University of Charleston
Charleston, WV 25304
About University of Charleston
University of Charleston is a private research university in Charleston, West Virginia, enrolling about 2,259 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 61.52% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $55,774 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- University of Charleston charges 15% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($33,800).
- Versus the West Virginia median, sticker tuition is about 3.5×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 45.55%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $55,774.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at University of Charleston is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 531% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Charleston | $33,800 | $22,107 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| West Virginia (state median) | $9,574 | $9,114 | 36 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 35% below published tuition at University of Charleston
Key findings
- University of Charleston's average net price ($22,107) is 35% below published tuition ($33,800).
- University of Charleston charges 15% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($33,800).
- Versus the West Virginia median, sticker tuition is about 3.5×.
University of Charleston tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $33,800
Finding University of Charleston charges 15% above the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $33,800. That is 15% above the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the West Virginia median ($9,574), sticker tuition is about 3.5×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 2.8×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private non-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at University of Charleston versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at University of Charleston versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at University of Charleston is $22,107.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $22,107 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $12,992 above the West Virginia median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $7,136 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway University of Charleston’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 35% lower after grants and scholarships.
University of Charleston: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for University of Charleston—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$33,800
Avg. net price
$22,107
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $21,427 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $25,331 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $16,945 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $20,215 |
| $110,001+ | $23,795 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $135,200. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What University of Charleston is known for
Top program completions
- Organizational Leadership418
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse172
- Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other147
- Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism54
- Pharmacy37
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 24% of admitted students enrolled.
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is University of Charleston a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
University of Charleston is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for University of Charleston.
Campus
Location
Charleston, WV
City / state
- ZIP
- 25304
- NCES locale
- Town
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is 48% above the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Doctoral/Professional Universities
Size
Enrollment
2,259
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 4,110
- Graduate
- 714
- Full-time share
- 54%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$19,500
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 31.43%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for University of Charleston.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at University of Charleston was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for University of Charleston in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $19,650 | $19,650 | $19,029 |
| 2014 | $23,200 | $23,200 | $17,841 |
| 2015 | $26,100 | $26,100 | $18,621 |
| 2016 | $29,900 | $29,900 | $17,170 |
| 2017 | $30,400 | $30,400 | $14,138 |
| 2018 | $30,900 | $30,900 | $20,608 |
| 2019 | $31,400 | $31,400 | $22,284 |
| 2020 | $32,200 | $32,200 | $23,381 |
| 2021 | $31,350 | $31,350 | $20,294 |
| 2022 | $31,900 | $31,900 | $21,383 |
| 2023 | $32,842 | $32,842 | $22,012 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
University of Charleston reported total enrollment of about 2,259 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 62% male and 38% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (66.0%), Black or African American (9.4%), and Hispanic or Latino (8.7%). About 31.43% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 43.1% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
54.0% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at University of Charleston in 2024 is 2,259 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 4,110 students. Graduate enrollment is about 714 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
74.8%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
35.59% 100% Completion Time
45.55% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 35.59% of students graduating from University of Charleston completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Organizational Leadership: 95% male / 5% female
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 19% male / 81% female
- Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other: 86% male / 14% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
University of Charleston graduates earn a median of $55,774 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of University of Charleston.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $55,774. Median federal loan debt: $19,500. Average net price used in cost models: $22,107.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway University of Charleston graduates report median earnings of $55,774 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for University of Charleston.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (36 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at University of Charleston.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for University of Charleston graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for University of Charleston—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$56.9M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- West Virginia median 4.9× the median ($11.7M)
- Southeast median 2.9× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 2.2× the median ($26.4M)
- West Virginia median 2.2× the median ($9,559)
- Southeast median 2.3× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 1.7× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 55.1%
- West Virginia median 3.7 pp below median (58.7%)
- Southeast median 4.4 pp below median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 2.9 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $7,297
- West Virginia median 1.2× the median ($6,342)
- Southeast median 1.1× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median near the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $5,497
- West Virginia median 0.75× the median ($7,346)
- Southeast median 0.83× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 0.75× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
University of Charleston at a glance
University of Charleston
University of Charleston is a private non-profit institution in Charleston, WV, classified as Doctoral/Professional Universities.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Organizational LeadershipRegistered Nursing/Registered NurseBusiness Administration, Management and Operations, Other
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian66.0%Black or African American9.4%Hispanic or Latino8.7%
- Opportunity College (2025)
- Higher access & higher earnings · Browse OCU directory
Schools near University of Charleston
Other campuses in Charleston, WV when available, plus nearby institutions in West Virginia.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C-) within West Virginia, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is University of Charleston located?
University of Charleston is located in Charleston, WV.
What is University of Charleston's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at University of Charleston is 61.5% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 1,635 applicants and 1,055 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is University of Charleston's tuition?
University of Charleston tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $33,800 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $22,107 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does University of Charleston cost?
Reported tuition is $33,800 and average net price is $22,107 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $12,280 annually.
Why is University of Charleston's net price so much lower than tuition?
At University of Charleston, published tuition is $33,800 while average net price is $22,107—about 35% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains University of Charleston's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($22,107), completion (45.6% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($55,774). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at University of Charleston?
University of Charleston reports undergraduate enrollment of about 4,110 students, White (66.0%), Black or African American (9.4%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend University of Charleston?
About 43.1% of students at University of Charleston are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of University of Charleston earn?
Median earnings are $42,698 six years after entry and $55,774 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at University of Charleston?
The 150%-time completion rate is 45.6% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do University of Charleston students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $19,500.
Is University of Charleston public or private?
University of Charleston is a private nonprofit institution located in Charleston, WV.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.