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BISMARCK - Students who receive a North Dakota Scholarship are consistently more likely to remain in North Dakota after high school graduation than their peers who do not receive a scholarship, according to new research conducted through North Dakota’s Longitudinal Data System and released by the North Dakota University System.
The analysis examined North Dakota high school graduates who enrolled in a North Dakota University System institution and tracked their retention in the state through postsecondary enrollment and employment records.
Findings show that scholarship recipients consistently outperformed non-recipients on measures of in-state retention across all years studied. One year after high school graduation, retention rates ranged from 97.2% for Career and Technical Education scholarship recipients to 98.6% for Academic scholarship recipients, compared to 87.4% among students who did not receive a scholarship.
This pattern additionally continues over time. Five years after high school graduation, 64.1% of career and technical scholarship recipients and 68.5% of academic scholarship recipients remain in North Dakota, compared with 46.4% of students who did not receive a scholarship. Nine years after graduation, about half of scholarship recipients were still retained in the state, compared with 37.7% of non-recipients.
The study examined graduates from 2010 through 2024 and found that the relationship between scholarship receipt and higher retention rates remained consistent across all available years of measurement. Employment data were derived from unemployment insurance records and postsecondary enrollment data.
“Our North Dakota Scholarship programs are designed to encourage academic achievement while helping students pursue their educational goals here at home,” said North Dakota State University System Commissioner Brent Sanford. “This research shows that these investments are delivering long-term value, helping North Dakota retain talented students who contribute to our communities and workforce.”
The findings that indicate that students who received either the Academic Scholarship or the CTE Scholarship were more likely to remain in North Dakota following graduation remained consistent regardless of the graduation year examined. The research highlights the important role state scholarship programs play in supporting student success and strengthening North Dakota’s workforce pipeline, according to the university system. B encouraging students to enroll and persist in North Dakota institutions, the scholarship programs help create a stronger connection between educational attainment and the state’s long-term economic needs.
The study is part of ongoing efforts to better understand the return on investment associated with North Dakota’s educational programs and policies.