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Business · Finance Rank #150 of 431

Financeat North Dakota State University-Main Campus

Graduates earn $53,163/yr in their first year — about 4.0% below the national Finance average. Base-case 10-year earnings $642K; scenarios range from $577K to $663K depending on AI disruption.

Fargo, ND Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
76 STRONG
78
Optimistic
74
Pessimistic
Earnings
$53,163
1-year post-graduation
ROI
15.1x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$642K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
59% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at North Dakota State

First-year earnings of $53,163 track close to the $55,340 national median for Finance programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

With a 14.8x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 13% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Finance career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.

At $23,250 in median debt against $53,163 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

A #150 ranking among 431 Finance programs places North Dakota State University-Main Campus in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.

A 32% earnings increase from $53,163 to $69,912 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$577K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score74/100
Earnings Multiple13.3x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$642K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score76/100
Earnings Multiple14.8x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$663K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score78/100
Earnings Multiple15.3x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to North Dakota State's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Finance graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Chief executives
+4.3% 10-yr growth · 22,200 openings/yr
$206,420/yr
High
2
Financial managers
+14.8% 10-yr growth · 74,600 openings/yr
$161,700/yr
High
3
Financial risk specialists
+6.5% 10-yr growth · 4,800 openings/yr
$106,000/yr
High
4
General and operations managers
+4.4% 10-yr growth · 308,700 openings/yr
$102,950/yr
Moderate
5
Personal financial advisors
+9.6% 10-yr growth · 24,100 openings/yr
$102,140/yr
High
6
Financial and investment analysts
+5.7% 10-yr growth · 25,100 openings/yr
$101,350/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Finance

How North Dakota State stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
University of Pennsylvania
PA · Private nonprofit
82
DW Score
$123K
1-yr earn
8.2x
ROI
Georgetown University
DC · Private nonprofit
80
DW Score
$106K
1-yr earn
4.9x
ROI
Washington University in St Louis
MO · Private nonprofit
81
DW Score
$103K
1-yr earn
6.6x
ROI
University of Notre Dame
IN · Private nonprofit
79
DW Score
$99K
1-yr earn
4.5x
ROI
Wake Forest University
NC · Private nonprofit
78
DW Score
$86K
1-yr earn
4.4x
ROI
Also at North Dakota State

Other top programs at North Dakota State

Other highest-scoring programs offered at North Dakota State, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Finance offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Finance trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Finance at North Dakota State

What does a 76/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Finance at North Dakota State University-Main Campus?

At 76/100, this is a high-performing program. The DegreeOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.

Should I worry about AI if I study Finance at North Dakota State University-Main Campus?

The 55% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.