US CollegesColleges in West Virginia: cost, admission and results
35 degree-granting colleges and universities in West Virginia, with the admission rate, net price, graduation rate and earnings of each. The largest are American Public University System (40,074 undergraduates), West Virginia University (17,385 undergraduates), Marshall University (7,266 undergraduates).
West Virginia at a glance
- Colleges on this site
- 35
- Public / private nonprofit / for-profit
- 21 / 9 / 5
- Median in-state tuition and fees
- $9,570
- Median net price a year
- $11,123
- Median admission rate
- 93%
- Median graduation rate
- 44%
- Median earnings 10 years on
- $43,879
No college in this list matches.
| College | Admission rate | Net price a year | Graduation rate | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Public University SystemCharles Town, WV · Private for-profit | not reported | $11,116 | 60% | $41,320 |
| Ameritas CollegeHuntington, WV · Private nonprofit | not reported | $11,490 | 15% | $25,861 |
| Appalachian Bible CollegeMount Hope, WV · Private nonprofit | 78% | $12,190 | 68% | $42,377 |
| Bethany CollegeBethany, WV · Private nonprofit | 59% | $22,129 | 48% | $49,672 |
| Blue Ridge Community and Technical CollegeMartinsburg, WV · Public | not reported | $4,899 | 30% | $42,127 |
| Bluefield State UniversityBluefield, WV · Public | 97% | $11,130 | 34% | $45,981 |
| BridgeValley Community & Technical CollegeSouth Charleston, WV · Public | not reported | $5,757 | 29% | $42,493 |
| Catholic International UniversityCharles Town, WV · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Concord UniversityAthens, WV · Public | 93% | $9,484 | 41% | $45,054 |
| Davis & Elkins CollegeElkins, WV · Private nonprofit | 94% | $18,810 | 44% | $45,563 |
| Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical CollegeMoorefield, WV · Public | not reported | $4,544 | 44% | $33,951 |
| Fairmont State UniversityFairmont, WV · Public | 99% | $10,060 | 55% | $49,370 |
| Future Generations UniversityFranklin, WV · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Glenville State UniversityGlenville, WV · Public | not reported | $10,748 | 29% | $44,924 |
| Marshall UniversityHuntington, WV · Public | 96% | $7,341 | 53% | $49,444 |
| Mountwest Community and Technical CollegeHuntington, WV · Public | not reported | $5,632 | 25% | $35,978 |
| New River Community and Technical CollegeBeaver, WV · Public | not reported | $1,743 | 44% | $34,178 |
| Pierpont Community and Technical CollegeFairmont, WV · Public | not reported | $7,940 | 50% | $38,209 |
| Potomac State College of West Virginia UniversityKeyser, WV · Public | not reported | $13,967 | 36% | $62,910 |
| Salem UniversitySalem, WV · Private for-profit | not reported | $12,107 | 24% | $42,194 |
| Shepherd UniversityShepherdstown, WV · Public | 97% | $7,940 | 50% | $54,833 |
| Southern West Virginia Community and Technical CollegeLogan, WV · Public | not reported | $8,503 | 36% | $36,802 |
| Strayer University-West VirginiaScott Depot, WV · Private for-profit | not reported | not reported | not reported | $44,016 |
| University of CharlestonCharleston, WV · Private nonprofit | 62% | $23,793 | 47% | $56,207 |
| West Liberty UniversityWest Liberty, WV · Public | 97% | $8,988 | 52% | $49,503 |
| West Virginia Junior College-CharlestonCross Lanes, WV · Private for-profit | not reported | $17,013 | 84% | $32,951 |
| West Virginia Junior College-MorgantownMorgantown, WV · Private for-profit | not reported | $15,685 | 77% | $37,336 |
| West Virginia Northern Community CollegeWheeling, WV · Public | not reported | $4,488 | 31% | $36,163 |
| West Virginia School of Osteopathic MedicineLewisburg, WV · Public | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| West Virginia State UniversityInstitute, WV · Public | 96% | $13,624 | 36% | $43,742 |
| West Virginia UniversityMorgantown, WV · Public | 89% | $18,020 | 66% | $62,910 |
| West Virginia University Institute of TechnologyBeckley, WV · Public | 37% | $14,942 | 30% | $62,910 |
| West Virginia University at ParkersburgParkersburg, WV · Public | not reported | not reported | 34% | $38,665 |
| West Virginia Wesleyan CollegeBuckhannon, WV · Private nonprofit | 93% | $17,980 | 50% | $55,361 |
| Wheeling UniversityWheeling, WV · Private nonprofit | 63% | $11,350 | 36% | $64,655 |
"Not reported" means the Department of Education has no figure, often because the college is small, new, or does not take first-time students. Medians are the middle value of the colleges listed here.
The colleges of West Virginia in brief
Of the 35 colleges listed for West Virginia, 21 are public, 9 are private nonprofit and 5 are private for-profit. By level, 20 mainly award bachelor's degrees, 13 mainly award two-year associate degrees and 2 mainly award graduate degrees. Together they teach about 96,302 undergraduates, 50% of them at public colleges. The three largest, American Public University System, West Virginia University and Marshall University, hold 67% of the total, and the middle-sized college has 1,014 undergraduates. The towns with the most colleges are Huntington (3), Charles Town (2) and Fairmont (2).
What college costs in West Virginia
At the public colleges, the median published tuition and fees are $7,468 a year for students from West Virginia and $13,488 for students from elsewhere. At the private nonprofit colleges the median is $31,815. Published prices are not what most families pay. Counting colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the lowest average net price after grants is at New River Community and Technical College ($1,743) and West Virginia Northern Community College ($4,488) and the highest at University of Charleston ($23,793) and Bethany College ($22,129). The median net price across the state, $11,123, is 36% below the national median of $17,357.
Getting in
15 of the 35 colleges report an admission rate. The hardest to get into are West Virginia University Institute of Technology (37% admitted), Bethany College (59% admitted) and University of Charleston (62% admitted). 11 of them admit at least seven applicants in ten. 18 colleges have an open admission policy and report no rate: they do not turn applicants away on grades or test scores.
Finishing and earning
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the highest share of students finishing their course is at West Virginia Junior College-Charleston (84%), West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown (77%) and West Virginia University (66%). The median graduation rate of the state's colleges is 44%, against 49% for the country. Ten years after starting, former students with federal aid earn the most at Wheeling University ($64,655), Potomac State College of West Virginia University ($62,910) and West Virginia University ($62,910). The state median for that measure is $43,879, 17% below the national $53,132. Students who finish leave with a median federal loan debt of $18,978 (national median $19,994). Earnings follow the subjects a college teaches as much as its quality, so compare like with like.
Questions about colleges in West Virginia
How many colleges are there in West Virginia?
This site lists 35 open, degree-granting colleges and universities in West Virginia, out of 3,161 on the whole site. Schools that mainly give short certificates are not counted.
What is the largest college in West Virginia?
American Public University System in Charles Town, with about 40,074 undergraduate students.
Which college in West Virginia has the lowest net price?
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, New River Community and Technical College: students with federal aid paid an average of $1,743 a year after grants. Students from other states or countries usually pay more.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education, data released on 2 November 2026; checked in November 2026. Net price, debt and earnings describe students who received US federal aid. Costs change each year. This is official data for general information, not advice: confirm costs and admission rules on the college's own website and at collegescorecard.ed.gov.