Charles Town, West Virginia Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Colleges in Charles Town, West Virginia: median public in-state tuition $9,240 (+67.6% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $44,409 (-18.3% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 75.7% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $21,743 (+63.8% vs U.S.) 40,190 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 2 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 40,190 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $9,240 (+67.6% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $44,409 (-18.3% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 75.7% (-12.2 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $11,886 (+19.2% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $21,743 (+63.8% vs U.S. $13,271); regional median $14,456
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 78.6%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 97.1%
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Overview
Colleges and universities in Charles Town serve students across West Virginia with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 2 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 40,190 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $9,240. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Charles Town, West Virginia and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Charles Town 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Town, West Virginia | $9,240 | $11,886 | $21,743 | 78.6% | 40,190 |
| West Virginia (state median) | $7,112 | $9,114 | $13,000 | 45.0% | 99,042 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Charles Town, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Town, West Virginia | $44,409 | 75.7% | 97.1% | 10.4% | — | 59.6% | 0.49 |
| West Virginia (state median) | $44,460 | 87.2% | 65.2% | 10.4% | — | 61.7% | 0.50 |
| United States | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Town, West Virginia | $9,240 | $11,886 | $21,743 | 78.6% | 40,190 | $44,409 | 75.7% |
| 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% |
| Fairmont | $7,235 | $8,678 | $16,555 | 44.2% | 3,549 | $46,857 | 87.2% |
| Martinsburg | $4,752 | $11,529 | $9,500 | 66.4% | 2,611 | 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% |
| Parkersburg | $4,612 | $2,028 | $12,570 | 9.1% | 1,899 | N/A | N/A |
| Wheeling | $17,290 | $12,916 | $17,685 | 23.3% | 1,603 | $57,949 | 93.1% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
Top college in Charles Town, 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, 57.2%, American Public University System
American Public University System
Top college in Charles Town, 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, 75.7%, American Public University System
American Public University System
Top college in Charles Town, 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, $85,161, American Public University System
American Public University System
Top college in Charles Town, 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, $103,706, American Public University System
American Public University System
Top college in Charles Town, 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, $32,917, American Public University System
American Public University System
Top college in Charles Town, 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, $33,695, American Public University System
American Public University System
Top college in Charles Town, 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, $44,409, American Public University System
American Public University System
Top college in Charles Town, 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, $135,394, American Public University System
American Public University System
Most affordable college in Charles Town, 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, $9,597, American Public University System
American Public University System
Top college in Charles Town, 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, 97.1%, American Public University System
American Public University System
In-state tuition: Charles Town, West Virginia vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Charles Town, West Virginia median in-state tuition is $9,240, +67.6% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Charles Town, West Virginia vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Charles Town, West Virginia is $21,743 (+63.8% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $14,456.
Median earnings (10 years out): Charles Town, West Virginia vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Charles Town, West Virginia center around $44,409 (-18.3% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Charles Town, 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 75.7% at the median Charles Town, West Virginia campus (-12.2 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
Charles Town, West Virginia median public in-state tuition is $9,240, about +67.6% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +85.1%.
Median graduate debt is $21,743 (+63.8% above the U.S. median of $13,271). 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 Charles Town, West Virginia are $44,409, about -18.3% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
The median campus reports 75.7% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 88.0% (-12.2 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 97.1% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 10.4% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 59.6% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include American Public University System (75.7%)—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 Charles Town, West Virginia is 78.6% (national institution average about 50.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Charles Town?
This city profile covers 2 campuses in Charles Town, West Virginia with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Charles Town?
Median in-state tuition in Charles Town is $9,240 and median net price is $11,886. For West Virginia overall, medians are $7,112 and $9,114; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,969.
What do graduates earn in Charles Town?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Charles Town is $44,409 vs $44,460 for West Virginia and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for Charles Town colleges?
Median completer debt in Charles Town is $21,743 vs $13,000 for West Virginia and $13,271 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Charles Town?
Top campuses on this page include American Public University System (graduation) and American Public University System (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Charles Town?
Among 2 campuses in Charles Town, West Virginia, 1 campus with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Catholic International University; 1 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campus (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Roman Catholic (1).
Sources & related
- West Virginia college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON