More selective than 86% of West Virginia colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $46,470. College Scorecard.
Higher than 56% of West Virginia colleges we cover and 34% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 76% of West Virginia colleges we cover and 58% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
University of Charleston acceptance rate & admissions
Of 1,635 applicants, University of Charleston admitted 1,055 and 253 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
University of Charleston tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What University of Charleston costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of University of Charleston took 4.2 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in West Virginia. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $21,427 | $89,565 | 3.9 years |
| $30–48k | $25,331 | $105,884 | 4.6 years |
| $48–75k | $16,945 | $70,830 | 3.1 years |
| $75–110k | $20,215 | $84,499 | 3.7 years |
| $110k+ | $23,795 | $99,463 | 4.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (39% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($55,774) minus $32,695 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WV (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $23,079 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
University of Charleston majors, earnings & careers
University of Charleston offers 26 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Health & Medicine · 5
- Humanities & Languages · 4
- Business & Finance · 3
- Communications & Media · 3
- Science & Math · 3
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 3
- Arts & Design · 2
- Education · 2
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at University of Charleston
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $83,847 | $27,250 |
| Business Administration | $74,791 | $13,666 |
| Accounting | $71,104 | — |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | $64,571 | $27,000 |
| Biology | $63,958 | $24,125 |
| Graphic Communications | $47,037 | — |
| Political Science | $43,601 | — |
Quick list of all 26 majors
- Accounting$71,104
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)$64,571
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$63,958
- Broadcasting / Digital Media—
- Business Administration$74,791
- Chemistry—
- Computer Science—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- English—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- Graphic Communications$47,037
- Health Administration—
- History—
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Management Science / Analytics—
- Nursing$83,847
- Political Science$43,601
- Psychology—
- Public Health—
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Security / Homeland Security—
- Special Education—
- Studio Art—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) → Radiologic technologist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.0% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Charleston
Overall prices in the Charleston, WV area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,048. Housing costs 49% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 46 inches of rain a year, 32 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: river flooding (relatively high); winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Kanawha County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Kanawha County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare University of Charleston with similar schools
Similar private colleges in West Virginia by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Charleston | 62% | $22,107 | 46% | $55,774 | This school |
| Bethany College | 59% | $18,605 | 47% | $44,512 | |
| Wheeling University | 63% | $20,503 | 23% | $57,949 | |
| Appalachian Bible College | 78% | $11,579 | 71% | $37,467 | |
| Davis & Elkins College | 94% | $18,273 | 39% | $43,411 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
University of Charleston would cost you $3,502 more per year than Bethany College, on average.
- Lower sticker price at University of Charleston, mostly from lower tuition & fees (−$2,965).
- Bethany College gives aided families $7,790 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, West Virginia resident | University of Charleston | Bethany College | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $33,800 | $36,765 | −$2,965 |
| Books & supplies | $2,000 | $700 | +$1,300 |
| Housing & meals | $11,162 | $12,936 | −$1,774 |
| Personal & travel | $2,730 | $2,716 | +$14 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$3,222 | −$2,359 | −$863 |
| Sticker price | $46,470 | $50,758 | −$4,288 |
| Average grants | −$24,363 | −$32,153 | +$7,790 |
| You pay | $22,107 | $18,605 | +$3,502 |
“+” means University of Charleston costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about University of Charleston
What is the University of Charleston acceptance rate?
University of Charleston accepts 62% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 1,055 of 1,635 applicants were admitted.
How much does University of Charleston cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $46,470 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $22,107 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $21,427 and families earning $110k+ pay $23,795.
How much do University of Charleston graduates earn?
Former University of Charleston students earn a median $55,774 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the University of Charleston graduation rate?
46% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 75% return for their second year.
How long does a University of Charleston degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at University of Charleston costs about $70,830 after grants ($16,945 a year for 4.2 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $55,774 ten years after starting, $23,079 more than high school graduates in West Virginia ($32,695), so the cost is repaid in 3.1 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “University of Charleston: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-charleston (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).