State profile · ND

North Dakota Public Schools

Every public school, district, and the headline NCES measures for North Dakota — 170 districts, drawn straight from federal records.

499
Schools
118,286
Students
11.7:1
Avg ratio
28.2%
Free lunch

The state in one line

North Dakota runs 499 public schools across 170 districts, with a 11.7:1 average classroom and 28.2% of students on subsidized lunch.

499
public schools
170
school districts
11.7:1
avg student–teacher
28.2%
free/reduced lunch

What the NCES Data Says About North Dakota Schools

North Dakota operates 499 public K-12 schools organised into 170 independent school districts serving 118,286 students, per the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data 2024-25. The largest district, Bismarck 1, enrolls 13,976 pupils across 29 schools at $14,037 per student, while smaller rural districts can run fewer than a dozen campuses. This fragmentation — inherited from century-old township governance patterns in many states — is why per-pupil spending, class sizes, and programme availability vary dramatically inside a single state boundary.

Statewide, the average student-teacher ratio is 11.7:1, a useful benchmark for comparing any individual district or school on PlainSchools. Free-lunch eligibility averages 28.2% across North Dakota public schools, a federal indicator of economic need that drives Title I funding allocations. The district table below is sortable by enrollment, school count, and per-pupil expenditure — the three fields that best predict a district's financial and demographic profile. For schools specifically, use the rankings links above to view per-category leaderboards covering spending, class size, best schools by composite quality score, chronic absenteeism, and funding-equity distribution within the state.

Every district figure here pulls from two distinct federal surveys: enrollment and demographic data come from the NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (school membership and directory), while per-pupil spending, teacher salaries, and federal/state/local revenue shares originate in the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey (typically FY 2021-22). Civil-rights indicators — gifted enrollment, AP course counts, counselor staffing, chronic absenteeism, in- and out-of-school suspensions — come from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Cross-referencing these three sources is what lets PlainSchools produce composite scores and equity rankings that single-source tools cannot.

North Dakota's average class size vs. every US state

Average students per teacher, state by state (lower means smaller classes)

12 Among the smallest classes smaller classes than 90% of 51 US states

11–12: 7 US states (14%). This entry sits in this band. 12–13: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 13–14: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 14–15: 10 US states (20%). Above this entry. 15–16: 5 US states (10%). Above this entry. 16–17: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 17–18: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 18–19: 5 US states (10%). Above this entry. 20–21: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. 21–22: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. 22–23: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. 23–24: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. This state 11 24 every US state, by average class size, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education — NCES Common Core of Data · 2024-25

Or browse all North Dakota schools

Federal data — no proprietary formula. PlainSchools publishes the actual federal survey data — enrollment, staffing, finance, and demographics from NCES — without a composite rating on top. The insights below are computed directly from those datasets; every number traces to a cited source.

North Dakota per-pupil spending varies 6.4× across districts

Per-pupil spending in North Dakota ranges from $9,471 (lowest district) to $61,000 (highest), a spread of $51,529. That spread reflects typical state-level variation between high-property-value suburbs and rural or low-tax-base districts. High-spending districts typically draw on higher property tax bases, a structural feature of state education finance under the federal Title I framework that sets the floor but not the ceiling.

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Local Education Agency Finance Survey (F-33) · FY 2021-22

Average North Dakota student-teacher ratio is 11.7:1 — low (typically associated with smaller schools or state-funded class-size reduction)

Student-teacher ratio is the simplest staffing metric reported on NCES Common Core of Data, but it does not capture push-in specialists, intervention staff, English Language Learner aides, special education co-teachers, or counseling and support staff. Lower ratios in this state often correlate with smaller per-school enrollments and rural geography rather than higher staffing budgets per se. Class-load comparisons are most meaningful at the district or school level, not the state aggregate.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data — Public School Universe School-level enrollment and staffing · 2024-25

School Spending

→

Schools ranked by per-pupil expenditure

District Spending

→

Districts ranked by per-pupil expenditure

Largest Schools

→

Schools ranked by student enrollment

Funding Equity

→

Districts ranked by funding equity score

Best Student-Teacher Ratios

→

Schools with the smallest class sizes

Best Schools

→

Top-rated schools by quality score

Best Districts

→

Top-ranked districts by quality score

Chronic Absenteeism

→

Schools ranked by absenteeism rates

Largest districts in North Dakota

By total K-12 enrollment — NCES Common Core 2024-25

Top district = 12% of enrollment
Bismarck 113,976West Fargo 612,680Fargo 111,431Minot 17,715Grand Forks 17,604Williston Basin 75,294Mandan 14,344Dickinson 13,954Jamestown 12,167Mckenzie Co 12,004
# District Enrollment
1 Bismarck 1 Bismarck 13,976
2 West Fargo 6 West Fargo 12,680
3 Fargo 1 Fargo 11,431
4 Minot 1 Minot 7,715
5 Grand Forks 1 Grand Forks 7,604
6 Williston Basin 7 Williston 5,294
7 Mandan 1 Mandan 4,344
8 Dickinson 1 Dickinson 3,954
9 Jamestown 1 Jamestown 2,167
10 Mckenzie Co 1 Watford City 2,004
11 Devils Lake 1 Devils Lake 1,737
12 Belcourt 7 Belcourt 1,588
13 Wahpeton 37 Wahpeton 1,201
14 Central Cass 17 Casselton 1,036
15 Valley City 2 Valley City 1,036
16 New Town 1 New Town 994
17 Grafton 18 Grafton 949
18 Kindred 2 Kindred 916
19 Beulah 27 Beulah 761
20 Stanley 2 Stanley 755
21 United 7 Des Lacs 704
22 Northern Cass 97 Hunter 690
23 Bottineau 1 Bottineau 660
24 Thompson 61 Thompson 656
25 Killdeer 16 Killdeer 646
26 Lisbon 19 Lisbon 628
27 Carrington 49 Carrington 613
28 Rugby 5 Rugby 607
29 Nedrose 4 Minot 601
30 Hazen 3 Hazen 570
31 Dunseith 1 Dunseith 548
32 South Prairie 70 Minot 533
33 Tioga 15 Tioga 523
34 May-Port Cg 14 Mayville 508
35 Hillsboro 9 Hillsboro 508
36 Bowman Co 1 Bowman 498
37 Oakes 41 Oakes 491
38 Park River Area 8 Park River 485
39 St John 3 Saint John 447
40 Velva 1 Velva 441
41 Nesson 2 Ray 427
42 Surrey 41 Surrey 423
43 Langdon Area 23 Langdon 415
44 Cavalier 6 Cavalier 412
45 South Heart 9 South Heart 406
46 Kidder County 1 Steele 403
47 Lewis and Clark 161 Berthold 401
48 Harvey 38 Harvey 394
49 Larimore 44 Larimore 390
50 Garrison 51 Garrison 388
51 Divide County 1 Crosby 383
52 New Salem-Almont 49 New Salem 365
53 Tgu 60 Towner 340
54 Ellendale 40 Ellendale 339
55 Washburn 4 Washburn 335
56 New Rockford-Sheyenne 2 New Rockford 334
57 Northwood 129 Northwood 334
58 North Border 100 Walhalla 325
59 Eight Mile 6 Trenton 325
60 Alexander 2 Alexander 321
61 Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood 1 Mohall 317
62 Richardton-Taylor 34 Richardton 315
63 Enderlin Area 24 Enderlin 309
64 Minto 20 Minto 308
65 Kenmare 28 Kenmare 302
66 North Star 10 Cando 299
67 Minnewaukan 5 Minnewaukan 297
68 Dakota Prairie 1 Petersburg 295
69 Hettinger 13 Hettinger 294
70 New England 9 New England 292
71 Richland 44 Colfax 286
72 Parshall 3 Parshall 286
73 Wilton 1 Wilton 278
74 Beach 3 Beach 275
75 Flasher 39 Flasher 271
76 Belfield 13 Belfield 267
77 Griggs County Central 18 Cooperstown 266
78 Wyndmere 42 Wyndmere 266
79 Edgeley 3 Edgeley 260
80 Lamoure 8 Lamoure 260
81 Mt Pleasant 4 Rolla 256
82 Glenburn 26 Glenburn 254
83 Barnes County North 7 Wimbledon 249
84 Center-Stanton 1 Center 248
85 Napoleon 2 Napoleon 246
86 Linton 36 Linton 242
87 Powers Lake 27 Powers Lake 239
88 Maple Valley 4 Tower City 238
89 Hankinson 8 Hankinson 237
90 Wishek 19 Wishek 234
91 Mott-Regent 1 Mott 233
92 Underwood 8 Underwood 224
93 Warwick 29 Warwick 223
94 Mapleton 7 Mapleton 216
95 Solen 3 Solen 214
96 Central Valley 3 Buxton 211
97 Medina 3 Medina 211
98 Milnor 2 Milnor 210
99 Valley-Edinburg 118 Crystal 207
100 Ft Totten 30 Fort Totten 200

Showing top 100 of 170 districts by enrollment.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data As of 2024-25 Local Education Agency Universe Federal universe survey of all U.S. school districts

Largest Schools in North Dakota

Legacy High School
Bismarck — high
1,419
students
Century High School
Bismarck — high
1,406
students
West Fargo Sheyenne High School
West Fargo — high
1,400
students
West Fargo High School
West Fargo — high
1,380
students
Williston High School
Williston — high
1,370
students
Bismarck High School
Bismarck — high
1,367
students
Fargo Davies High School
Fargo — high
1,277
students
Red River High School
Grand Forks — high
1,190
students
Mandan High School
Mandan — high
1,175
students
Horizon Middle School
Bismarck — middle
1,124
students

Other States

New Mexico
NM public schools
New York
NY public schools
North Carolina
NC public schools
Ohio
OH public schools
Oklahoma
OK public schools
Oregon
OR public schools

Side-by-side: Compare Bismarck 1 vs West Fargo 6 → · Compare any two districts

Data sourced from NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25, NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, and Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Using the North Dakota data

North Dakota's 499 schools sit inside 170 districts — compare at the district level first.

  • District boundaries decide enrollment: shortlist 2-3 districts on spending, ratio, and size before comparing individual schools. Compare districts
  • Check how North Dakota distributes money across its districts — funding equity varies more within states than between them. Funding equity
  • Verify any school's federal record (enrollment, staffing, CRDC flags) before a visit or enrollment decision. Look up a school

Figures are the federal record (CCD 2024-25, F-33 FY 2021-22, CRDC 2021-22) — they lag the current school year and describe reported data, not school quality. PlainSchools does not rate or rank schools.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many public schools are in North Dakota?

North Dakota has 499 public schools across 170 school districts, serving 118,286 students.

What is the average student-teacher ratio in North Dakota?

The average student-teacher ratio in North Dakota public schools is 11.7:1. This varies by district — use the district table below to compare.

What percentage of North Dakota students qualify for free lunch?

28.2% of students in North Dakota qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, an indicator of economic need used for Title I funding.

What is the largest school district in North Dakota?

The largest school district in North Dakota is Bismarck 1 with 13,976 students across 29 schools.

Why does per-pupil spending vary so much across North Dakota districts?

North Dakota districts spend between $9,471 and $61,000 per pupil — a 6.4× range. Most U.S. states fund schools through a mix of state aid (typically 40-60%), local property tax (30-50%), and federal Title I (5-15%). Districts in higher property-value areas raise more per pupil from local taxes, while state aid is intended to partially equalise but rarely closes the full gap. The federal F-33 finance survey reports actual current expenditures including instructional and support services.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Top schools in North Dakota by enrollment

Largest K-12 public schools by total students enrolled

students

What this shows The largest public schools in North Dakota by enrollment — often statewide virtual academies or large consolidated campuses, so size here reflects reach, not quality.

Source NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) As of 2024-25

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data (CCD) — Public school universe · 2023-2024 Public K-12 school enrollment, demographics, and operational data; collected annually by NCES from state education agencies.