West Virginia State University
Institute, West Virginia · Public · 96.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 17/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
West Virginia State University (WVSU) - a historically Black land-grant institution outside Charleston - earns an overall ROI score of 17, deep in the Below Benchmark tier. The data tells a difficult story. In-state tuition is $9,570 and net price runs $11,139 - close enough to suggest minimal aid discounting on average - putting four-year cost at $44,556. Median debt at graduation is $23,338, and against six-year earnings of just $28,700 produces a 0.813 debt-to-earnings ratio that is severely high. The Scorecard reports a 33.6-year payback period, meaning the typical graduate would need roughly three decades of earnings premiums to recover the cost. Ten-year earnings climb modestly to $40,492. The completion rate of 39.2% is weak. Repayment behavior is also reported: 47.2% of borrowers reduce principal three years out, dropping to 39.1% by year five. The earnings premium is positive but small at 12.3%. The labor market in this part of West Virginia is structurally challenging - declining coal employment, limited corporate diversity, and outmigration all constrain wage growth. WVSU is doing meaningful HBCU mission work, but the financial outcomes for typical graduates are weak.
How West Virginia State University scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score17/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate39.2% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
- Payback period33.6 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
West Virginia State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $9,570/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $14,990/yr |
| Average net price | $11,139/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $44,556 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $40,492 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $28,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,338 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $247 |
| Estimated payback period | 33.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 39.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,321 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $9,570/year ($14,990/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $11,139/year, or roughly $44,556 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $9,457/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $17,355/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $23,338, which works out to about $247 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($28,700) and comes to 0.81, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $9,457 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $10,225 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $10,703 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $13,798 |
| $110,001+ | $17,355 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $9,457 per year and the $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $10,225. Four-year cost lands in the $38,000-$41,000 range for the lowest brackets - reasonable in absolute terms, but heavy relative to average graduate earnings of $28,700. Pell aid does substantial work here, but the cost-to-earnings ratio remains structurally weak.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$110,000) pay $10,703 to $13,798 per year. Four-year cost is $43,000-$55,000. The math works passably for students who graduate from professional pipelines (business, criminal justice, kinesiology); for those who drift or stop out, the debt-without-degree outcome dominates.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households over $110,000 pay $17,355 per year - approximately $69,000 across four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at West Virginia State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $50,169 | C |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $47,026 | D |
| Teacher Education | $43,924 | C |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $50,063 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $46,622 | C+ |
| Social Work | $41,571 | F |
| Psychology | $42,434 | D |
| Communication and Media Studies | $37,866 | F |
| English Language and Literature | $40,303 | - |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $22,764 | - |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business administration is the largest program at 74 graduates yearly. Median first-year earnings of $43,709 and four-year earnings of $50,169 against $27,045 of debt produce a 0.619 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C grade. The debt level is the main drag. Career outcomes cluster in West Virginia state government, regional banks, and small-business management.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal arts produces 34 graduates yearly with $41,319 first-year and $47,026 four-year earnings on $31,125 of debt. The 0.753 ratio earns a D grade. The debt level here is concerning relative to earnings, and the four-year wage growth is modest. As at most schools, liberal arts as a terminal credential underperforms; treat this track as a graduate-school pipeline.
Teacher Education
Teacher education produces 25 graduates yearly with $42,197 first-year and $43,924 four-year earnings - a flat trajectory typical of teaching careers. Median debt of $26,932 yields a 0.638 ratio and a C grade. West Virginia public school salaries cap relatively low, so PSLF planning is essential to make this debt load tolerable over time.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal justice graduates 25 students yearly with $39,056 first-year and $50,063 four-year earnings on $25,860 of debt - a 0.662 ratio and C grade. Career outcomes feed into West Virginia law enforcement, federal corrections roles, and probation services. The four-year wage growth is encouraging and reflects rank-progression in law-enforcement careers.
Social Work
Social work has 13 graduates yearly with $30,060 first-year earnings on $37,371 of debt - a 1.243 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F grade. This is the worst single-program outcome on campus by a wide margin. The debt level is uncharacteristically high for social work and suggests heavy reliance on Parent PLUS or private loans. Students entering this track should not borrow at this scale; consider community-college transfer or graduate-only MSW pathways.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 38.8% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 47.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 39.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 46.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How West Virginia State University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 96.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 350-490 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 410-550 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 15-20 |
| Enrollment | 1,321 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 20.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,141 |
WVSU admits 96% of applicants - effectively open access. SAT mid-ranges of 350-490 Math and 410-550 Reading and ACT 15-20 indicate substantial under-preparation among incoming students. The combination of universal admission and a 39% completion rate is consistent with a structural mismatch between student preparation and degree-completion supports. Prospective students should evaluate whether community-college transfer pathways might produce better risk-adjusted outcomes.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia State University (this school) | 17 | $11,139 | $40,492 |
| Lincoln University | 18 | $14,977 | $43,167 |
| North Carolina Central University | 17 | $15,359 | $42,968 |
| Southern University and A & M College | 16 | $20,077 | $43,371 |
| Dillard University | 15 | $22,094 | $39,196 |
| Claflin University | 15 | $17,800 | $40,304 |
Who Thrives Here
WVSU serves Charleston-area West Virginia residents, with a particular role for African-American students given the HBCU heritage. Enrollment is 1,321. Outcomes are strongest for kinesiology, business administration, and criminal justice graduates. Students should arrive with strong academic preparation and a clear major plan; drift through liberal arts or general communications majors leads to the worst financial outcomes.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, West Virginia State University scores 17/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $11,139 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $40,492 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 33.6 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 39.2% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 47.2% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $23,338 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $28,700 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
West Virginia State University: Common Questions
Is West Virginia State University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. West Virginia State University scores 17/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $11,139 a year after aid against $40,492 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 33.6 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does West Virginia State University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $11,139 a year, or roughly $44,556 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do West Virginia State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $40,492 ten years after enrolling, at or below the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off West Virginia State University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 33.6 years for West Virginia State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do West Virginia State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $23,338, against average earnings of $28,700 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at West Virginia State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 39.2%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.