Last updated: June 5, 2026

Best School Psychology Programs in North Dakota Rankings for 2026

The NASP-approved EdS program in North Dakota, with the ESPB school psychologist credential pathway, internship requirements, the Praxis 5403, funding through the ND School Psychology Service Grant, and salary data for 2026.

Taylor Rupe

Founder & Editor

B.A. in Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle

Best School Psychology Programs in North Dakota Rankings for 2026

Key Takeaways

  • North Dakota has one NASP-approved school psychology program, the Education Specialist (EdS) at Minot State University. It has held NASP approval since 1998 and is currently approved through February 1, 2030. If you want to train inside the state, this is the program.
  • You practice in North Dakota public schools with a school psychologist license from the Education Standards and Practices Board (ESPB). It requires a specialist-level degree of at least 60 graduate hours from a NASP-approved program, a 1,200-hour internship with at least 600 hours in a school, and the Praxis School Psychologist exam (#5403).
  • North Dakota school psychologists earn a median of $68,960, about 28% below the $95,990 national median (BLS, May 2025). The state employs only about 90 of them, one of the smallest school psychology workforces in the country, so pay runs below the national line even as the shortage stays severe.
  • Minot State runs a North Dakota School Psychology Service Grant, a $4.4 million federal award that covers tuition, fees, and books for cohorts of graduate students, with mileage and childcare support during practicum and internship. Many students finish the EdS with little or no debt.
  • If you live near Fargo, the nearest NASP-approved option is just across the river: Minnesota State University Moorhead in Minnesota. North Dakota recognizes NASP-approved training from any state, so an out-of-state specialist degree still leads to the ND ESPB credential.
Accredited Programs
1
Ranked in this guide
North Dakota Rankings for 2026 Median
$68,960
vs national $95,990 (-28.2%)
Independent License
School Psychologist (ESPB)
North Dakota School Psychologist License
Supervised Hours
1,200
over typically a 3-year program min.

North Dakota is one of the smallest school psychology markets in the country, and it is also one of the most short-staffed. The state employs roughly 90 school psychologists and pays a median of $68,960 a year, according to May 2025 BLS data. That is about 28% below the $95,990 national median. It is an honest number: North Dakota school psychologists are paid on district salary schedules in a low-cost, rural state, so the headline pay sits below the national line even though districts are desperate to hire.

Here is the part that makes North Dakota unusual. There is exactly one NASP-approved school psychology program in the whole state, the Education Specialist (EdS) at Minot State University. The University of North Dakota trains doctoral psychologists in clinical and experimental psychology and offers a forensic psychology master's, but it does not run a NASP-approved school psychology specialist program. So your in-state choice for school psychology is Minot State, and it is a good one: it has been NASP-approved since 1998, reports near-100% placement, and runs a federal grant that can cover your tuition.

You have three honest options. Train at Minot State and stay in North Dakota. Train just over the border at Minnesota State University Moorhead, which sits in the Fargo-Moorhead metro and has been NASP-approved for 30 years. Or look at a neighboring state like South Dakota or the wider Minnesota program list. North Dakota credentials any NASP-approved graduate, so where you train matters less than whether the program is NASP-approved. Below you will find the Minot State program in detail, what the ESPB credential requires step by step, real salary numbers including the Fargo metro, and how to decide between training in-state and crossing the border.

Best School Psychology Programs in North Dakota Rankings (NASP-Approved EdS)

All 1 programs ranked in this guide, with tuition, format, and accreditation at a glance.

# School In-State Tuition Format
1 Minot State University: EdS in School Psychology Often fully covered for ND Service Grant cohorts (tuition, fees, books) On-campus cohort
1

Minot State University: EdS in School Psychology

Minot, ND On-campus cohort NASP-Approved

In-State

Often fully covered for ND Service Grant cohorts (tuition, fees, books)

Out-of-State

Minot State charges in-state rates to many surrounding-state residents; see program

Length

3 years (2 years coursework + 1,200-hour internship year)

Field Hours

Second-year practicum + 1,200-hour internship (min. 600 in a school)

Concentrations

School Psychology: assessment, intervention, consultation, rural and tribal practice
  • The only NASP-approved school psychology program in North Dakota, approved continuously since 1998
  • Graduates must pass the Praxis School Psychologist exam (#5403) with a score of 155 or better to finish, so you leave credential-ready
  • The North Dakota School Psychology Service Grant, a $4.4 million federal award, can cover tuition, fees, and books, plus mileage and childcare during practicum and internship
  • Built-in rural and tribal training, including a partnership with Bureau of Indian Education Turtle Mountain Area Schools, where the shortage hits hardest
GRE: Not required | Min GPA: 3.0
Visit Program

North Dakota School Psychologist Credential Requirements (ESPB)

The licensing board, exam pathway, and supervised hours you'll need to practice independently.

Licensing Board

North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board (ESPB): School Psychologist Licensure

(701) 328-9641

Board Website Verify a License

To work as a school psychologist in North Dakota public schools, you need a school psychologist license from the Education Standards and Practices Board (ESPB), the agency that handles educator credentials for the state alongside the Department of Public Instruction. The bar is the national specialist standard. You complete a specialist-level degree of at least 60 graduate hours from a NASP-approved program, finish a 1,200-hour internship with at least 600 of those hours in a school setting, and pass the Praxis School Psychologist exam.

Here is the step-by-step. First, earn the EdS (or an equivalent specialist degree). The Minot State EdS is built to meet this standard, and it requires you to pass the Praxis to graduate, so step two is mostly handled for you. Second, take the Praxis School Psychologist exam (#5403). The NASP and national passing score is 155, and Minot State requires that 155 as an exit requirement. Third, submit your ESPB application with official transcripts and your Praxis scores. North Dakota issues an Initial (Restricted) two-year license to first-time applicants, then converts it to the Regular five-year license once you have worked roughly 18 months full-time in the state. Holding the Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential satisfies the program-quality piece and makes the application cleaner.

Private practice is a different track entirely. If you want to see clients outside the school system as a licensed psychologist, that license comes from the North Dakota State Board of Psychologist Examiners, not the ESPB, and it requires a doctorate in psychology from an APA-accredited program, supervised hours, and the EPPP plus a North Dakota jurisprudence exam. A specialist-level EdS does not qualify you for that license. Most North Dakota school psychologists never pursue it. They work in schools on the ESPB credential, which is what the EdS is designed for.

School Psychologist (ESPB)

North Dakota School Psychologist License

Practice as a school psychologist in North Dakota public schools and early childhood settings: assessment, counseling, crisis intervention, and intervention design

Hours

1,200

Duration

typically a 3-year program

Exam: Praxis School Psychologist exam (#5403, passing 155); Initial (Restricted) 2-year license, then Regular 5-year license after ~18 months full-time in ND

Licensed Psychologist (NDSBPE)

North Dakota Licensed Psychologist (private practice)

Independent practice of psychology outside the school system: assessment, therapy, and consultation

Hours

N/A

Duration

Associate

Exam: EPPP plus the North Dakota jurisprudence exam; requires pre-doctoral and postdoctoral supervised experience. A specialist EdS does not qualify.

Reciprocity & out-of-state licensing

North Dakota does not require you to train in-state. The ESPB credentials school psychologists who completed a NASP-approved specialist program anywhere, which is why the nearby Minnesota State Moorhead program is a realistic option for Fargo-area students. If you trained and worked as a school psychologist in another state, you apply to the ESPB and document your specialist degree, your 1,200-hour internship, and your Praxis score. Holding the NCSP national certification smooths that review, because it signals your training met NASP standards. Build in time for the paperwork before your first North Dakota school year, and expect an Initial two-year license first.

School Psychologist Salary in North Dakota

BLS state median wages by counseling specialty, with national comparison and top-paying metros.

North Dakota pays school psychologists below the national median, and there is no point pretending otherwise. The BLS May 2025 data puts the North Dakota median at $68,960, against a national median of $95,990. That is a gap of about 28%. The full state range runs from roughly $52,690 at the 10th percentile to about $84,660 at the 90th. These are district-salary-schedule jobs in a small, rural, low-cost state, so the numbers reflect the local labor market, not a reflection on the work itself.

The metro picture is thin because the workforce is small. The only North Dakota metro with a separately published school psychologist wage is Fargo, ND-MN, where the median is $63,280 across about 40 school psychologists, with the top 10% near $83,440. BLS did not publish separate school psychologist wages for Bismarck or Grand Forks in May 2025, which is what happens when an occupation has only a handful of workers in a metro. Statewide, that means the ND median of $68,960 is your best anchor number, and Fargo sits a bit below it. One honest upside: North Dakota has a low cost of living, so a $68,960 salary stretches further here than a six-figure salary does in a coastal metro. North Dakota does have a state income tax, though it is among the lowest in the country.

School Psychologists (BLS 19-3034)

$68,960 -28.2%
State
U.S.

National median: $95,990

Top metro: $63,280 (Fargo, ND-MN)

Clinical & Counseling Psychologists (private-practice comparison, BLS 19-3033)

$116,130 +15.4%
State
U.S.

National median: $100,580

Top metro: $116,130 (North Dakota (statewide))

North Dakota School Psychology Job Market and Shortage

Major employers, mental health shortage context, and loan repayment programs that erase debt for service.

There are not enough school psychologists in North Dakota, and that gap is the strongest thing this career has going for it in the state. NASP recommends one school psychologist for every 500 students. North Dakota employs only about 90 of them statewide, one of the smallest workforces in the country, spread across a lot of rural districts and tribal schools. The ESPB has declared broad educator shortages, and school psychology positions go unfilled for long stretches, especially outside the three biggest cities.

Most North Dakota school psychologists work for public school districts, multidistrict special education units (the cooperatives that pool services across small districts), and the special education programs that every district is legally required to run. Every special education eligibility decision rests on a psycho-educational evaluation, and in a state with this few school psychologists, that work piles up. The shortage is sharpest in rural areas and on reservations, which is exactly where Minot State aims its training: its grant partners with the Bureau of Indian Education Turtle Mountain Area Schools, and the program reports near-100% job placement because Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, Minot, and the rural cooperatives all compete for the same small pool of graduates.

Loan Repayment & Scholarship Programs

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). School psychologists employed full-time by a North Dakota public school district or special education unit qualify for federal PSLF, which forgives the remaining balance on Direct Loans after 120 qualifying payments. Eligibility is based on your public employer, not your job title.

North Dakota School Psychology Service Grant. This $4.4 million federal grant at Minot State can cover tuition, fees, and books for grant cohorts, plus mileage, meals, and childcare during practicum and internship. It is the single best way to keep debt off the table while you train in North Dakota.

Low cost of attendance. Minot State is a public university with low tuition to begin with, and it charges in-state rates to many residents of surrounding states, so total borrowing stays low even without the grant.

State Teacher Shortage Loan Forgiveness (verify eligibility). North Dakota runs a teacher shortage loan forgiveness program through DPI, but it is written around classroom teachers in declared shortage content areas. It is not clear that school psychologists qualify, so confirm with DPI before you count on it rather than assuming it covers your role.

How to Choose the Best School Psychology Program in North Dakota

Decision factors that actually matter, not generic checklist filler.

With one NASP-approved program in the state, the real decision is whether to train in North Dakota at all, or cross a border. Here is how the choices sort out.

If you want to train and work in North Dakota: Minot State is the only NASP-approved program in the state, and it is built for the ND ESPB credential. You pass the Praxis to graduate, so you finish credential-ready.

If you want to graduate debt-free: ask Minot State about the North Dakota School Psychology Service Grant. For students in a grant cohort, it can cover tuition, fees, and books, which is rare for any graduate program.

If you live near Fargo: Minnesota State University Moorhead sits in the Fargo-Moorhead metro, has been NASP-approved for 30 years, and offers an MS plus Specialist (PsyS) with a paid internship year. North Dakota credentials its graduates, so this is a legitimate in-region option.

If you want to serve rural or tribal schools: Minot State trains directly for that work, including a partnership with Bureau of Indian Education Turtle Mountain Area Schools, where the shortage is most severe and demand is steadiest.

If you are open to neighboring states: compare the South Dakota programs and the broader Minnesota programs. A NASP-approved degree from either still leads to the North Dakota ESPB license.

If you eventually want private practice: know that the EdS does not get you there. Private practice as a licensed psychologist runs through the North Dakota State Board of Psychologist Examiners and requires a doctorate. Plan that as a separate, later step if it matters to you.

Related Pages

School Psychologist Career Guide

What school psychologists actually do day to day

School Psychologist Salary

Salary data by state, experience, and setting

School Psychology Programs by State

Browse school psychology programs in every state

School Psychology Programs in South Dakota

NASP-approved school psychology programs in South Dakota

School Psychology Programs in Minnesota

NASP-approved school psychology programs in Minnesota

Frequently Asked Questions

You complete a specialist-level degree of at least 60 graduate hours from a NASP-approved school psychology program, usually a three-year EdS, that includes a 1,200-hour internship with at least 600 hours in a school. You pass the Praxis School Psychologist exam (#5403) with a score of 155 or better, then apply to the Education Standards and Practices Board (ESPB) with your transcripts and scores. North Dakota issues an Initial (Restricted) two-year license first, then a Regular five-year license after about 18 months of full-time work in the state.
There is one. The Education Specialist (EdS) in School Psychology at Minot State University is the only NASP-approved school psychology program in North Dakota. It has held NASP approval since 1998 and is currently approved through February 1, 2030. The University of North Dakota trains doctoral and forensic psychologists but does not run a NASP-approved school psychology specialist program. If you want a NASP-approved option near Fargo, Minnesota State University Moorhead is just across the river in Minnesota.
The BLS May 2025 median for school psychologists in North Dakota is $68,960, compared with $95,990 nationally, so the state pays about 28% below the national median. The range runs from roughly $52,690 at the 10th percentile to about $84,660 at the 90th. The Fargo, ND-MN metro is the only one with a separately published figure, at a $63,280 median. The numbers are modest, but North Dakota has a low cost of living, so the salary goes further than a coastal paycheck.
Minot State is a public university with low tuition, and it charges in-state rates to many residents of surrounding states. On top of that, the North Dakota School Psychology Service Grant, a $4.4 million federal award, can cover tuition, fees, and books for students in a grant cohort, plus mileage and childcare support during practicum and internship. Many students finish the EdS with little or no debt. Ask the program directly which costs the grant currently covers and whether the current cohort still has funded seats.
The Minot State EdS is a three-year program: two years of coursework with a second-year practicum, followed by a one-year, 1,200-hour internship. That structure matches the national specialist standard and the ESPB credential requirements. Doctoral training takes longer, five to six years, but you do not need a doctorate to work as a school psychologist in North Dakota schools. The EdS is the standard credential.
Yes, a severe one. North Dakota employs only about 90 school psychologists statewide, one of the smallest workforces in the country, and positions in rural districts and tribal schools often go unfilled. NASP recommends one school psychologist per 500 students, and North Dakota is well short of that. The ESPB has declared broad educator shortages, and Minot State reports near-100% job placement because districts across Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, Minot, and the rural cooperatives all compete for the same small pool of graduates.
Yes. The ESPB credentials school psychologists who completed a NASP-approved specialist program in any state, not just at Minot State. That is why Minnesota State University Moorhead, right across the river from Fargo, is a realistic option, and why South Dakota and other Minnesota programs work too. You apply to the ESPB, document your specialist degree, your 1,200-hour internship, and your Praxis score, and holding the NCSP national certification makes the review smoother.
No. The EdS and the ESPB school psychologist license authorize you to work in schools, not to run an independent practice. To practice privately as a licensed psychologist in North Dakota, you need a doctorate from an APA-accredited program, supervised pre-doctoral and postdoctoral hours, and a passing score on the EPPP plus the state jurisprudence exam, all through the North Dakota State Board of Psychologist Examiners. Most North Dakota school psychologists never pursue that license and work in schools on the ESPB credential.