More selective than 29% 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 $19,772. College Scorecard.
Higher than 39% of West Virginia colleges we cover and 23% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 24% of West Virginia colleges we cover and 13% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
West Virginia State University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 4,465 applicants, West Virginia State University admitted 4,303 and 322 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 760–1040 on the SAT or 15–20 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
West Virginia State University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for West Virginia residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What West Virginia State University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of West Virginia State University took 4.3 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 | $9,457 | $40,760 | 5.2 years |
| $30–48k | $10,225 | $44,070 | 5.7 years |
| $48–75k | $10,703 | $46,130 | 5.9 years |
| $75–110k | $13,798 | $59,469 | 7.6 years |
| $110k+ | $17,355 | $74,800 | 9.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (25% 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 ($40,492) minus $32,695 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WV (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $7,797 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.
West Virginia State University majors, earnings & careers
West Virginia State University offers 25 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 6
- Humanities & Languages · 4
- Business & Finance · 3
- Health & Medicine · 3
- Science & Math · 3
- Arts & Design · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
- Education · 1
- Engineering · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at West Virginia State University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration | $50,169 | $27,045 |
| Criminal Justice | $50,063 | $25,860 |
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | $47,026 | $31,125 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $46,622 | $24,501 |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $43,924 | $26,932 |
| Psychology | $42,434 | $26,305 |
| Social Work | $41,571 | $37,371 |
| English | $40,303 | — |
Quick list of all 25 majors
- Accounting—
- Biology—
- Business Administration$50,169
- Chemistry—
- Communications$37,866
- Computer Science—
- Criminal Justice$50,063
- Economics—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$43,924
- Engineering—
- English$40,303
- Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other—
- History—
- International / Global Studies—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$46,622
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$47,026
- Mathematics—
- Music—
- Nursing—
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$42,434
- Social Work$41,571
- Sociology—
- Studio Art$22,764
— 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
Criminal Justice → Police officer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 3.5% 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. 48 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 West Virginia State University with similar schools
Similar public 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia State University | 96% | $11,139 | 39% | $40,492 | This school |
| Bluefield State University | 97% | $13,684 | 37% | $38,217 | |
| Concord University | 93% | $9,966 | 39% | $42,703 | |
| Fairmont State University | 99% | $9,032 | 44% | $46,857 | |
| Shepherd University | 97% | $11,363 | 51% | $49,358 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
West Virginia State University would cost you $2,545 less per year than Bluefield State University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at West Virginia State University, mostly from a lower estimate for personal & travel costs (−$1,977).
- West Virginia State University gives aided families $478 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, West Virginia resident | West Virginia State University | Bluefield State University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $9,570 | $10,648 | −$1,078 |
| Books & supplies | $1,309 | $1,200 | +$109 |
| Housing & meals | $12,936 | $11,327 | +$1,609 |
| Personal & travel | $2,323 | $4,300 | −$1,977 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$6,366 | −$5,636 | −$730 |
| Sticker price | $19,772 | $21,839 | −$2,067 |
| Average grants | −$8,633 | −$8,155 | −$478 |
| You pay | $11,139 | $13,684 | −$2,545 |
“+” means West Virginia State University 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 West Virginia State University
What is the West Virginia State University acceptance rate?
West Virginia State University accepts 96% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 4,303 of 4,465 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 760–1040 on the SAT or 15–20 on the ACT.
How much does West Virginia State University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $19,772 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $11,139 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $9,457 and families earning $110k+ pay $17,355.
How much do West Virginia State University graduates earn?
Former West Virginia State University students earn a median $40,492 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the West Virginia State University graduation rate?
39% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 57% return for their second year.
How long does a West Virginia State University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at West Virginia State University costs about $46,130 after grants ($10,703 a year for 4.3 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $40,492 ten years after starting, $7,797 more than high school graduates in West Virginia ($32,695), so the cost is repaid in 5.9 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: “West Virginia State University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/west-virginia-state-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).