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State profile · 66 colleges · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Colleges in West Virginia

Colleges in West Virginia from PlainCollege's Scorecard dataset, compared on acceptance, cost, and 10-year former-student earnings.

66
Colleges
$38,198
Avg 10-yr earnings (59 of 66)
81.3%
Avg acceptance

Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

West Virginia · the picture in one line

West Virginia's 59 of 66 colleges that report earnings average $38,198 in 10-year former-student earnings - 46th highest of 56 states and territories that report.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

#46
of 56 states by avg former-student earnings
$69,666
top earnings - West Virginia University Hospital Departments of Rad Tech and Nutrition
81.3%
avg acceptance (17 reporting)
40 / 13 / 13
public / nonprofit / for-profit

Best earnings-to-cost value among West Virginia colleges with reported figures: West Virginia University Institute of Technology.

West Virginia · enrollment ≠ earnings

In West Virginia, American Public University System leads by undergraduate enrollment (40,074 students, #1 of 59) but ranks #16 of 59 on 10-year median earnings ($44,409), while West Virginia University Hospital Departments of Rad Tech and Nutrition tops earnings at $69,666 (#1 of 59) with 62 students (#45 of 59). The biggest campus is not always the highest-paying outcome.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

40,074
American Public enrollment #1
$69,666
West Virginia earnings #1
#1
Enrollment rank of earnings leader
#16
Earnings rank of enrollment leader

Enrollment is IPEDS fall headcount; earnings are Scorecard 10-year medians for federally aided former students. Different populations, not one ROI ratio.

Enrollment of West Virginia's #1 campuses by size vs earnings

Same unit (undergraduate students) for both named leaders.

students

What this shows American Public University System is largest by enrollment; West Virginia University Hospital Departments of Rad Tech and Nutrition leads on 10-year earnings at $69,666.

Source IPEDS via College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

This page aggregates colleges and universities in West Virginia returned by PlainCollege's U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard snapshot. It combines IPEDS-derived institutional fields with Treasury-derived earnings published for federal-aid recipients. Coverage includes public flagships, regional comprehensives, community and technical colleges, private nonprofit institutions, and for-profit schools.

The state-aggregate statistics below include all reporting institutions in West Virginia as a single denominator, community colleges, public universities, private nonprofits, and for-profit institutions are pooled. State averages are therefore useful for high-level framing (in-state tuition is X, average admission rate is Y, average earnings are Z) but should not be read as representative of any specific sector or institution. Drill into individual school profiles for the full picture: admissions, costs (sticker and net), federal-aid usage, completion, retention, demographics, and earnings outcomes 6 and 10 years after enrollment.

The Scorecard data used here was retrieved in March–July 2026. That retrieval window is not the measurement year: tuition and enrollment fields retain their source reporting periods, while 10-year institution earnings describe federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year, a decade after entry.

Largest Colleges in West Virginia by Enrollment

IPEDS Fall enrollment via College Scorecard.

students

What this shows Enrollment size reflects institutional scale, not quality or on-campus experience - a large school here can still be a small, selective program relative to its state peers.

Source IPEDS As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Highest Earnings, 10-Year Median: West Virginia

U.S. Treasury earnings linkage via College Scorecard.

USD

What this shows Former-student earnings vary by program mix and local labor market as much as by the school itself; this comparison does not isolate a school's causal effect.

Source College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

The ROI lens

West Virginia colleges: earnings vs. cost

West Virginia colleges, positioned by earnings vs net price Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 14 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. West Virginia colleges, positioned by earnings vs net price COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $25K $59K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $2K $23K Avg Net Price ($) American Public University System: $44K earn · $10K net · 55% grad American Public Un… West Virginia University: $56K earn · $16K net · 63% grad West Virginia Univ… Marshall University: $46K earn · $8K net · 50% grad Marshall University Fairmont State University: $47K earn · $9K net · 46% grad Fairmont State Uni… Shepherd University: $49K earn · $11K net · 50% grad Shepherd University University of Charleston: $56K earn · $22K net · 46% grad University of Char… West Virginia University at Parkersburg: $35K earn · $2K net · 20% grad BridgeValley Community & Technical College: $36K earn · $5K net · 30% grad Blue Ridge Community and Technical College: $39K earn · $5K net · 37% grad West Liberty University: $43K earn · $15K net · 60% grad Concord University: $43K earn · $10K net · 41% grad West Virginia State University: $40K earn · $11K net · 36% grad Mountwest Community and Technical College: $29K earn · $8K net · 18% grad Glenville State University: $39K earn · $14K net · 35% grad Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

National context

How West Virginia ranks among the states

West Virginia's average 10-year earnings of $38,198 place it in the 20th percentile among all 56 states and territories tracked by the College Scorecard.

West Virginia: average former-student earnings vs. every state

State-average 10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$38,198 20th percentile higher than 20% of 56 states & territories

$24,000–$28,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Below this entry. $28,000–$32,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $32,000–$36,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Below this entry. $36,000–$40,000: 12 states & territories (21%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$44,000: 14 states & territories (25%). Above this entry. $44,000–$48,000: 10 states & territories (18%). Above this entry. $48,000–$52,000: 7 states & territories (13%). Above this entry. $52,000–$56,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Above this entry. $56,000–$60,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Above this entry. WV $24,000 $60,000 every state, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $4K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

West Virginia vs. every state, at a glance
EarningsAffordabilityOptionsAccess

Each axis is this state's percentile among all states & territories on that metric (Earnings/Affordability/Options/Access) -- not a composite grade, just four independent comparisons in one shape.

School type matters

How school type shapes earnings in West Virginia

Average 10-year former-student earnings by institution type. Program mix, selectivity, student background, and local labor markets all contribute to the observed gaps, so read this beside each school's own figures.

Average former-student earnings by school type - West Virginia

Mean of per-school 10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

avg earnings

What this shows Keeping schools within one state reduces some regional variation, but this descriptive comparison does not control for program mix, selection, or student background.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
66
Total Schools
$12,273
Avg In-State Tuition (35 of 66)
81.3%
Avg Acceptance Rate (17 of 66)
$38,198
Avg Median Earnings (59 of 66)
40 Public 13 Private NP 13 For-Profit
Ownership Breakdown

What the IPEDS Data Shows for Colleges in West Virginia

PlainCollege's Scorecard dataset contains 66 postsecondary institutions in West Virginia. The ownership mix is 40 public institutions, 13 private nonprofits, and 13 private for-profit schools. Public institutions often report lower in-state tuition because state appropriations subsidize the published price, while private nonprofits may show higher sticker prices partly offset by institutional aid.

Cost and selectivity signals vary widely even within a single state. The average in-state tuition among the 35 of 66 West Virginia institutions that report one is $12,273, and the average admission rate among the 17 that report one sits at 81.3%. Admission rates from IPEDS exclude open-enrollment institutions, which is why community colleges and many for-profits show as unreported rather than at 100 percent. Looking at the table, the acceptance-rate column is blank for schools that don’t screen applicants, a meaningful distinction when evaluating selectivity alongside earnings.

Institution-level earnings connect cost to one observed outcome. Among the 59 of 66 West Virginia colleges that report 10-year median earnings, federally aided former students show a mean of $38,198, based on Treasury-derived records published through the Scorecard. Because earnings depend heavily on field of study, student background, and local labor markets, state-level averages should be read alongside each school’s program mix. The table sorts institutions with reported IPEDS enrollment so users can compare acceptance rates, enrollment scale, and median earnings side by side.

All Schools in West Virginia

School Name City Type Enrollment Acceptance Rate 10yr Earnings
American Public University System Charles Town For-Profit 40,074 - $44,409
West Virginia University Morgantown Public 17,385 89.0% $55,939
Marshall University Huntington Public 7,266 95.7% $46,354
Fairmont State University Fairmont Public 2,590 98.6% $46,857
Shepherd University Shepherdstown Public 2,344 96.8% $49,358
University of Charleston Charleston Private NP 2,259 61.5% $55,774
West Virginia University at Parkersburg Parkersburg Public 1,868 - $35,171
BridgeValley Community & Technical College South Charleston Public 1,854 - $36,432
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College Martinsburg Public 1,661 - $39,293
West Liberty University West Liberty Public 1,511 97.3% $43,296
Concord University Athens Public 1,504 92.6% $42,703
West Virginia State University Institute Public 1,321 96.0% $40,492
Mountwest Community and Technical College Huntington Public 1,160 - $28,951
Glenville State University Glenville Public 1,096 - $39,315
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College Logan Public 1,064 - $32,153
Bluefield State University Bluefield Public 1,042 97.2% $38,217
West Virginia Northern Community College Wheeling Public 1,014 - $30,162
West Virginia University Institute of Technology Beckley Public 981 36.7% $55,939
Pierpont Community and Technical College Fairmont Public 959 - $35,132
West Virginia Wesleyan College Buckhannon Private NP 954 93.3% $51,593
Salem University Salem For-Profit 892 - $34,642
Potomac State College of West Virginia University Keyser Public 853 - $55,939
New River Community and Technical College Beaver Public 770 - $29,073
Valley College-Martinsburg Martinsburg Private NP 765 - $24,900
West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown Morgantown For-Profit 673 - $31,912
Davis & Elkins College Elkins Private NP 661 94.3% $43,411
Bethany College Bethany Private NP 614 58.8% $44,512
Wheeling University Wheeling Private NP 589 63.2% $57,949
West Virginia Junior College-Charleston Cross Lanes For-Profit 394 - $27,472
Strayer University-West Virginia Scott Depot For-Profit 234 - $40,092
Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College Moorefield Public 225 - $31,636
Appalachian Bible College Mount Hope Private NP 193 77.8% $37,467
Ameritas College Huntington Private NP 181 - $21,783
Carver Career Center Charleston Public 169 - $33,739
Academy of Careers and Technology Beckley Public 168 - $32,756
Valley College-Beckley Beckley Private NP 165 - $24,070
Mercer County Technical Education Center Princeton Public 120 - $33,511
Catholic International University Charles Town Private NP 116 - -
Huntington School of Beauty Culture Huntington For-Profit 111 - $24,794
Fred W Eberle Technical Center Buckhannon Public 109 - $43,364
James Rumsey Technical Institute Martinsburg Public 99 - $45,133
International Beauty School Martinsburg For-Profit 86 - $18,906
Ben Franklin Career Center Dunbar Public 78 - $37,962
Morgantown Beauty College Inc Morgantown For-Profit 68 - $22,230
Ross Medical Education Center-Charleston Charleston For-Profit 65 - $30,072
West Virginia University Hospital Departments of Rad Tech and Nutrition Morgantown Private NP 62 - $69,666
Boone Career and Technical Center Foster Public 59 - -
Cabell County Career Technology Center Huntington Public 51 - $33,975
Clarksburg Beauty Academy and School of Massage Therapy Clarksburg For-Profit 47 - $16,306
Charleston School of Beauty Culture Charleston For-Profit 46 - $17,827
Monongalia County Technical Education Center Morgantown Public 43 58.3% $40,499
Fayette Institute of Technology Oak Hill Public 32 - $41,880
Mountain State School of Massage Charleston For-Profit 32 - $27,545
Wood County Technical Center-Practical Nursing Parkersburg Public 31 75.0% $40,547
Ross College-Morgantown Morgantown For-Profit 30 - $30,481
Roane-Jackson Technical Center Leroy Public 28 - $33,982
Putnam Career and Technical Center Eleanor Public 27 - $36,203
John D Rockefeller IV Career Center New Cumberland Public 20 - $43,264
Ralph R Willis Career and Technical Center Stollings Public 18 - $51,465
B M Spurr School of Practical Nursing Glen Dale Private NP 17 - -
Randolph Technical Center Elkins Public 15 - -
Mineral County Vocational Technical Center Keyser Public 14 - $46,022
United Technical Center Clarksburg Public 10 - $49,130
Mingo Extended Learning Center Delbarton Public 9 - -
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine Lewisburg Public - - -
Future Generations University Franklin Private NP - - -

Featured Colleges in West Virginia

Quick picks from this state – compare two schools side by side

American Public University System
Charles Town, WV
40,074 students
West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV
17,385 students
Marshall University
Huntington, WV
7,266 students
Fairmont State University
Fairmont, WV
2,590 students
Shepherd University
Shepherdstown, WV
2,344 students
Compare American Public University System vs West Virginia University →

Explore more West Virginia data

Highest-earning colleges → Best value colleges → ROI calculator → Compare states →

Guides & Resources

Is College Worth It?

A data-driven answer using earnings and cost data.

How to Compare Colleges

A framework for picking schools with data, not rankings alone.

Financial Aid & Net Price

How net price differs from sticker price and financial aid.

Understanding College Earnings Data

How Scorecard earnings figures are measured and their limits.

About This Data

According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, PlainCollege's current snapshots were retrieved in March–July 2026. This state's institution-level figures come from the July retrieval, including IPEDS-derived characteristics. Earnings represent median income 10 years after enrollment for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year, using U.S. Treasury-derived records published through the Scorecard.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What this means for West Virginia applicants

  • West Virginia has 66 colleges in PlainCollege's Scorecard dataset, spanning community colleges, public flagships, and private institutions.
  • Average reported admission rate across West Virginia colleges is 81.3% - individual schools vary widely, check each profile for its own rate.
  • State-level averages pool every reporting institution together; run a specific school's numbers before assuming the state figure applies to it.Use the ROI calculator

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or educational advice. State-level averages pool every reporting institution and do not predict any individual school's outcome.

Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. State-level rollups are computed directly from College Scorecard and IPEDS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.