Charleston, West Virginia Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Charleston, West Virginia: median public in-state tuition $33,990 (+496.3% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $56,207 (-5.4% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 90.2% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $8,994 (-33.4% vs U.S.) 2,571 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Charleston serve students across West Virginia with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 5 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 2,571 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $33,990. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Charleston, West Virginia and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Charleston 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, West Virginia | $33,990 | $18,573 | $8,994 | 46.7% | 2,571 |
| West Virginia (state median) | $8,708 | $9,236 | $14,622 | 46.0% | 99,042 |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Charleston, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, West Virginia | $56,207 | 90.2% | 74.8% | 5.8% | — | 69.3% | 0.32 |
| West Virginia (state median) | $49,407 | 90.6% | 65.2% | 10.4% | — | 61.7% | 0.44 |
| United States | $59,401 | 93.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.8% | 0.36 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, West Virginia | $33,990 | $18,573 | $8,994 | 46.7% | 2,571 | $56,207 | 90.2% |
| Charles Town | $9,444 | $11,116 | $18,277 | 60.1% | 40,190 | $41,320 | 79.7% |
| Morgantown | $12,775 | $15,685 | $9,717 | 71.4% | 18,261 | $62,910 | 94.0% |
| Huntington | $9,388 | $7,341 | $14,438 | 52.9% | 8,769 | $49,444 | 91.0% |
| Fairmont | $7,235 | $11,270 | $14,446 | 55.4% | 3,549 | $49,370 | 91.5% |
| Martinsburg | $0 | $13,633 | $9,500 | 42.6% | 2,611 | N/A | N/A |
| Parkersburg | $4,612 | $2,421 | $14,622 | 33.6% | 1,899 | N/A | N/A |
| Wheeling | $18,004 | $7,919 | $15,024 | 35.9% | 1,603 | $64,655 | 95.9% |
| Beckley | $8,976 | $14,942 | $15,323 | 29.9% | 1,314 | $62,910 | 94.0% |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 | $59,401 | 93.0% |
Top college in Charleston, 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, 46.7%, University of Charleston
University of Charleston
Top college in Charleston, 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, 90.2%, University of Charleston
University of Charleston
Most selective college in Charleston, 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, 61.5%, University of Charleston
University of Charleston
Top college in Charleston, 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, $80,024, University of Charleston
University of Charleston
Top college in Charleston, 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, $83,847, University of Charleston
University of Charleston
Top college in Charleston, 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, $51,170, University of Charleston
University of Charleston
Top college in Charleston, 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, $53,775, University of Charleston
University of Charleston
Top college in Charleston, 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, $56,207, University of Charleston
University of Charleston
Top college in Charleston, 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, $149,650, University of Charleston
University of Charleston
Most affordable college in Charleston, 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, $23,793, University of Charleston
University of Charleston
Top college in Charleston, 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, 74.8%, University of Charleston
University of Charleston
In-state tuition: Charleston, West Virginia vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Charleston, West Virginia median in-state tuition is $33,990, +496.3% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Charleston, West Virginia vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Charleston, West Virginia is $8,994 (-33.4% vs U.S. median $13,500). Regional median: $15,558.
Median earnings (10 years out): Charleston, West Virginia vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Charleston, West Virginia center around $56,207 (-5.4% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Charleston, 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 90.2% at the median Charleston, West Virginia campus (-2.9 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
Charleston, West Virginia median public in-state tuition is $33,990, about +496.3% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +559.2%.
Median graduate debt is $8,994 (-33.4% below the U.S. median of $13,500). 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 Charleston, West Virginia are $56,207, about -5.4% vs the U.S. campus median ($59,401).
The median campus reports 90.2% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 93.0% (-2.9 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 74.8% 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 5.8% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 69.3% (U.S. 73.8%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include University of Charleston (90.2%)—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 Charleston, West Virginia is 46.7% (national institution average about 49.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Charleston?
This city profile covers 5 campuses in Charleston, West Virginia with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Charleston?
Median in-state tuition in Charleston is $33,990 and median net price is $18,573. For West Virginia overall, medians are $8,708 and $9,236; U.S. medians are $5,700 and $9,912.
What do graduates earn in Charleston?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Charleston is $56,207 vs $49,407 for West Virginia and $59,401 nationally.
What is student debt like for Charleston colleges?
Median completer debt in Charleston is $8,994 vs $14,622 for West Virginia and $13,500 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Charleston?
Top campuses on this page include University of Charleston (graduation) and University of Charleston (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Charleston?
Among 5 College Scorecard campuses in Charleston, West Virginia, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, none report at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment, and none report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- West Virginia college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
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