation program holds an FAA Part 147 certificate. NDSCS takes part in SARA, the interstate agreement for online programs.
| Measure | Result | Period and source |
|---|---|---|
| Practical Nursing, first-time NCLEX-PN pass rate | 91.6% (11 of 12) | FY 2024-25, PN AAS and diploma candidates combined; North Dakota Board of Nursing annual nursing education report |
| Registered Nursing, first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate | 81.82% (27 of 31) | FY 2024-25, North Dakota Board of Nursing annual nursing education report |
| Graduates employed or pursuing more college | 96% | 2023-24 graduates, NDSCS placement report (amended March 2025); self-reported |
| Graduation rate within 150% of normal time | 54% | First-time, full-time students in the 2022 cohort, North Dakota University System IPEDS report (2026) |
| Fall-to-fall retention, first-time full-time | 74% | 2024 cohort, North Dakota University System IPEDS report (2026) |
The nursing pass rates come from small groups, 12 PN and 31 RN candidates, so a few results move them a lot. The placement figure counts graduates who report a job or further study, not only jobs in their field. Niche (checked 10 October 2026) gives a student-to-faculty ratio of 19:1 and, citing federal data, median earnings of $55,699 five years after graduation.
Before you enroll
- Apart from the health programs and Aviation Maintenance, Fargo programs may meet at either Fargo building. The college’s program list says “Fargo” without naming the building, so confirm where classes meet before you plan housing or travel.
- Nursing, dental hygiene and OTA seats are limited and admission is points-based. Nursing applicants must already hold a CNA, and the 4-credit Nursing Assistant course is not eligible for federal aid.
- Online courses cost more per credit than campus courses: $227.03 for North Dakota residents against $211.51 at Wahpeton and $196.31 in Fargo, before course fees.
- Truck driving is not a college program. NDSCS’s Class A CDL training is a non-credit workforce course run by its TrainND Southeast division, so it carries no college credential.
- Architectural Modeling and Design Technology trains drafting and modeling technicians. It does not lead to an architect’s license.
Three teaching sites: what each offers
| Campus | Address | Main programs |
|---|---|---|
| Wahpeton (main campus) | 800 6th St N, Wahpeton, ND 58076 | Nearly every program, including all diesel, automotive, collision, construction, electrical, HVAC/R, plumbing, machining, RAMT, agriculture, culinary, Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene AAS, OTA and pharmacy technician programs |
| NDSCS-Fargo | 1305 19th Ave N, Fargo, ND 58102 | Aviation Maintenance Technology (FAA Part 147). Business, IT and transfer courses are offered in Fargo at either this site or the Career Innovation Center; the college does not say which |
| Career Innovation Center (opened August 2025) | 4230 64th Ave S, Fargo, ND 58104 | Practical Nursing, Registered Nursing, Nursing Assistant, EMT, Paramedic Technology |
NDSCS’s TrainND Southeast division runs non-credit and customized workforce training from the Fargo locations; it is not a separate campus.
Housing and career help
Wahpeton has residence halls, and out-of-state students living there with a qualifying dining plan pay North Dakota tuition. Fargo students taking 6 or more credits can live in North Dakota State University housing through a partnership. NDSCS publishes a yearly graduate placement report with results and average salaries by program; for 2023-24 graduates it reported 100% of responding Practical Nursing, Dental Hygiene, diesel, electrical, HVAC/R and plumbing graduates employed or in further study.
What students say
On Niche, North Dakota State College of Science is rated 3.88 out of 5 from 239 reviews, with an overall grade of B (checked 10 October 2026). Reviewers most often praise supportive, knowledgeable instructors and small classes, hands-on career programs, a welcoming community with frequent events, and lower cost than private schools. The most common complaints are limited parking, especially at night, few dining options with short hours, and noise in the northern residence halls along with some dated facilities. The reviews cover the college as a whole; we did not check whether they were invited by the school or posted in bursts, and we did not check other review platforms.
Sources
Checked October 2026: NDSCS catalog, learning locations · 2026-27 academic program matrix · 2026-27 tuition and fees · Catalog accreditations · ND Board of Nursing 2024-25 nursing education report · NDUS 2026 IPEDS rates · NDSCS 2023-24 graduate placement report · Niche
Programs & Courses
Business
- Business Management (AAS options and certificates)
Computer and Information Technology
- Computer Science: Information Technology Support and Information Systems Administrator
- Computer Science: Software Engineering
- Computer Science: Web Design and Web Developer
- Cybersecurity
Nursing and Health
- Practical Nursing (Diploma)
- Registered Nursing (AAS)
- Registered Nursing (LPN to RN)
- Nursing Assistant (CNA)
- Occupational Therapy Assistant
- Pharmacy Technician
- Health Information Technician / Medical Coding
Dental
- Dental Assisting
- Dental Hygiene (AAS)
- Dental Hygiene (BAS, online, for licensed hygienists)
Public Safety
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Paramedic Technology
- Fire Science
Culinary
- Culinary Arts
- Baking & Pastry Arts
Automotive, Diesel and Collision
- Automotive Technology
- Diesel Technology
- Collision Engineering Technology
- Powersports Technology
Aviation and Unmanned Aircraft
- Aviation Maintenance Technology
- Unmanned Aircraft Systems
Construction and Building Trades
- Building Construction Technology / Carpentry
- Construction Management Technology
- Electrical Technology
- Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology
- Plumbing
- Mechanical Systems
Manufacturing and Welding
- Precision Machining Technology
- Robotics, Automation and Mechatronics (RAMT)
- Welding Technology
Architecture and Surveying
- Architectural Modeling & Design Technology
- Land Surveying & Civil Engineering Technology
Agriculture
- Agriculture programs (agricultural business, animal science, precision agriculture and more)
Campus Locations
Wahpeton, ND 800 6th St N, Wahpeton, ND 58076
Fargo, ND 1305 19th Ave N, Fargo, ND 58102
Fargo, ND 4230 64th Ave S, Fargo, ND 58104