Best colleges in West Virginia
The Mountain State Has Many Peaks — and Perks
Come for education, stay for a career and the culture
Why not go somewhere you can scale a mountain while you’re making your way up to higher education? West Virginia is home to 43 colleges and universities that focus on research, medicine, and more. And if you’re interested in aerospace, biometrics, advanced energy, or chemicals and plastics, West Virginia has a thriving market for you to gain real-world work experience. Post-graduation, you won’t want to go anywhere. The unemployment rate is holding steady with the rest of the country,* and West Virginia is on USA Today’s 10 States With the Fastest Growing Economies list.
You’ll also want to stick around for the experiences you can’t get anywhere else. Known as the Mountain State, West Virginia is home to part of the Appalachian Mountains, which means you can take advantage of 800 miles of hiking, biking, rock climbing, and caving. There’s even more to see outside with forest covering 78% of the state.* West Virginia even has history etched into its land — with prehistoric burial mounds, oil and gas landmarks, and civil war monuments. Don’t just go to school in West Virginia, experience a new way of life.
*Bureau of Labor Statistics *wvcommerce.orgBest Four Year Universities in West Virginia
Appalachian Bible College offers 5 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a outlying rural area. In 2019, 70 students graduated with students earning 51 Bachelor's degrees, 9 Certificates, 8 Associate's degrees, and 2 Master's degrees.
West Virginia Wesleyan College offers 75 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a remote town. In 2019, 293 students graduated with students earning 239 Bachelor's degrees, and 54 Master's degrees.
Davis & Elkins College offers 71 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a remote town. In 2019, 158 students graduated with students earning 123 Bachelor's degrees, and 35 Associate's degrees.
West Virginia University offers 237 degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2019, 6,342 students graduated with students earning 4,420 Bachelor's degrees, 1,357 Master's degrees, and 565 Doctoral degrees.
West Liberty University offers 36 degree programs. It's a small, public, four-year university in a outlying rural area. In 2019, 565 students graduated with students earning 417 Bachelor's degrees, 111 Master's degrees, and 37 Associate's degrees.
Alderson Broaddus University offers 39 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a faraway town. In 2019, 197 students graduated with students earning 155 Bachelor's degrees, 37 Master's degrees, and 5 Associate's degrees.
Marshall University offers 195 degree programs. It's a large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2019, 2,999 students graduated with students earning 1,646 Bachelor's degrees, 866 Master's degrees, 232 Doctoral degrees, 140 Certificates, and 115 Associate's degrees.
University of Charleston offers 45 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2019, 737 students graduated with students earning 415 Bachelor's degrees, 172 Master's degrees, 76 Associate's degrees, and 74 Doctoral degrees.
Bethany College offers 33 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a outlying rural area. In 2019, 129 students graduated with students earning 120 Bachelor's degrees, and 9 Master's degrees.
Shepherd University offers 46 degree programs. It's a small, public, four-year university in a outlying town. In 2019, 703 students graduated with students earning 638 Bachelor's degrees, 58 Master's degrees, 4 Certificates, and 3 Doctoral degrees.
Best Community Colleges in West Virginia
Mountain State College offers 4 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a small city. In 2019, 11 students graduated with students earning 11 Associate's degrees.
Carver Career Center offers 10 degree programs. It's a very small, public, two-year college in a midsize suburb. In 2019, 79 students graduated with students earning 66 Certificates, and 13 Associate's degrees.
Martinsburg College offers 48 degree programs. It's a small, private for-profit, two-year college in a midsize suburb. In 2019, 783 students graduated with students earning 775 Certificates, and 8 Associate's degrees.
West Virginia Junior College-Bridgeport offers 11 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a faraway town. In 2019, 57 students graduated with students earning 41 Associate's degrees, and 16 Certificates.
Valley College-Martinsburg offers 18 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, four-year university in a midsize suburb. In 2019, 305 students graduated with students earning 214 Certificates, and 91 Associate's degrees.
West Virginia Junior College-Charleston offers 10 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a small city. In 2019, 54 students graduated with students earning 46 Associate's degrees, and 8 Certificates.
West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown offers 31 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a small city. In 2019, 267 students graduated with students earning 259 Associate's degrees, and 8 Certificates.
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College offers 76 degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, two-year college in a outlying rural area. In 2019, 971 students graduated with students earning 486 Certificates, and 485 Associate's degrees.
Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College offers 27 degree programs. It's a very small, public, two-year college in a outlying rural area. In 2019, 72 students graduated with students earning 44 Associate's degrees, and 28 Certificates.
BridgeValley Community & Technical College offers 94 degree programs. It's a small, public, two-year college in a midsize suburb. In 2019, 435 students graduated with students earning 369 Associate's degrees, and 66 Certificates.
