West Virginia University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Morgantown, West Virginia · Public · Open access · CDS 2024-2025
West Virginia University is a public university in Morgantown, West Virginia that admits about 86% of applicants, making it a open access school. The average family pays about $12,997 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness and Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 64% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 5.0 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
West Virginia University is a public institution located in Morgantown, West Virginia. For the most recent reporting cycle, West Virginia University admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 86%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1129 and an ACT composite around 24. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $12,997 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether West Virginia University is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for West Virginia University?
West Virginia University has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does West Virginia University weight in admissions?
West Virginia University reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Academic GPA
- • Standardized test scores
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Class rank
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Interview
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • First generation status
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores West Virginia University typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 490–610, with an EBRW midpoint near 570. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 20–26. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | 1010 |
| 50th percentile | 1110 |
| 75th percentile | 1210 |
| % submitting SAT | 55.64% |
| 25th percentile | 20 |
| 50th percentile | 23 |
| 75th percentile | 26 |
| % submitting ACT | 23.39% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 12.48% |
| Top 25% of class | 12.87% |
| Top 50% of class | 13.79% |
| % submitting class rank | % |
How much does West Virginia University actually cost?
Published tuition is $9,648 for in-state students and $27,360 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $13,876 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $12,997 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 20% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $8,688 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $27,192 |
| Room and board | $14,582 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $12,997 |
| Application fee | $65 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for West Virginia University
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
Will my child graduate from West Virginia University?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Most popular majors at West Virginia University
The most popular undergraduate programs at West Virginia University, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness and Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General. Across all programs, West Virginia University confers roughly 1,415 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing program report a median income of about $80,411 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 223 | $80,411 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 200 | $56,314 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | 191 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 182 | $90,443 |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 167 | $66,596 |
| Criminology | 152 | $55,034 |
| Journalism | 150 | $59,325 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 150 | $50,214 |
Is West Virginia University safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), West Virginia University disclosed 86 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 5.0 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 14 violent offenses and 39 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like West Virginia University
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like West Virginia University recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about West Virginia University
What GPA do I need for West Virginia University?
West Virginia University has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.
What SAT or ACT score does West Virginia University typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 490–610, with an EBRW midpoint near 570. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 20–26.
How much does West Virginia University actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at West Virginia University after grants and scholarships is $12,997 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is West Virginia University realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, West Virginia University is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at West Virginia University?
West Virginia University accepts about 86% of applicants out of roughly 20,148 who apply each year. It admits the majority of qualified applicants.
Is West Virginia University test-optional?
Yes. West Virginia University is test-optional, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at West Virginia University?
About 64% of students at West Virginia University graduate within six years. 83% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does West Virginia University look for in applicants?
West Virginia University rates GPA as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is West Virginia University a public or private school, and where is it located?
West Virginia University is a public institution located in Morgantown, West Virginia.
What are the most popular majors at West Virginia University?
The largest undergraduate majors at West Virginia University by annual graduates are Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness and Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General. The school awards about 1,415 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is West Virginia University safe? What is its campus crime rate?
West Virginia University reported 86 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 5.0 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by West Virginia University, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.