Psychology Degrees, Schools, and Careers in North Dakota

Despite having less than 25 degree-granting institutions across the state, North Dakota still has plenty to offer in terms of psychology education. The state’s small population and lack of major cities means that there are certainly less psychology schools in North Dakota to choose from, but for students interested earning their psychology degree in North Dakota, there are still a number of well-respected options. To give one an idea of just how limited psychology education is in North Dakota, understand that in 2013-14, the state conferred just 257 bachelor’s degrees in psychology and just 44 master’s degrees in psychology according to data from the North Dakota System for Higher Education. In total, the state university system, which is made up of two research universities, four regional universities and five community colleges, enrolled just over 45,000 students in the Fall of 2018 and they granted more than 330 psychology degrees in that period as well.  Number of degrees isn't necessarily indicative of quality psychology education in North Dakota, but it does narrow down the choices for students interested in studying psychology in the state.

As should be expected for a state with limited options, North Dakota does happen to be one of the cheaper states in the country to attend college in. The average annual enrollment cost for a full-time student in North Dakota in 2013-14 was $13,714 for in-state students attending public schools and $18,123 for students attending one of the state’s seven private institutions. But even with just 21 options to choose from, picking a psychology school isn't easy and is a decision that should include a lot of research and thought on what type of degree a student wishes to pursue and what field of psychology they might want to study. If they are content assisting licensed psychologists to start, then a bachelor’s degree will suffice. But if they want to become a licensed psychologist, they will need a doctoral degree according to ND state law. Only the University of North Dakota and North Dakota State University actually offer doctoral degrees in psychology however.

The good news about fewer options to choose from is that it can be easier to do more thorough research and really get comfortable with the pros and cons of as many different psychology degree programs in North Dakota as possible. We wanted to help, so we sorted the schools for students based on which have programs and which don’t, but students should make sure to do their own research into each school as well.

Of all the state’s degree-granting institutions, only the United Tribes Technical College, the Medcenter One College of Nursing, and Sitting Bull College don’t offer degree programs in psychology, but UTTC and Sitting Bull College both have core courses in psychology as part of their curriculum. Choosing between the rest of the schools depends on your preference of degree and intended career path. If you have only a casual interest in psychology, Trinity Bible College has a minor in psychology and counseling and associate colleges such as Bismarck State College or Williston State College offer two-year degrees. But if you are interested in earning a PH.D. and becoming a clinical psychologist, perhaps a larger research institution such as the University of North Dakota or North Dakota State would be a better choice.

Online Psychology Schools in North Dakota

If you are looking for online psychology schools in North Dakota, you really have two options. First, if you are looking for an online bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in psychology, the University of North Dakota is the only state-specific school in the state with such programs. The state’s flagship university offers a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in forensic psychology completely online. Both programs are rigorous and will take at least four and two years to complete respectively. There are also a number of national, for-profit, online psychology schools that serve North Dakota students such as Capella University, Grand Canyon University, Baker College Online, and Western International University.

If you are only looking for online courses in psychology, the field of choices is larger, but you still need to do the research because some schools offer online courses for enrolled students only, and others open the courses to the general public. Bismarck State College, Jamestown College, Minot State University, and Dickinson State University are just a few of the schools with online psychology classes in North Dakota. Be sure to check out each school individually to see which types of courses are offered and whether you are eligible.

There are more online psychology degree programs in North Dakota available, so check out our school listings for a more expansive and detailed look at online psychology schools and programs in your area.

Career Opportunities for Psychologists in North Dakota

North Dakota has a small but prosperous psychology community. In May of 2022, there were 260 psychologists employed across North Dakota according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics and they were earning an annual average wage of between $68,740 and $112,640. While percentage growth using such a small sample size usually means little, it is encouraging to know that psychologist employment in North Dakota is projected to grow by 8% (or roughly 20 jobs) from 2020 to 2030. If you are an aspiring psychologist dreaming of a wealth of different career options to choose from, North Dakota may not be the best fit, but there are still employment opportunities for those who truly wish to begin their psychology career in North Dakota. Read more about the ND psychologist license requirements.

2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET (a website sponsored by the US Department of Labor) job market trends and salary figures for clinical and counseling psychologists and school psychologists are based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed July 2023.

Featured North Dakota Schools with Psychology Degree Programs