{"h1":"Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in West Virginia","faq":[{"a":"Wheeling University leads West Virginia among colleges for earnings: its former students earn a median of $58k ten years after enrolling, against $42k for the typical college in this list.","q":"Which certification ranks first: colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in west virginia?"},{"a":"28 colleges have at least 500 students enrolled, so the list has 28 entries.","q":"How many colleges are ranked?"},{"a":"Earnings are the median earnings of students who received federal financial aid, ten years after they first enrolled, as published in the Department of Education College Scorecard. They describe past students, not a promise for future ones. Only colleges with at least 500 students and published earnings are ranked. A college's earnings reflect who enrolls and what they study as much as what the college teaches.","q":"How is the ranking calculated?"},{"a":"Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.","q":"How often is it updated?"}],"lead":"Wheeling University leads West Virginia among colleges for earnings: its former students earn a median of $58k ten years after enrolling, against $42k for the typical college in this list.","minN":500,"rows":[{"n":589,"bar":1,"key":"college:238078","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/wheeling-university","name":"Wheeling University","rank":1,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"23%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$20,503"},{"label":"Private nonprofit","value":"589 students"}],"value":57949,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$58k"},{"n":17385,"bar":0.9653143281161021,"key":"college:238032","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/west-virginia-university","name":"West Virginia University","rank":2,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"65%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$15,634"},{"label":"Public","value":"17,385 students"}],"value":55939,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$56k"},{"n":981,"bar":0.9653143281161021,"key":"college:237950","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/west-virginia-university-institute-of-technology","name":"West Virginia University Institute of Technology","rank":3,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"33%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$9,337"},{"label":"Public","value":"981 students"}],"value":55939,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$56k"},{"n":853,"bar":0.9653143281161021,"key":"college:237701","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/potomac-state-college-of-west-virginia-university","name":"Potomac State College of West Virginia University","rank":4,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"31%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$9,197"},{"label":"Public","value":"853 students"}],"value":55939,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$56k"},{"n":2259,"bar":0.9624669968420507,"key":"college:237312","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/university-of-charleston","name":"University of Charleston","rank":5,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"46%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$22,107"},{"label":"Private nonprofit","value":"2,259 students"}],"value":55774,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$56k"},{"n":954,"bar":0.8903173480129078,"key":"college:237969","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/west-virginia-wesleyan-college","name":"West Virginia Wesleyan College","rank":6,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"57%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$18,083"},{"label":"Private nonprofit","value":"954 students"}],"value":51593,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$52k"},{"n":2344,"bar":0.8517489516643946,"key":"college:237792","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/shepherd-university","name":"Shepherd University","rank":7,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"51%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$11,363"},{"label":"Public","value":"2,344 students"}],"value":49358,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$49k"},{"n":2590,"bar":0.8085903121710469,"key":"college:237367","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/fairmont-state-university","name":"Fairmont State University","rank":8,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"44%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$9,032"},{"label":"Public","value":"2,590 students"}],"value":46857,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$47k"},{"n":7266,"bar":0.7999102659234845,"key":"college:237525","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/marshall-university","name":"Marshall University","rank":9,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"51%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$7,502"},{"label":"Public","value":"7,266 students"}],"value":46354,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$46k"},{"n":614,"bar":0.768123694973166,"key":"college:237181","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/bethany-college","name":"Bethany College","rank":10,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"47%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$18,605"},{"label":"Private nonprofit","value":"614 students"}],"value":44512,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$45k"},{"n":40074,"bar":0.766346269996031,"key":"college:449339","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/american-public-university-system","name":"American Public University System","rank":11,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"57%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$9,597"},{"label":"Private for-profit","value":"40,074 students"}],"value":44409,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$44k"},{"n":661,"bar":0.7491242299263146,"key":"college:237358","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/davis-and-elkins-college","name":"Davis & Elkins College","rank":12,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"39%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$18,273"},{"label":"Private nonprofit","value":"661 students"}],"value":43411,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$43k"},{"n":1511,"bar":0.7471397263110666,"key":"college:237932","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/west-liberty-university","name":"West Liberty University","rank":13,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"60%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$15,366"},{"label":"Public","value":"1,511 students"}],"value":43296,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$43k"},{"n":1504,"bar":0.7369065902776579,"key":"college:237330","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/concord-university","name":"Concord University","rank":14,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"39%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$9,966"},{"label":"Public","value":"1,504 students"}],"value":42703,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$43k"},{"n":1321,"bar":0.6987523512053703,"key":"college:237899","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/west-virginia-state-university","name":"West Virginia State University","rank":15,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"39%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$11,139"},{"label":"Public","value":"1,321 students"}],"value":40492,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$40k"},{"n":1096,"bar":0.6784413881171375,"key":"college:237385","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/glenville-state-university","name":"Glenville State University","rank":16,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"34%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$14,006"},{"label":"Public","value":"1,096 students"}],"value":39315,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$39k"},{"n":1661,"bar":0.6780617439472639,"key":"college:446774","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/blue-ridge-community-and-technical-college","name":"Blue Ridge Community and Technical College","rank":17,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"32%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$4,641"},{"label":"Public","value":"1,661 students"}],"value":39293,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$39k"},{"n":1042,"bar":0.6594936927298142,"key":"college:237215","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/bluefield-state-university","name":"Bluefield State University","rank":18,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"37%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$13,684"},{"label":"Public","value":"1,042 students"}],"value":38217,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$38k"},{"n":1854,"bar":0.6286907453105317,"key":"college:484932","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/bridgevalley-community-and-technical-college","name":"BridgeValley Community & Technical College","rank":19,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"34%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$4,565"},{"label":"Public","value":"1,854 students"}],"value":36432,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$36k"},{"n":1868,"bar":0.6069302317555092,"key":"college:237686","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/west-virginia-university-at-parkersburg","name":"West Virginia University at Parkersburg","rank":20,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"9%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$1,807"},{"label":"Public","value":"1,868 students"}],"value":35171,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$35k"},{"n":959,"bar":0.6062572261816425,"key":"college:443492","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/pierpont-community-and-technical-college","name":"Pierpont Community and Technical College","rank":21,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"42%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$8,325"},{"label":"Public","value":"959 students"}],"value":35132,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$35k"},{"n":892,"bar":0.5978015151253688,"key":"college:237783","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/salem-university","name":"Salem University","rank":22,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"20%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$12,303"},{"label":"Private for-profit","value":"892 students"}],"value":34642,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$35k"},{"n":1064,"bar":0.5548499542701341,"key":"college:237817","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/southern-west-virginia-community-and-technical-college","name":"Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College","rank":23,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"29%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$10,321"},{"label":"Public","value":"1,064 students"}],"value":32153,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$32k"},{"n":673,"bar":0.5506911249547015,"key":"college:237996","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/west-virginia-junior-college-morgantown","name":"West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown","rank":24,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"71%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$15,520"},{"label":"Private for-profit","value":"673 students"}],"value":31912,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$32k"},{"n":1014,"bar":0.5204921568965815,"key":"college:238014","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/west-virginia-northern-community-college","name":"West Virginia Northern Community College","rank":25,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"33%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$5,329"},{"label":"Public","value":"1,014 students"}],"value":30162,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$30k"},{"n":770,"bar":0.5016997704878428,"key":"college:447582","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/new-river-community-and-technical-college","name":"New River Community and Technical College","rank":26,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"36%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$3,599"},{"label":"Public","value":"770 students"}],"value":29073,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$29k"},{"n":1160,"bar":0.4995944710003624,"key":"college:444954","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/mountwest-community-and-technical-college","name":"Mountwest Community and Technical College","rank":27,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"19%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$8,083"},{"label":"Public","value":"1,160 students"}],"value":28951,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$29k"},{"n":765,"bar":0.4296881740841084,"key":"college:377661","sub":"WV","href":"/higher-education/west-virginia/valley-college-martinsburg","name":"Valley College-Martinsburg","rank":28,"stats":[{"label":"Completion rate","value":"66%"},{"label":"Net price a year","value":"$25,751"},{"label":"Private for-profit","value":"765 students"}],"value":24900,"change":null,"employers":[],"valueLabel":"$25k"}],"slug":"colleges-with-the-highest-earnings-in-west-virginia","unit":"students","scope":{"id":"west-virginia","kind":"state","name":"West Virginia"},"title":"Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in West Virginia","family":"Higher education","method":["Earnings are the median earnings of students who received federal financial aid, ten years after they first enrolled, as published in the Department of Education College Scorecard. They describe past students, not a promise for future ones.","Only colleges with at least 500 students and published earnings are ranked. A college's earnings reflect who enrolls and what they study as much as what the college teaches."],"builtAt":"2026-11-03T03:37:23.486Z","edition":"2026-11","measure":"collegepay","sources":["U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (median earnings, completion, net price), as held in our college tables"],"baseline":{"label":"the typical college in this list","valueLabel":"$42k"},"keyFacts":["#1 Wheeling University, WV: $58k","#2 West Virginia University, WV: $56k","#3 West Virginia University Institute of Technology, WV: $56k","28 colleges ranked across West Virginia","Data as of November 2026"],"placeNoun":"colleges","commentary":["The top ten is tightly packed: Wheeling University leads on $58k, and #10 Bethany College is at $45k.","Wheeling University reaches #1 on a sample of 589 students enrolled, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.","West Virginia University is the largest market in the top ten, with 17,385 students enrolled behind its figure.","Colleges with fewer than 500 students enrolled are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful."],"license":"Free to use and share with a link to https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/colleges-with-the-highest-earnings-in-west-virginia"}