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North Dakota: school, college and career rules

North Dakota requires 22 units (including a unit of computer science or cybersecurity) and 70% on the civics test, has every grade 11 student take the ACT or three WorkKeys assessments, treats North Dakota high school graduates as residents for tuition, and funds the need-based State Grant (up to $1,375 a semester) and the merit North Dakota Scholarship.

Population799,358Rank 47 of 51 · Census, July 1, 2025
State testState assessment and the ACT or WorkKeysNorth Dakota state assessment (reading, math, science) and the grad...
State grantNorth Dakota State GrantNorth Dakota University System (student financial assista...
Checked22 Oct 2026Re-check by Apr 2027
Diploma requirements In-state tuition State boardsAll colleges in North Dakota

Census
Annual Estimates of Resident Population Change for the United States, States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and State Rankings: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2025 (NST-EST2025-POPCHG2020-2025, CSV)U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025)
Checked
21 Oct 2026

Linked from the State Population Totals 2020-2025 page (census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-state-total.html); population and rank copied from the POPESTIMATE2025 and NRANK_POPEST2025 columns.

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Every fact below is copied from North Dakota's own pages or the agency named in its source chip.

High school diploma

NDCC 15.1-21-02.1 and 15.1-21-02.2: before a district, nonpublic high school or the Center for Distance Education issues a diploma, the student must complete 22 units of high school coursework (plus any extra units the school requires):

NDCC
N.D. Century Code chapter 15.1-21, Curriculum and Testing (15.1-21-02.1, -02.2, -02.6, -02.10, -08, -19, -21, -27)North Dakota Legislative Branch
Checked
22 Oct 2026
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SubjectState minimum
English language arts4 units, from a sequence with literature, composition and speech
Mathematics3 units (may include 1 approved computer science unit)
Science3 units: biology, chemistry and physics, or biology, physical science and one more science
Social studies3 units: 1 U.S. history (including Native American tribal history), ½ U.S. government and ½ economics (or 1 problems of democracy), and 1 more
Physical education and health1 unit of physical education, or ½ physical education and ½ health
Foreign or Native American languages, fine arts or CTE3 units
Additional units5 units
Computer science or cybersecurity1 unit within the math or science units (waived with a board-approved integration plan)

22 units.

State tests for the diploma

NDCC 15.1-21-27: before any student receives a diploma, the student must correctly answer at least 70% of the questions on the civics test (the 100 USCIS naturalization questions).

NDCC
N.D. Century Code chapter 15.1-21, Curriculum and Testing (15.1-21-02.1, -02.2, -02.6, -02.10, -08, -19, -21, -27)North Dakota Legislative Branch
Checked
22 Oct 2026
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Also good to know

  • NDCC 15.1-21-21: each district must require a half unit of financial literacy, or make sure its economics or problems of democracy course covers budgeting, saving, credit, banking and other personal finance concepts.
    NDCC
    N.D. Century Code chapter 15.1-21, Curriculum and Testing (15.1-21-02.1, -02.2, -02.6, -02.10, -08, -19, -21, -27)North Dakota Legislative Branch
    Checked
    22 Oct 2026
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State test: State assessment and the ACT or WorkKeys

North Dakota state assessment (reading, math, science) and the grade 11 ACT or WorkKeys summative assessment. NDCC 15.1-21-08: the Superintendent of Public Instruction gives a test aligned to state standards in reading and math every year in grades 3 to 8 and in at least one grade from 9 to 12, and a science test once in grades 3–5, 6–9 and 10–12.

NDCC
N.D. Century Code chapter 15.1-21, Curriculum and Testing (15.1-21-02.1, -02.2, -02.6, -02.10, -08, -19, -21, -27)North Dakota Legislative Branch
Checked
22 Oct 2026
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TestSubjectsGrades
State assessmentReading and mathematicsGrades 3–8 and one grade in 9–12
State assessmentScienceOne grade each in 3–5, 6–9 and 10–12
ACT (with writing) or three WorkKeys assessmentsCollege or career readinessGrade 11

Source:

NDCC
N.D. Century Code chapter 15.1-21, Curriculum and Testing (15.1-21-02.1, -02.2, -02.6, -02.10, -08, -19, -21, -27)North Dakota Legislative Branch
Checked
22 Oct 2026
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What the scores are used for

  • NDCC 15.1-21-19: each grade 11 student may take the ACT with writing or three WorkKeys assessments, and a career advisor or counselor reviews the results with the student.
    NDCC
    N.D. Century Code chapter 15.1-21, Curriculum and Testing (15.1-21-02.1, -02.2, -02.6, -02.10, -08, -19, -21, -27)North Dakota Legislative Branch
    Checked
    22 Oct 2026
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National tests (SAT, ACT, AP, NAEP) are on the Exams hub.

Public colleges and universities

The state's public university system(s) and community colleges, from their own pages.

Sources:

NDUS
North Dakota University System (home page)North Dakota University System
Checked
22 Oct 2026
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NDUS
North Dakota University System (home page)North Dakota University System
Checked
22 Oct 2026
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Every school in North Dakota, public and private, with cost and completion: 26 colleges, community colleges and trade schools, with 2 city pages.

In-state tuition: the residency rule

Public colleges charge less to state residents. Who counts as a resident is set by state law or the college system, not by where you went to school alone.

  • NDCC 15-10-19.1: a resident student for tuition is someone whose parents or guardian are legal residents who have lived in North Dakota for 12 months, or an adult who is a legal resident and has lived in the state for 12 months after turning 18, immediately before the term.
    NDCC
    N.D. Century Code 15-10-19.1, Nonresident and resident student for tuition purposes definedNorth Dakota Legislative Branch
    Checked
    22 Oct 2026
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  • Anyone who graduated from a North Dakota high school is also a resident student, as is anyone who was a legal resident for at least three consecutive years within six years of the term.
    NDCC
    N.D. Century Code 15-10-19.1, Nonresident and resident student for tuition purposes definedNorth Dakota Legislative Branch
    Checked
    22 Oct 2026
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  • Active-duty service members, National Guard and reserve members, veterans and NDUS benefited employees, and their spouses and dependents, are resident students.
    NDCC
    N.D. Century Code 15-10-19.1, Nonresident and resident student for tuition purposes definedNorth Dakota Legislative Branch
    Checked
    22 Oct 2026
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The college's residency office makes the final decision. More on costs: What college costs.

State financial aid

Run by the North Dakota University System (student financial assistance). Federal aid (Pell Grants, loans) starts with the FAFSA: FAFSA, grants and loans.

North Dakota State Grant (Student Financial Assistance Program)

Need-based grant for North Dakota residents who are first-time undergraduates enrolled at least quarter-time at a qualifying public, tribal or private North Dakota institution: up to $1,375 a semester or $917 a quarter, for up to eight semesters. Students reapply every year with the FAFSA; funding is limited, so early filing is recommended.

NDUS
North Dakota State GrantNorth Dakota University System
Checked
22 Oct 2026
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North Dakota Scholarship

NDCC 15.1-21-02.6 and -02.10: $750 a semester ($500 a quarter) while enrolled full-time at an accredited North Dakota institution with a 2.75 GPA ($500 a term in a qualifying registered apprenticeship); students qualify with a 3.0 high school GPA, the civics test, a four-year plan, at least four activities such as community service or a capstone project, and academic or CTE marks such as an ACT composite of 24.

NDCC
N.D. Century Code chapter 15.1-21, Curriculum and Testing (15.1-21-02.1, -02.2, -02.6, -02.10, -08, -19, -21, -27)North Dakota Legislative Branch
Checked
22 Oct 2026
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Licensing boards

Lawyers, doctors, CPAs and nurses need a North Dakota license from a state board, even after passing a national exam. These are the boards that grant it.

LicenseNorth Dakota boardExam
Lawyer
How bar admission works		North Dakota State Board of Law ExaminersUniform Bar Exam (MBE, MEE and MPT). MPRE required (passing score 85). NextGen UBE from July 2027.
NCBE
North Dakota: bar admission informationNational Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE)
Checked
22 Oct 2026

Bar admission agency, the NCBE exams the jurisdiction requires, MPRE passing score and NextGen UBE plans. NCBE advises checking the agency itself for the latest rules.

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Physician
How a medical license works		North Dakota Board of MedicineUSMLE (M.D.) or COMLEX-USA (D.O.)
FSMB
Contact a State Medical BoardFederation of State Medical Boards (FSMB)
Checked
22 Oct 2026

Directory of every state's medical (and separate osteopathic) board. fsmb.org answers automated reads with 403, so it was read from the Internet Archive capture of 14 Sep 2026; each board link was then opened on 22 Oct 2026, through the board's site or, where it blocks reads from India, its latest archive capture.

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CPA
How the CPA license works		North Dakota State Board of AccountancyUniform CPA Examination
NASBA
State Boards of AccountancyNational Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)
Checked
22 Oct 2026

Directory of the 55 boards of accountancy. nasba.org answers automated reads with 403, so it was read from the Internet Archive capture of 15 Oct 2026; board links that had moved were replaced with the board's current page, opened on 22 Oct 2026.

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Registered nurse
How the RN license works		North Dakota Board of NursingNCLEX-RN · Nurse Licensure Compact member since Jan. 19, 2018
NCSBN
Contact North Dakota Board of NursingNational Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
Checked
22 Oct 2026
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NCSBN / NLC
NLC states and implementation dates (NLC map, PDF)National Council of State Boards of Nursing (Nurse Licensure Compact)
Checked
7 Oct 2026
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Engineering, teaching, real estate, cosmetology and the trades have their own boards: all professional licenses · trades and apprenticeships.

State and city government jobs

Federal jobs are on USAJOBS; state and city governments hire through their own systems.

Team ND Careers

North Dakota Office of Management and Budget, Human Resource Management Services

  1. Browse Career Openings (career title, agency, location and closing date) on the Team ND Careers page at omb.nd.gov and apply online; My Career Applications tracks submitted applications.
  2. Sign up for ND State Careers email and text alerts; current state employees use a separate link.

Source:

ND OMB
Team ND Careers: Career OpeningsNorth Dakota Office of Management and Budget
Checked
22 Oct 2026
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Police, fire and other public-safety routes: Public Service & Safety hub.

Registered apprenticeship

North Dakota has no State Apprenticeship Agency: the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship registers programs here.

Apprenticeship.gov
The Apprenticeship System: Office of Apprenticeship (OA) and recognized State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) statesU.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship
Checked
21 Oct 2026

California is listed under both OA and SAA.

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Source:

Apprenticeship.gov
State Offices: Office of Apprenticeship and State Apprenticeship Agency contacts by stateU.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship
Checked
21 Oct 2026
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Sources

Where these facts come from

Official and primary sources only, each checked on the date shown. Rules on testing, aid, licensing and immigration change, so confirm a detail with its source before you rely on it.