West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV
89%
Acceptance Rate
$10,104
Avg Cost (In-State)
$28,608
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
62.8%
Graduation Rate
17,385
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
August 1
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
0
Letters of Rec
0
Interview
Not required
Essays: No essay required for admission; optional personal statement may be submitted
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$45,181
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$55,939
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
34%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. | $34,883 | $56,132 | 283 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $71,298 | $83,750 | 280 |
| Journalism. | $34,075 | $58,454 | 221 |
| Mechanical Engineering. | $71,504 | $90,461 | 212 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. | $30,002 | $53,836 | 200 |
| Sociology. | $34,063 | $54,596 | 182 |
| Psychology, General. | $28,879 | $51,263 | 145 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | $49,634 | $73,646 | 134 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
West Virginia PROMISE Scholarship
~$22k valueWV PROMISE pays up to $5,500/year at any WV public or eligible private college for residents with 3.0 GPA + 22 ACT / 1100 SAT.
Who it helps: West Virginia residents attending in-state institutions full-time.
How to use: Apply at promisescholarship.wv.gov by March 1 of senior year. File FAFSA by April 15.
Source ↗Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Marshall University Presidential Scholarship
Up to $9,000/year (OOS)
universityOOS Marshall freshmen with 3.0+ GPA + 22+ ACT.
Deadline: March 1
Learn more ↗WVU Mountaineer Scholarship
$2,500-$10,000/year
universityTop WVU freshmen via automatic merit grid.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗WVU Foundation Scholar
Full cost of attendance + summer enrichment
universityTop WVU incoming freshmen via competitive process; flagship merit award.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗West Virginia University Mountaineer Scholarship
Up to full tuition + stipend
universityTop WVU incoming freshmen with academic merit.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Beckley Area Foundation Scholarships
$500-$5,000
localHS seniors from Raleigh / Wyoming / Fayette / Summers WV (Southern WV coalfields).
Deadline: Early March
Learn more ↗WV Higher Education Grant Program
Up to $3,000/year
stateWV residents at WV institutions with significant financial need.
Deadline: April 15
Learn more ↗West Virginia Underwood-Smith Teacher Scholarship
Up to $5,000/yr forgivable
stateWV HS seniors top 10% pursuing teaching at WV colleges in critical-shortage subjects; teach 2 yrs in WV per yr of scholarship.
Deadline: March 1
Learn more ↗Federal Work-Study
Varies (hourly wages, typically $10–$20/hr)
federalStudents with financial need who want to earn money through part-time employment while enrolled.
Deadline: Varies by school (apply via FAFSA)
Learn more ↗Federal Pell Grant
Up to $7,395/year
federalUndergraduate students with demonstrated financial need (determined by FAFSA EFC).
Deadline: June 30 (FAFSA deadline for current award year)
Learn more ↗Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 89% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
24.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
26.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
49.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
10.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
33.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
78.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
60.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Not considered
Visits, info sessions and opening emails don't move the needle here.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Las Cruces, NM
89% acceptance
Both admit around 89% of applicants, with 12k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC
89.2% acceptance
Both admit around 89% of applicants, with 20k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Iowa State University
Ames, IA
88.7% acceptance
Both admit around 89% of applicants, with 25k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC
81.8% acceptance
Similar selectivity (82% vs 89%) but out-of-state cost runs $9k — meaningfully less than $29k.
Georgia State University-Perimeter College
Atlanta, GA
90.8% acceptance
Similar selectivity (91% vs 89%) but out-of-state cost runs $10k — meaningfully less than $29k.
Georgia Gwinnett College
Lawrenceville, GA
95.5% acceptance
Similar selectivity (96% vs 89%) but out-of-state cost runs $14k — meaningfully less than $29k.
Reaches above this college
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
24.2% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but more selective (24% vs 89%) — a stretch target if West Virginia University is already on your list.
University of Virginia-Main Campus
Charlottesville, VA
16.8% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but more selective (17% vs 89%) — a stretch target if West Virginia University is already on your list.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC
16.8% acceptance
Same c setting in the South, but more selective (17% vs 89%) — a stretch target if West Virginia University is already on your list.
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