More selective than 64% 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 $26,415. College Scorecard.
Higher than 89% of West Virginia colleges we cover and 69% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 82% of West Virginia colleges we cover and 59% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
West Virginia University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 19,857 applicants, West Virginia University admitted 17,129 and 4,377 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1010–1220 on the SAT or 20–26 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
West Virginia 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 University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of West Virginia 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 | $9,450 | $40,919 | 1.8 years |
| $30–48k | $12,501 | $54,129 | 2.3 years |
| $48–75k | $14,179 | $61,395 | 2.6 years |
| $75–110k | $18,710 | $81,014 | 3.5 years |
| $110k+ | $20,273 | $87,782 | 3.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (43% 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 ($55,939) minus $32,695 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WV (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $23,244 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 University majors, earnings & careers
West Virginia University offers 89 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 18
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 13
- Engineering · 12
- Business & Finance · 11
- Humanities & Languages · 11
- Health & Medicine · 8
- Arts & Design · 5
- Communications & Media · 4
- Technology & Computing · 4
- Education · 3
Highest-earning majors at West Virginia University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Mining and Mineral Engineering | $109,619 | $24,903 |
| Electrical Engineering | $99,542 | $22,500 |
| Industrial Engineering | $99,180 | $25,207 |
| Computer Engineering | $99,048 | $24,500 |
| Computer Science | $98,277 | $23,026 |
| Chemical Engineering | $96,503 | $22,843 |
| Management Information Systems | $95,324 | $21,501 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering | $94,750 | $27,242 |
Quick list of all 89 majors
- Accounting$76,135
- Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering$94,750
- Agricultural Business$66,022
- Agriculture—
- Animal Sciences$52,548
- Anthropology—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$57,486
- Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology—
- Biomedical Engineering—
- Business$65,372
- Business Administration$73,646
- Business Economics$68,161
- Chemical Engineering$96,503
- Chemistry—
- Civil Engineering$82,117
- Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other$61,411
- Communications—
- Community Organization and Advocacy—
- Computer and Information Sciences$79,805
- Computer Engineering$99,048
- Computer Science$98,277
- Computer Systems Analysis—
- Criminal Justice—
- Criminology—
- Dance—
- Dental Support Services and Allied Professions$76,662
- East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean)—
- Economics$68,380
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$51,537
- Education (Subject Teaching)$51,403
- Electrical Engineering$99,542
- Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- English$41,920
- Entrepreneurship—
- Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy$75,022
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Finance$76,959
- Forestry$64,568
- Geography$57,075
- Geology / Earth Science$66,798
- German—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$55,669
- Health Administration—
- Health Sciences—
- History$45,388
- Hospitality Management$68,473
- Human Development and Family Studies$48,893
- Industrial Engineering$99,180
- Information Technology—
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- International Relations—
- Journalism$58,454
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$57,359
- Landscape Architecture$70,646
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$56,132
- Linguistics$48,331
- Management Information Systems$95,324
- Marketing$69,357
- Mathematics$77,144
- Mechanical Engineering$90,461
- Medical Laboratory Science$76,034
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology—
- Mining and Mineral Engineering$109,619
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other$53,836
- Music$48,226
- Neuroscience—
- Nursing$83,750
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management$38,649
- Petroleum Engineering$91,142
- Philosophy$57,041
- Physics—
- Physiology$70,165
- Plant Sciences$50,249
- Political Science$56,969
- Psychology$51,263
- Public Health$64,888
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Security / Homeland Security$62,455
- Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics—
- Social Work$50,130
- Sociology$54,596
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Special Education—
- Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders$54,252
- Studio Art$44,180
- Sustainability Studies—
- Theatre$40,942
- Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management$45,348
— 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 →Journalism → Reporter / journalist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to shrink 5.9% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Morgantown
Overall prices in the Morgantown, WV area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,143. Housing costs 31% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 45 inches of rain a year, 14 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Monongalia County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Monongalia County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare West Virginia 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 University | 89% | $15,634 | 65% | $55,939 | This school |
| Marshall University | 96% | $7,502 | 51% | $46,354 | |
| West Liberty University | 97% | $15,366 | 60% | $43,296 | |
| Shepherd University | 97% | $11,363 | 51% | $49,358 | |
| Concord University | 93% | $9,966 | 39% | $42,703 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
West Virginia University would cost you $8,132 more per year than Marshall University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at West Virginia University, mostly from more Marshall University students living at home, which lowers its average (+$1,807).
- Marshall University gives aided families $3,739 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, West Virginia resident | West Virginia University | Marshall University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $10,104 | $9,162 | +$942 |
| Books & supplies | $950 | $1,100 | −$150 |
| Housing & meals | $13,876 | $12,852 | +$1,024 |
| Personal & travel | $3,170 | $2,400 | +$770 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$1,685 | −$3,492 | +$1,807 |
| Sticker price | $26,415 | $22,022 | +$4,393 |
| Average grants | −$10,781 | −$14,520 | +$3,739 |
| You pay | $15,634 | $7,502 | +$8,132 |
“+” means West Virginia 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 University
What is the West Virginia University acceptance rate?
West Virginia University accepts 89% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 17,129 of 19,857 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1010–1220 on the SAT or 20–26 on the ACT.
How much does West Virginia University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $26,415 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $15,634 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $9,450 and families earning $110k+ pay $20,273.
How much do West Virginia University graduates earn?
Former West Virginia University students earn a median $55,939 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the West Virginia University graduation rate?
65% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 83% return for their second year.
How long does a West Virginia University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at West Virginia University costs about $61,395 after grants ($14,179 a year for 4.3 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $55,939 ten years after starting, $23,244 more than high school graduates in West Virginia ($32,695), so the cost is repaid in 2.6 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 University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/west-virginia-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).