NORTH DAKOTA (KXNET) — There are many factors to consider when thinking about which college to go to. How much will tuition cost? What's the community like? How is the quality of its classes and professors? The Ivy League schools on the east coast are often considered the cream of the crop, with some on the west coast, like USC, also being on that list. But there are many others that are great places for people of various backgrounds who want to pursue different majors. Nearly 19 million people are enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities, according to the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics, and over 40% of these students leave home to pursue higher education. A new study by Smilehub ranked the 50 states from the best places for college to the worst, based on three major categories: education quality and support, social life, and economic environment. North Dakota is 9th on the list. The Peace Garden State has a decent social life, coming in 12th out of all 50 states in the category, but struggles with education quality and support, where it placed 43rd. This is exemplified by us having the third fewest education charities per capita in the country. However, the state really stood out in its economic environment ranking, taking the top spot, with South Dakota right behind. North Dakota's lower cost of living offers students some breathing room, especially for those who know they'll have to pay for room and board. Some of the other rankings of our state include: 2nd – Share of Population Aged 18-35 1st – Student Loan Debt per Person (lowest) 5th – Students per Capita 4th – Living Wage 5th – Students per Capita How to keep your mental wellness in focus during winter North Dakota also has a solid community college system, ranking 8th in the country according to a WalletHub study. This makes it a great place for local young adults to figure out what they want to do if they need more time or get their grades up before applying to university. The best college town in North Dakota is Grand Forks, which came in 107th on another WalletHub study. Fargo also made the top 200. Thanks to the low cost of living and the tendency of younger people to want to go to the eastern part of the state, these cities are great places for college students to start their journey into the real world. Our neighbors are all over the place, with Minnesota being 13th, South Dakota being 31st, and Montana being 49th. As expected, the top five on the list are Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, Rhode Island, and California. Schools considered top tier such as Columbia, Harvard, MIT, and Brown propelled some of these states to the top. The bottom five are South Carolina, Arkansas, Alaska, Montana, and West Virginia. Picking the right college is all about doing what's right for you, and knowing what you would like to get out of it. Whether it's the affordability, social life, or quality of education that matters most to you, there are plenty of options out there if you keep looking. To read the full study and see all the categories used to determine each state's score, click here. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Today's Top Stories SIGN UP NOW