Turtle Mountain College
Turtle Mountain College — Earnings vs Cost (vs National Average)
Turtle Mountain College at a Glance
Turtle Mountain College is a private tribal land-grant college in Belcourt, North Dakota. It is located ten miles (16 km) from the Canada–US border in Turtle Mountain, the north central portion of North Dakota. In 2012, TMCC's enrollment was 630 full- and part-time certificate and degree-seeking students.
1972
54 years old
Identity
Is Turtle Mountain College Worth It?
Turtle Mountain College is one of the strongest value propositions in higher education. At $3,428/year net price and $32,079 median earnings, graduates earn 9.4× their annual cost within a decade of enrolling.
The investment pays for itself in just 0.4 years — among the fastest payback periods of any college we track.
A 49% graduation rate is a serious red flag — fewer than 5 in 10 students finish. Those who don't graduate may still carry student debt without the higher-earning credential to show for it.
Bottom line: Turtle Mountain College delivers strong financial returns that justify the investment for most students.
How Turtle Mountain College compares to peer private nonprofit colleges of similar tier nationally
Ranked #1 of 76 on value score. Peers are matched by size, median earnings, SAT, and admission rate — not just geography.
| Rank | College | Value | Net price / yr | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Turtle Mountain College | 100 | $3,428 | $32,079 |
| #2 | College of Biblical Studies-Houston | 100 | $672 | $39,260 |
| #3 | Yeshiva Gedolah Imrei Yosef D'spinka | 52 | $5,646 | $36,545 |
| #4 | United Tribes Technical College | 49 | $3,569 | $25,292 |
| #5 | University of Fort Lauderdale | 48 | $19,965 | $38,062 |
| #6 | Universidad Central de Bayamon | 47 | $4,827 | $25,021 |
Peer group: private nonprofit colleges within ±60% of Turtle Mountain College's student body size and within a similar academic tier (SAT ±80, admit rate ±10pp, median earnings ±25%). 1 in ND.
Best Programs at Turtle Mountain College
Program-level earnings data isn't available for Turtle Mountain College. When evaluating whether to attend, research outcomes for your specific major using the Department of Education's College Scorecard or ask the admissions office for placement rates.
As a general rule: STEM, nursing, accounting, and computer science programs tend to deliver the strongest ROI regardless of institution. Humanities and arts programs can still be worthwhile, but require more intentional career planning to achieve financial payoff.
Return on Investment
Estimated 4-Year Cost
Based on $3,428/yr net price × 4 years
Earnings Premium
vs. national average of $53,787/yr
Payback Period
Time to recoup the total cost through higher earnings
10-Year Net Gain
Median earnings over 10 years minus total cost of attendance
Similar Colleges in ND
Quick Facts
- Institution Type
- private
- Location
- Belcourt, ND
- Student Body
- 543 students
- Graduation Rate
- 49%
- Net Price (Annual)
- $3,428
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $32,079