Top Colleges in West Virginia

Higher education experts at BestColleges reviewed the top 4-year colleges in West Virginia. Start planning your future at BestColleges.
Hannah Muniz
By
Updated January 21, 2025
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West Virginia has a 4.3% unemployment rate (as of February 2024), which is about half the rate at the height of the 2009 Recession. Improving economic conditions support job growth in the state’s largest employment sectors, which include office and administrative support, healthcare, and food preparation industry. On average, professions in these fields pay roughly $30,000-$80,000 per year, and managers often earn considerably more. To enter one of these careers, you typically need a college education. Fortunately, West Virginia boasts many excellent and affordable colleges and universities.

This ranking spotlights the best colleges and universities in West Virginia — a valuable resource for potential students. You can learn about each institution’s popular academic programs, student support services, and application requirements. You can also use the embedded links to visit a school’s website, where you can find the contact information for admission and financial aid counselors who can answer any questions you may have.

In this Article
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Best Colleges in West Virginia

We use trusted sources like Peterson's Data and the National Center for Education Statistics to inform the data for these schools.
from our partners appear among these rankings and are indicated as such.
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How We Rank Schools

To create this ranking, BestColleges sourced the most recent data available from the National Center for Education Statistics and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. We then ranked each school according to the top variables college students selected in our College Choice and Admissions Survey. To learn more, check out our full rankings methodology or read the summary below.

To qualify for our rankings lists, each school must be an accredited public or private, nonprofit institution. Each eligible school was then ranked based on a formula measuring:

BestColleges Top-Ranked-2024 Badge
  • Affordability (30%)
  • Student outcomes (30%)
  • Reputation (20%)
  • Diversity and social mobility (20%)

In addition, we only included colleges with graduation rates in the top third of all online colleges.

#1

West Virginia University

Morgantown, WV4 yearCampus + Online

$9,360

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$26,568

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

88%

Acceptance Rate

53%

Online Enrollment
Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$10,602

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$27,450

Retention Rate

79%

Students Enrolled

24,741

Institution Type

Public

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$9,360

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$26,568

West Virginia University

Morgantown, WV4 yearCampus + Online

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$9,360

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$26,568

Acceptance Rate

88%

Online Enrollment

53%

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$10,602

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$27,450

Retention Rate

79%

Students Enrolled

24,741

Institution Type

Public

Accreditation

Yes

#2

Marshall University

Huntington, WV4 yearCampus + Online

$8,604

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$19,658

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

97%

Acceptance Rate

54%

Online Enrollment
Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$7,520

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$20,072

Retention Rate

74%

Students Enrolled

10,835

Institution Type

Public

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$8,604

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$19,658

Marshall University

Huntington, WV4 yearCampus + Online

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$8,604

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$19,658

Acceptance Rate

97%

Online Enrollment

54%

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$7,520

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$20,072

Retention Rate

74%

Students Enrolled

10,835

Institution Type

Public

Accreditation

Yes

#3

Shepherd University

Shepherdstown, WV4 yearCampus + Online

$6,288

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$15,774

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

96%

Acceptance Rate

64%

Online Enrollment
Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$8,280

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$11,484

Retention Rate

70%

Students Enrolled

3,235

Institution Type

Public

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$6,288

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$15,774

Shepherd University

Shepherdstown, WV4 yearCampus + Online

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$6,288

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$15,774

Acceptance Rate

96%

Online Enrollment

64%

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$8,280

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$11,484

Retention Rate

70%

Students Enrolled

3,235

Institution Type

Public

Accreditation

Yes

#4

West Liberty University

West Liberty, WV2 yearCampus + Online

$8,716

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$17,100

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

74%

Acceptance Rate

45%

Online Enrollment
Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$7,080

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$8,280

Retention Rate

63%

Students Enrolled

2,315

Institution Type

Public

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$8,716

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$17,100

West Liberty University

West Liberty, WV2 yearCampus + Online

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$8,716

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$17,100

Acceptance Rate

74%

Online Enrollment

45%

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$7,080

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$8,280

Retention Rate

63%

Students Enrolled

2,315

Institution Type

Public

Accreditation

Yes

#5

West Virginia Wesleyan College

Buckhannon, WV4 yearCampus

$31,698

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$31,698

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

96%

Acceptance Rate

29%

Online Enrollment
Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$11,128

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$11,128

Retention Rate

67%

Students Enrolled

951

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$31,698

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$31,698

West Virginia Wesleyan College

Buckhannon, WV4 yearCampus

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$31,698

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$31,698

Acceptance Rate

96%

Online Enrollment

29%

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$11,128

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$11,128

Retention Rate

67%

Students Enrolled

951

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

#6

Wheeling University

Wheeling, WV4 yearCampus + Online

$29,090

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$29,090

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

73%

Acceptance Rate

61%

Online Enrollment
Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$9,900

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$9,900

Retention Rate

72%

Students Enrolled

749

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$29,090

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$29,090

Wheeling University

Wheeling, WV4 yearCampus + Online

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$29,090

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$29,090

Acceptance Rate

73%

Online Enrollment

61%

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$9,900

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$9,900

Retention Rate

72%

Students Enrolled

749

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

#7

Fairmont State University

Fairmont, WV4 yearCampus + Online

$6,022

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$15,638

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

98%

Acceptance Rate

70%

Online Enrollment
Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$7,474

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$18,054

Retention Rate

63%

Students Enrolled

3,498

Institution Type

Public

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$6,022

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$15,638

Fairmont State University

Fairmont, WV4 yearCampus + Online

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$6,022

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$15,638

Acceptance Rate

98%

Online Enrollment

70%

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$7,474

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$18,054

Retention Rate

63%

Students Enrolled

3,498

Institution Type

Public

Accreditation

Yes

#8

Davis & Elkins College

Elkins, WV4 yearCampus + Online

$29,880

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$29,880

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

75%

Acceptance Rate

2%

Online Enrollment
Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

N/A

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

N/A

Retention Rate

71%

Students Enrolled

650

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$29,880

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$29,880

Davis & Elkins College

Elkins, WV4 yearCampus + Online

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$29,880

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$29,880

Acceptance Rate

75%

Online Enrollment

2%

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

N/A

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

N/A

Retention Rate

71%

Students Enrolled

650

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

#9

University of Charleston

Charleston, WV4 yearCampus + Online

$21,000

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$21,000

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

68%

Acceptance Rate

78%

Online Enrollment
Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$16,400

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$16,400

Retention Rate

71%

Students Enrolled

3,059

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$21,000

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$21,000

University of Charleston

Charleston, WV4 yearCampus + Online

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$21,000

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$21,000

Acceptance Rate

68%

Online Enrollment

78%

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$16,400

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$16,400

Retention Rate

71%

Students Enrolled

3,059

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

Best Community Colleges in West Virginia

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