West Virginia State University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Institute, West Virginia. It enrolls 1,321 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Good
57/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes12
Value78
Affordability53
Selectivity6
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
West Virginia State University admits 96% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
96%
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
760 – 1040
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
15 – 20
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether West Virginia State University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↑
1.0 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $11,139 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$9,570
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$14,990
Room & Board (on-campus)
$13,522
Room & Board (off-campus)
$13,522
Books & Supplies
$1,206
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,761
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,761
Total Cost of Attendance
$19,772
Application fee: $20 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$9,457
$30,001 – $48,000
$10,225
$48,001 – $75,000
$10,703
$75,001 – $110,000
$13,798
Over $110,000
$17,355
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,75010%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$23,338Medianpercentile
$23,53475%percentile
$36,91890%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $17,219
↓ $6,119
No Pell $11,000
↓ $12,338
Dependent students $14,000
↓ $9,338
Independent students $19,000
↓ $4,338
Female students $16,000
↓ $7,338
Male students $14,375
↓ $8,963
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,750, less than completers ($23,338), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
35% of students who start here finish within six years, and 60% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
35%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
60%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $40,492 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$40,492
Earning > $25K
67%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$30,200
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$38,100
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$30,500
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$36,800
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$38,500
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $7,900, about 21% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
20.3 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 59% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,321 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 43% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
1,321
Part-Time
8%
First-Generation
43%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 61.7%815
Black 19.8%261
International 4.6%61
Other 4.3%57
Hispanic 3.4%45
Asian 0.8%10
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at West Virginia State University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
West Virginia State University offers
a varied set of programs:
28 distinct programs across
18 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 12 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
12:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$9,006
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$12M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$63,413
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
101 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
35
35%
$72,023
Associate Professors
26
26%
$66,061
Assistant Professors
26
26%
$58,657
Instructors
14
14%
$45,803
Pros & Cons of West Virginia State University
No college is right for everyone. Here is where West Virginia State University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, West Virginia State University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about West Virginia State University
The questions families ask most about West Virginia State University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is West Virginia State University hard to get into?
Not especially. West Virginia State University admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 96%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at West Virginia State University?
96% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for West Virginia State University?
Aim for 1040 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 760 and 1040 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for West Virginia State University?
Aim for 20 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 15 and 20 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does West Virginia State University cost?
Budget around $11,139 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is West Virginia State University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $40,492 a year against a net price of $11,139, about 3.6 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is West Virginia State University known for?
Mostly Business Administration, Liberal Arts, Criminal Justice. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do West Virginia State University graduates earn?
About $40,492 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is West Virginia State University accredited?
Yes. West Virginia State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend West Virginia State University?
1,321 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at West Virginia State University?
35% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is West Virginia State University a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is West Virginia State University located?
West Virginia State University is located in Institute, West Virginia.
What programs does West Virginia State University offer?
28 different programs, most commonly Business Administration, Liberal Arts, Criminal Justice. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at West Virginia State University?
12 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in West Virginia
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Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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