West Virginia University
A good fit for students who want accessible admissions and students who want a large campus community. no major red flags in the data. a public school with 17,385 students.
About This School
West Virginia University is a public institution located in Morgantown, West Virginia with approximately 17,385 undergraduate students enrolled. West Virginia University has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 89%. The average net price after financial aid is $15,634 per year. The graduation rate is 65%, and the typical graduate earns $52,700 within 10 years of enrollment.
West Virginia University (WVU) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Morgantown, West Virginia, United States. Its other campuses are those of the West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Beckley, West Virginia University Potomac State College in Keyser, and clinical campuses for the university's medical school at the Charleston Area Medical Center and Eastern Campus in Martinsburg. WVU Extension Service provides outreach with offices in all 55 West Virginia counties.
The numbers tell a mixed story here: the average net price of roughly $13,000/year and low median debt of $15,500 make this one of the more affordable paths to a degree, and the land-grant research university setting offers real breadth in programs. However, the 61% graduation rate is a genuine concern — nearly 4 in 10 students don't finish — so if you choose WVU, go in with a clear plan and use support resources early. Worth considering if you're cost-conscious and drawn to a large, spirited campus in Morgantown, but students who thrive here tend to be self-directed about staying on track.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
What This School Looks For
From the school's most recent Common Data Set (2024-25). What the admissions office actually weighs:
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 13% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
West Virginia University graduates earn most above the national rate in Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences ($70,165 vs $62,172 nationally), and most below it in Finance and Financial Management Services ($76,959 vs $83,343).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 200 | $57,359 | $54,562 | +$2,797 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 186 | $83,750 | $88,910 | −$5,160 |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 162 | $70,165 | $62,172 | +$7,993 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 161 | $90,461 | $92,135 | −$1,674 |
| Psychology, General | 155 | $51,263 | $50,706 | +$557 |
| Marketing | 154 | $69,357 | $69,303 | +$54 |
| Journalism | 152 | $58,454 | $56,278 | +$2,176 |
| Biology, General | 140 | $57,486 | $57,214 | +$272 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 138 | $76,959 | $83,343 | −$6,384 |
| Business/Commerce, General | 135 | $65,372 | $68,407 | −$3,035 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 128 | $56,132 | $53,072 | +$3,060 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 120 | $73,646 | $68,257 | +$5,389 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing a bachelor's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (17,385 undergraduates).
In the Classroom & On Campus
Source: West Virginia University Common Data Set (2024-25).
Contact & Location
Official Links
Schools Like This in West Virginia
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West Liberty University
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BridgeValley Community & Technical College
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See How Colleges Compare
West Virginia University is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at West Virginia University?
West Virginia University has an acceptance rate of 89%, based on the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education.
Is West Virginia University hard to get into?
Not especially. West Virginia University has an acceptance rate of 89%, so admissions are relatively accessible for applicants who meet the requirements.
How much does West Virginia University cost?
The average net price at West Virginia University is about $15,634 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at West Virginia University?
West Virginia University has a graduation rate of 65%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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