Beckley, West Virginia Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Beckley, West Virginia shows: median public in-state tuition $8,424 (+52.8% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $55,939 (+3.0% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 87.2% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $16,000 (+19.1% vs U.S.) 1,314 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 3 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 1,314 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $8,424 (+52.8% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $55,939 (+3.0% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 87.2% (-0.7 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $9,988 (+0.2% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $16,000 (+19.1% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $14,173
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 33.0%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 61.8%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Beckley, West Virginia—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against West Virginia and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Beckley vs West Virginia & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beckley, West Virginia | $8,424 | $9,988 | $16,000 | 33.0% | 1,314 |
| West Virginia (state median) | $7,112 | $9,114 | $13,000 | 46.0% | 101,533 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Beckley, West Virginia vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beckley, West Virginia | $55,939 | 87.2% | 61.8% | 8.6% | — | 71.8% | 0.40 |
| West Virginia (state median) | $44,512 | 87.2% | 66.3% | 10.4% | — | 61.7% | 0.49 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in West Virginia (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beckley, West Virginia | $8,424 | $9,988 | $16,000 | 33.0% | 1,314 | $55,939 | 87.2% |
| Morgantown | $12,451 | $15,520 | $9,690 | 67.9% | 18,261 | $55,939 | 87.2% |
| Huntington | $9,162 | $8,083 | $21,604 | 51.2% | 8,769 | $46,354 | 87.7% |
| Martinsburg | $4,752 | $11,956 | $9,500 | 63.4% | 5,102 | N/A | N/A |
| Charleston | $33,800 | $17,821 | $9,500 | 45.6% | 2,571 | $55,774 | 83.1% |
| Charleston | $33,800 | $17,821 | $9,500 | 45.6% | 2,571 | $55,774 | 83.1% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Beckley, West Virginia by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 33.0%, West Virginia University Institute of Technology
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Top 10 colleges in Beckley, West Virginia by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 87.2%, West Virginia University Institute of Technology
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Top 10 most selective colleges in Beckley, West Virginia (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 36.7%, West Virginia University Institute of Technology
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Top 10 colleges in Beckley, West Virginia by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $79,662, West Virginia University Institute of Technology
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Top 10 colleges in Beckley, West Virginia by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $99,542, West Virginia University Institute of Technology
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Top 10 colleges in Beckley, West Virginia by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $45,181, West Virginia University Institute of Technology
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Top 10 colleges in Beckley, West Virginia by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $52,556, West Virginia University Institute of Technology
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Top 10 colleges in Beckley, West Virginia by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $55,939, West Virginia University Institute of Technology
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Top 10 colleges in Beckley, West Virginia by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $207,007, West Virginia University Institute of Technology
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Beckley, West Virginia (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $9,337, West Virginia University Institute of Technology
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Top 10 colleges in Beckley, West Virginia by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 61.8%, West Virginia University Institute of Technology
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
In-state tuition: Beckley, West Virginia vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Beckley, West Virginia median in-state tuition is $8,424, +52.8% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Beckley, West Virginia vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Beckley, West Virginia is $16,000 (+19.1% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $14,173.
Median earnings (10 years out): Beckley, West Virginia vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Beckley, West Virginia center around $55,939 (+3.0% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Beckley, West Virginia vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 87.2% at the median Beckley, West Virginia campus (-0.7 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Beckley, West Virginia median public in-state tuition is $8,424, about +52.8% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +68.8%.
Median graduate debt is $16,000 (+19.1% above the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Beckley, West Virginia are $55,939, about +3.0% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 87.2% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (-0.7 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 61.8% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 8.6% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 71.8% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include West Virginia University Institute of Technology (87.2%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Beckley, West Virginia is 33.0% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Beckley?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 3 campuses in Beckley, West Virginia with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Beckley?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Beckley is $8,424 and median net price is $9,988. For West Virginia overall, medians are $7,112 and $9,114; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Beckley?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Beckley is $55,939 vs $44,512 for West Virginia and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Beckley colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Beckley is $16,000 vs $13,000 for West Virginia and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Beckley?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include West Virginia University Institute of Technology (graduation) and West Virginia University Institute of Technology (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Beckley?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 3 College Scorecard campuses in Beckley, West Virginia, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, and none meet our 25% Hispanic-enrollment HSI proxy or report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- West Virginia college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON