Best Colleges in West Virginia (2026)

68 colleges ranked by graduate earnings, acceptance rates, and outcomes — powered by federal data from the U.S. Department of Education.

68

Colleges

$38,019

Avg Earnings (10yr)

$10,744

Avg Net Price

82%

Avg Admit Rate

58%

Avg Grad Rate

State Overview

West Virginia is home to 68 colleges and universities, ranging from research universities to community colleges. West Virginia University Hospital Departments of Rad Tech and Nutrition leads the state in graduate earnings, with state alumni earning $38,019 on average ten years after enrollment. Whether you're looking for a flagship research university, a liberal arts college, or a career-focused program, West Virginia offers diverse options across all price points.

Quick Facts — West Virginia Colleges

Most Selective
West Virginia University Institute of Technology

37%acceptance rate

Best Grad Rate
Fred W Eberle Technical Center

99%6-yr grad rate

Most Affordable
Ralph R Willis Career and Technical Center

-$767avg net price

Top 10 Colleges in West Virginia by Graduate Earnings

Ranked by median earnings 10 years after enrollment. Public and private nonprofit only.

1

Earnings

$69,666

2
Wheeling University
Wheeling·Private Nonprofit

Earnings

$57,949

3

Earnings

$55,939

4
West Virginia University
Morgantown·Public

Earnings

$55,939

5

Earnings

$55,939

6
University of Charleston
Charleston·Private Nonprofit

Earnings

$55,774

7
West Virginia Wesleyan College
Buckhannon·Private Nonprofit

Earnings

$51,593

8

Earnings

$51,465

9
Shepherd University
Shepherdstown·Public

Earnings

$49,358

10
United Technical Center
Clarksburg·Public

Earnings

$49,130

Most Affordable Colleges in West Virginia

Lowest average net price after grants and scholarships. Public and private nonprofit only.

#1 Most AffordablePublic
Ralph R Willis Career and Technical Center

Stollings, WV

-$767/ yr avg net

87% grad rate

#2 Most AffordablePublic
West Virginia University at Parkersburg

Parkersburg, WV

$1,807/ yr avg net

20% grad rate

#3 Most AffordablePublic
Putnam Career and Technical Center

Eleanor, WV

$1,975/ yr avg net

79% grad rate

#4 Most AffordablePublic
Fred W Eberle Technical Center

Buckhannon, WV

$2,129/ yr avg net

99% grad rate

#5 Most AffordablePublic
Mercer County Technical Education Center

Princeton, WV

$2,225/ yr avg net

81% grad rate

Popular Majors

Compare the best colleges for top fields of study — ranked by graduate earnings nationwide.

Personalized Match

Find your best-fit West Virginia college

Get a personalized report based on your interests, goals, and what matters most to you — in minutes.

Find my West Virginia college

All Colleges in West Virginia

All 68 accredited institutions. Click column headers to sort.

SchoolCityTypeAdmit RateNet PriceGrad RateEarnings (10yr)
Academy of Careers and TechnologyBeckleyPublicN/A$9,98879%$32,756
American Public University SystemCharles TownPrivate For-ProfitN/A$9,59755%$44,409
Appalachian Bible CollegeMount HopePrivate Nonprofit78%$11,57973%$37,467
B M Spurr School of Practical NursingGlen DalePrivate NonprofitN/A$15,661N/AN/A
Ben Franklin Career CenterDunbarPublicN/A$3,38279%$37,962
Bethany CollegeBethanyPrivate Nonprofit59%$18,60547%$44,512
Blue Ridge Community and Technical CollegeMartinsburgPublicN/A$4,64137%$39,293
Bluefield State UniversityBluefieldPublic97%$13,68436%$38,217
Boone Career and Technical CenterFosterPublicN/AN/A95%N/A
BridgeValley Community & Technical CollegeSouth CharlestonPublicN/A$4,56530%$36,432
Cabell County Career Technology CenterHuntingtonPublicN/A$3,65772%$33,975
Carver Career CenterCharlestonPublicN/A$6,94188%$33,739
Catholic International UniversityCharles TownPrivate NonprofitN/A$14,176N/AN/A
Charleston School of Beauty CultureCharlestonPrivate For-ProfitN/A$11,63858%$17,827
Clarksburg Beauty Academy and School of Massage TherapyClarksburgPrivate For-ProfitN/A$10,62774%$16,306
Concord UniversityAthensPublic93%$9,96641%$42,703
Davis & Elkins CollegeElkinsPrivate Nonprofit94%$18,27338%$43,411
Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical CollegeMoorefieldPublicN/A$8,09541%$31,636
Fairmont State UniversityFairmontPublic99%$9,03246%$46,857
Fayette Institute of TechnologyOak HillPublicN/A$4,13289%$41,880
Fred W Eberle Technical CenterBuckhannonPublicN/A$2,12999%$43,364
Future Generations UniversityFranklinPrivate NonprofitN/AN/AN/AN/A
Glenville State UniversityGlenvillePublicN/A$14,00635%$39,315
Huntington Junior CollegeHuntingtonPrivate NonprofitN/A$9,42217%$21,783
Huntington School of Beauty CultureHuntingtonPrivate For-ProfitN/A$10,76888%$24,794
International Beauty School 4MartinsburgPrivate For-ProfitN/A$14,58180%$18,906
James Rumsey Technical InstituteMartinsburgPublicN/A$8,47782%$45,133
John D Rockefeller IV Career CenterNew CumberlandPublicN/A$19,229N/A$43,264
Marshall UniversityHuntingtonPublic96%$7,50250%$46,354
Martinsburg CollegeMartinsburgPrivate For-Profit100%$11,95664%N/A
Mercer County Technical Education CenterPrincetonPublicN/A$2,22581%$33,511
Mineral County Vocational Technical CenterKeyserPublicN/A$2,91476%$46,022
Mingo Extended Learning CenterDelbartonPublicN/A$3,290N/AN/A
Monongalia County Technical Education CenterMorgantownPublic58%$5,13278%$40,499
Morgantown Beauty College IncMorgantownPrivate For-ProfitN/A$12,82375%$22,230
Mountain State School of MassageCharlestonPrivate For-ProfitN/A$25,35485%$27,545
Mountwest Community and Technical CollegeHuntingtonPublicN/A$8,08318%$28,951
New River Community and Technical CollegeBeaverPublicN/A$3,59933%$29,073
Pierpont Community and Technical CollegeFairmontPublicN/A$8,32540%$35,132
Potomac State College of West Virginia UniversityKeyserPublicN/A$9,19728%$55,939
Putnam Career and Technical CenterEleanorPublicN/A$1,97579%$36,203
Ralph R Willis Career and Technical CenterStollingsPublicN/A-$76787%$51,465
Randolph Technical CenterElkinsPublicN/A$10,06276%N/A
Roane-Jackson Technical CenterLeroyPublicN/A$5,87986%$33,982
Ross College-MorgantownMorgantownPrivate For-ProfitN/A$20,98969%$30,481
Ross Medical Education Center-CharlestonCharlestonPrivate For-ProfitN/A$17,82159%$30,072
Salem UniversitySalemPrivate For-ProfitN/A$12,30324%$34,642
Shepherd UniversityShepherdstownPublic97%$11,36350%$49,358
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical CollegeLoganPublicN/A$10,32127%$32,153
Strayer University-West VirginiaScott DepotPrivate For-ProfitN/AN/AN/A$40,092
United Technical CenterClarksburgPublicN/A$3,461N/A$49,130
University of CharlestonCharlestonPrivate Nonprofit62%$22,10746%$55,774
Valley College-BeckleyBeckleyPrivate For-ProfitN/A$25,14963%$24,070
Valley College-MartinsburgMartinsburgPrivate For-ProfitN/A$25,75162%$24,900
West Liberty UniversityWest LibertyPublic97%$15,36660%$43,296
West Virginia Junior College-BridgeportBridgeportPrivate For-ProfitN/A$15,36556%$27,472
West Virginia Junior College-CharlestonCross LanesPrivate For-ProfitN/A$12,88769%$27,472
West Virginia Junior College-MorgantownMorgantownPrivate For-ProfitN/A$15,52065%$31,912
West Virginia Northern Community CollegeWheelingPublicN/A$5,32931%$30,162
West Virginia School of Osteopathic MedicineLewisburgPublicN/AN/AN/AN/A
West Virginia State UniversityInstitutePublic96%$11,13936%$40,492
West Virginia UniversityMorgantownPublic89%$15,63463%$55,939
West Virginia University at ParkersburgParkersburgPublicN/A$1,80720%$35,171
West Virginia University Hospital Departments of Rad Tech and NutritionMorgantownPrivate NonprofitN/AN/AN/A$69,666
West Virginia University Institute of TechnologyBeckleyPublic37%$9,33734%$55,939
West Virginia Wesleyan CollegeBuckhannonPrivate Nonprofit93%$18,08353%$51,593
Wheeling UniversityWheelingPrivate Nonprofit63%$20,50327%$57,949
Wood County Technical Center-Practical NursingParkersburgPublic75%$2,248N/A$40,547

Showing 68 of 68 schools