BISMARCK, ND (KXNET) — Higher education is something many Americans strive to complete, and the evolving nature of the labor force means that degrees are more valuable than ever. This idea has grabbed the attention of state governments — many of which devote large amounts of funding towards schools and programs designed to train the next generation of professionals. As it would happen, this is especially the case in North Dakota... but the question of whether or not these funds will continue to increase remains to be seen. Wildfires break out in Bismarck/Wilton area As part of an overview of funding increases in recent times, digital marketing agency Hennessey Digital analyzed data from the National Center of Science and Engineering Statistics to discover not only the amount of money given out per student in higher education or full-time equivalency programs, but also how it has changed over the years. When the growth percentages were weighed against one another, it was revealed that North Dakota has seen one of the smallest increases in funding between 2021 and 2022. According to the study, while North Dakota features a surprisingly large amount of funding for higher education compared to other states, the exact amount of money funneled into these programs has not seen much change. In contrast to these results, states like Alabama and Illinois report overall lower levels of funding over time — but this also results in their growth becoming far more prevalent when viewed from a numerical standpoint. In the case of Missouri, Michigan, and Colorado, this increase is double or more than double the national average. “It’s interesting to see how the entire top 10 has experienced an increase in funding that surpasses the national average of just 21%," states Hennessey Digital's CEO. Jason Hennessey, "and that the top five states have more than doubled this average. Moreover, it’s interesting to note that four states in the top five are in fact at the bottom of the national ranking. These states have experienced the highest increases in funding, highlighting a shift in resource allocation toward historically underfunded regions.” For more information about student assistance in ND, visit this Bank of North Dakota's FAFSA guide here. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Today's Top Stories SIGN UP NOW