West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia · Public · 89.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 64/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
West Virginia University earns a 64/100 ROI score and a Fair Value tier - a credible result for a flagship public R1 in a relatively low-wage state. The numbers tell a balanced story: median earnings six years after entry are $39,300, climbing to $55,939 by year ten. Net price averages $15,634 against a $10,104 in-state tuition and $28,608 out-of-state, with a four-year total cost of $62,536 - one of the genuinely affordable flagship publics in the country. The implied payback period is 9.7 years. Median federal debt is $22,500 producing a 0.573 debt-to-earnings ratio. The earnings premium of 33.5% is solid but capped by West Virginia's lower regional wage base; many WVU engineering graduates relocate to Pittsburgh, DC, or further afield to fully realize their earnings. Completion is 64.7%, respectable for a broadly accessible flagship. Repayment performance (72% three-year) is the weakest sub-score and reflects the state's economic conditions more than program quality. The honest read: WVU's ROI proposition is heavily program-dependent. Engineering, computer science, business information systems, and nursing graduates achieve B/B+ grades. Liberal arts, biology, and education graduates land in D grades because base earnings are low against $25K debt. In-state engineering students get one of the best ROI deals in the country here.
West Virginia University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $10,104/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $28,608/yr |
| Average net price | $15,634/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $62,536 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $55,939 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $39,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $22,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $239 |
| Estimated payback period | 9.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 64.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 17,385 |
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: $10,104/year ($28,608/year out-of-state). Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $15,634/year, or roughly $62,536 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 $9,450/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $20,273/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $22,500 in federal loans, which works out to about $239 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $55,939 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.57, within the range advisors call workable but worth keeping an eye on.
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 | $9,450 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,501 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $14,179 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $18,710 |
| $110,001+ | $20,273 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $9,450 net price - one of the genuinely low net prices among flagship publics. Pell-eligible students layering the $7,395 federal grant can cover most of that. Across four years that's $37,800, manageable on a modest borrowing plan. WVU is a strong access-mission flagship for in-state low-income students.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets pay $12,501 ($30K-$48K), $14,179 ($48K-$75K), and $18,710 ($75K-$110K). Aid scales reasonably across the income gradient. The $48K-$75K bracket is the sweet spot for in-state value: families in that band pay roughly $56,716 four-year net for a flagship R1, before any merit aid layered on top.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $20,273 - still well below the $28,608 out-of-state sticker, suggesting institutional grants reach this bracket. Over four years that's $81,092 net for in-state high-income; out-of-state high-income families face closer to $114K net unless merit awards apply. For high-income out-of-state families the ROI math is workable only for engineering or CS pathways.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at West Virginia University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $57,359 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $83,750 | B |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | $70,165 | D |
| Mechanical Engineering | $90,461 | B |
| Psychology | $51,263 | D |
| Marketing | $69,357 | C |
| Journalism | $58,454 | D |
| Biology | $57,486 | D |
| Finance and Financial Management | $76,959 | C+ |
| Business Administration and Management | $65,372 | C |
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.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering is a flagship strength at WVU - 161 graduates per cohort, the largest engineering cohort. Graduates earn $71,504 one year out and $90,461 four years out, against $26,242 median debt and a 0.367 debt-to-earnings ratio (B grade). For in-state students paying $10,104 tuition, this is one of the strongest engineering ROI propositions in our database. Out-of-state students still get reasonable returns but should price-compare carefully.
Registered Nursing
Nursing posts $71,298 one-year earnings climbing to $83,750 four years out, with $26,000 median debt and a 0.365 debt-to-earnings ratio (B grade). 186 graduates makes this WVU's largest non-engineering professional program. Strong absolute outcomes plus in-state pricing make WVU among the best nursing-program values for West Virginia residents.
Computer Science
Computer science graduates earn $74,159 one year out and $98,277 four years out, against $23,026 median debt - a 0.31 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B+ ROI grade. 72 graduates per cohort. The CS program is small relative to engineering but delivers excellent outcomes; in-state students pursuing this path are getting flagship-quality CS at one of the lowest sticker prices in the country.
Journalism
Journalism graduates earn $34,075 one year out and $58,454 four years out, with $24,250 median debt and a 0.712 debt-to-earnings ratio - a D ROI grade. 152 graduates makes this a sizable program. The Reed College of Media has solid regional placement but national journalism wages are weak. The mid-career earnings trajectory is reasonable; entry-year financial strain is real.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology graduates earn $30,145 one year out and $57,359 four years out, with $25,000 median debt and a 0.829 debt-to-earnings ratio (D grade). 200 graduates makes this one of WVU's largest pre-professional programs - many students intend to apply to physical therapy, occupational therapy, or PA programs as a next step. As a terminal bachelor's the ROI is poor; as a stepping stone to grad school the math depends entirely on the next-credential outcome.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 67.2% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 71.8% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 64.2% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 71.8% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How West Virginia University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
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 | 89.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 490-600 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 520-620 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 20-26 |
| Enrollment | 17,385 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 21.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $11,832 |
WVU admits 89% of applicants, with SAT mid-ranges of 490-600 math and 520-620 reading and an ACT composite mid-range of 20-26. That places admitted students roughly at national medians on standardized testing, consistent with a broadly accessible flagship public. The 64.7% completion rate is consistent with the selectivity profile - WVU retains and graduates the moderately prepared students it admits at expected rates, with engineering and pre-professional cohorts completing at materially higher rates than the overall figure.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
WVU's peer set includes Bluefield State University, Concord University, East Carolina University, Northern Arizona University, and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee - a regional-flagship and access-mission cluster. Within that group WVU's 64 ROI is competitive: stronger than most West Virginia regionals (Bluefield State, Concord) on earnings outcomes; comparable to East Carolina and NAU on the cost-to-earnings ratio. UW-Milwaukee posts modestly higher median earnings due to Milwaukee's labor market but at higher net cost. WVU's combination of breadth, R1 research opportunities, and flagship-level engineering programs at modest cost is the differentiator.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia University (this school) | 64 | $15,634 | $55,939 |
| Northern Arizona University | 64 | $14,158 | $54,384 |
| East Carolina University | 61 | $15,739 | $55,146 |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | 59 | $15,014 | $54,990 |
| Concord University | 30 | $9,966 | $42,703 |
| Bluefield State University | 20 | $13,684 | $38,217 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See West Virginia University side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
WVU enrolls 17,385 undergraduates with a 21.6% Pell rate - a relatively middle-class flagship serving West Virginia and surrounding Appalachian states. The fit profile is clearest for in-state students pursuing engineering, computer science, nursing, business information systems, or accounting, where in-state tuition produces some of the best ROI math in our database. Out-of-state students paying $28,608 sticker should pursue similar majors and seriously evaluate whether their home-state flagship offers comparable quality at lower net cost. Liberal-arts students should price-compare against in-state alternatives.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
West Virginia University is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $15,634 a year after aid ($62,536 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $55,939 a decade out, the cost takes about 9.7 years to earn back. That's roughly average - not a bargain, not a mistake.
Median debt of $22,500 against $55,939 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
From CampusROI, when there is something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
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.