This page compares the best colleges in West Virginia with tuition, admission, and more academic facts (Ranking data from College Evaluator). For the academic year 2021-2022, West Virginia University rank first in the best West Virginia college ranking and Shepherd University is placed in second.
Admission Comparison Between Best Colleges in West Virginia
6 public and 4 private schools rank in the best West Virginia colleges. The schools' average acceptance rate is 82.00% where University of Charleston has the tightest (lowest) acceptance rate of 61% and Shepherd University has the highest rate of 98%. Total 54,988 students are attending one of the best West Virginia schools where West Virginia University has the largest population with 26,269 students and Bethany College has the smallest number of students (576 students). The average graduation rate is 47.00% and the average students to faculty ratio is 14.50:1 at those colleges.
| Rank | Name | Acceptance Rate | SAT Score | Graduation Rate | Population | Student-Faculty Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia University Morgantown, WV | 84% | 1,130 | 62% | 26,269 | 18:1 (5.56 %) |
| 2 | Shepherd University Shepherdstown, WV | 98% | 1,070 | 46% | 3,159 | 16:1 (6.25 %) |
| 3 | West Virginia Wesleyan College Buckhannon, WV | 66% | 985 | 55% | 1,066 | 13:1 (7.69 %) |
| 4 | Bethany College Bethany, WV | 92% | 970 | 43% | 576 | 10:1 (10.00 %) |
| 5 | West Liberty University West Liberty, WV | 68% | 1,010 | 53% | 2,481 | 13:1 (7.69 %) |
| 6 | Marshall University Huntington, WV | 89% | 1,043 | 50% | 11,958 | 18:1 (5.56 %) |
| 7 | Wheeling University Wheeling, WV | 77% | 990 | 42% | 857 | 11:1 (9.09 %) |
| 8 | Fairmont State University Fairmont, WV | 94% | 1,005 | 35% | 3,848 | 16:1 (6.25 %) |
| 9 | Concord University Athens, WV | 91% | 930 | 38% | 1,807 | 15:1 (6.67 %) |
| 10 | University of Charleston Charleston, WV | 61% | 1,073 | 46% | 2,967 | 15:1 (6.67 %) |
| Average | 82.00% | 1,021 | 47.00% | 54,988 (Total) | 14.50:1 (6.90 %) |
Best West Virginia Colleges 2022 Tuition Comparison and 2023 Estimated Costs
The following table lists 2021-2022 tuition & fees and compares them between the best West Virginia colleges. The 2021-2022 costs are officially published by IPEDS, U.S. Department of Education. The estimated costs for the academic year 2022-2023 are calculated and estimated based on each school's rate of tuition change from 2021 to 2022.
For the undergraduate programs, the average tuition & fees of the best West Virginia colleges is $23,989 where West Virginia Wesleyan College has the most expensive costs at $32,612 and West Liberty University has the lowest amount of tuition at $16,294. The average graduate tuition & fees of the best West Virginia colleges is $14,588 where West Virginia University has the highest tuition with $26,676 and West Liberty University has the lowest amount of graduate school tuition with $8,280.
| Rank | School Name | 2022 Tuition & Fees | 2023 Estimated Tuition & Fees | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | ||
| 1 | West Virginia University | $8,976 | $25,320 | $8,976 | $25,320 |
| 2 | Shepherd University | $7,784 | $18,224 | $7,784 | $18,224 |
| 3 | West Virginia Wesleyan College | $32,612 | $32,976 | ||
| 4 | Bethany College | $31,600 | $32,379 | ||
| 5 | West Liberty University | $8,345 | $16,294 | $8,545 | $16,501 |
| 6 | Marshall University | $8,552 | $19,606 | $8,592 | $19,849 |
| 7 | Wheeling University | $29,290 | $29,290 | ||
| 8 | Fairmont State University | $7,892 | $17,150 | $8,049 | $17,493 |
| 9 | Concord University | $8,690 | $18,440 | $9,006 | $18,852 |
| 10 | University of Charleston | $31,350 | $30,522 | ||
| Average | $8,373 | $23,989 | $8,492 | $24,141 | |
| Rank | School Name | 2022 Tuition & Fees | 2023 Estimated Tuition & Fees | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | ||
| 1 | West Virginia University | $10,332 | $26,676 | $10,332 | $10,534 |
| 2 | Shepherd University | $8,730 | $12,906 | $8,730 | $8,914 |
| 3 | West Virginia Wesleyan College | $12,222 | $11,506 | ||
| 4 | Bethany College | $11,200 | $13,806 | ||
| 5 | West Liberty University | $6,786 | $8,280 | $6,786 | $6,792 |
| 6 | Marshall University | $8,882 | $21,434 | $8,882 | $8,936 |
| 7 | Wheeling University | $10,160 | $10,631 | ||
| 8 | Fairmont State University | $7,892 | $17,150 | $7,892 | $6,981 |
| 9 | Concord University | $9,158 | $9,450 | $9,158 | - |
| 10 | University of Charleston | $16,400 | $15,457 | ||
| Average | $8,630 | $14,588 | $8,431 | $14,833 | |