Best Colleges in West Virginia by ROI
Trying to find the best value in West Virginia? We ranked all 17 colleges we track here on what graduates actually earn versus what families actually pay, using U.S. Department of Education data. West Virginia University Institute of Technology comes out on top at 64/100 - here's how every school compares.
We scored all 17 West Virginia colleges in our dataset from 0 to 100 on one thing: financial return. The state averages 38/100, on an average net price of $13,769 a year after grants and scholarships. The school that does best by your money is West Virginia University Institute of Technology at 64/100.
Graduates of Wheeling University earn the most ten years out of any school in the state, a median $57,949. The lightest price tag belongs to Marshall University at $7,502 a year. The list below ranks every West Virginia college we scored by ROI, so you can weigh what you'd pay against what you'd likely earn.
Top 10 West Virginia Colleges by ROI Score
- 1West Virginia University Institute of TechnologyBeckley, WV · PublicNet price$9,337/yrMedian earnings$55,93964ROI
- 2West Virginia UniversityMorgantown, WV · PublicNet price$15,634/yrMedian earnings$55,93964ROI
- 3University of CharlestonCharleston, WV · Private NonprofitNet price$22,107/yrMedian earnings$55,77452ROI
- 4Shepherd UniversityShepherdstown, WV · PublicNet price$11,363/yrMedian earnings$49,35850ROI
- 5Wheeling UniversityWheeling, WV · Private NonprofitNet price$20,503/yrMedian earnings$57,94950ROI
- 6American Public University SystemCharles Town, WV · Private For-ProfitNet price$9,597/yrMedian earnings$44,40950ROI
- 7Marshall UniversityHuntington, WV · PublicNet price$7,502/yrMedian earnings$46,35446ROI
- 8West Virginia Wesleyan CollegeBuckhannon, WV · Private NonprofitNet price$18,083/yrMedian earnings$51,59344ROI
- 9Fairmont State UniversityFairmont, WV · PublicNet price$9,032/yrMedian earnings$46,85743ROI
- 10Appalachian Bible CollegeMount Hope, WV · Private NonprofitNet price$11,579/yrMedian earnings$37,46740ROI
West Virginia College ROI: Common Questions
What is the best-value college in West Virginia?
West Virginia University Institute of Technology has the highest ROI score in West Virginia at 64/100, while the lowest net price among West Virginia schools we track is $7,502/year at Marshall University. Rankings are based on net price and median graduate earnings from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
How much does college cost in West Virginia?
The average net price across the 17 West Virginia colleges in our dataset is $13,769 per year, after grants and scholarships are applied. Actual cost varies widely by family income and institution.
Which West Virginia college has the highest graduate earnings?
Wheeling University reports the highest median earnings among West Virginia schools we scored, at $57,949 ten years after enrollment. Higher earnings do not always mean better ROI, since cost matters just as much.
How many colleges in West Virginia did CampusROI analyze?
We scored 17 colleges in West Virginia on return on investment. Of those, 2 earn an ROI score of 60 or higher. See our methodology for how each score is calculated.
All West Virginia Schools by ROI Score
17 schools
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Beckley, WV
West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV
University of Charleston
Charleston, WV
Shepherd University
Shepherdstown, WV
Wheeling University
Wheeling, WV
American Public University System
Charles Town, WV
Marshall University
Huntington, WV
West Virginia Wesleyan College
Buckhannon, WV
Fairmont State University
Fairmont, WV
Appalachian Bible College
Mount Hope, WV
Concord University
Athens, WV
West Liberty University
West Liberty, WV
Bethany College
Bethany, WV
Davis & Elkins College
Elkins, WV
Bluefield State University
Bluefield, WV
West Virginia State University
Institute, WV
Salem University
Salem, WV
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release