Highest 20-Year ROI Colleges in West Virginia
The biggest 20-year net financial gain over a high-school-only earner — tuition and debt already subtracted. Our tax-verified answer to the 20-year ROI question, from IRS-linked federal earnings rather than self-reported surveys.
Showing West Virginia
Clear state| # | College | Type | 20-yr net gain | 5-yr earnings | Net price | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | DR Rating | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia University Institute of Technology Beckley, WV | Public | $569,993 | $75,777 | $9,337 | $22,500 | +576% | Strong return | |
| 2 | Bluefield State University Bluefield, WV | Public | $561,494 | $76,144 | $13,684 | $18,250 | +407% | Strong return | |
| 3 | Davis & Elkins College Elkins, WV | Private | $422,229 | $70,258 | $18,273 | $27,000 | +205% | Strong return | |
| 4 | University of Charleston Charleston, WV | Private | $361,406 | $67,847 | $22,107 | $19,500 | +139% | Strong return | |
| 5 | West Virginia University Morgantown, WV | Public | $320,465 | $64,560 | $15,634 | $22,500 | +177% | Strong return | |
| 6 | American Public University System Charles Town, WV | For-profit | $304,349 | $62,533 | $9,597 | $21,743 | +279% | Strong return | |
| 7 | West Virginia Wesleyan College Buckhannon, WV | Private | $282,909 | $63,254 | $18,083 | $27,000 | +122% | Strong return | |
| 8 | Wheeling University Wheeling, WV | Private | $252,192 | $62,168 | $20,503 | $25,125 | +88% | Strong return | |
| 9 | Marshall University Huntington, WV | Public | $152,880 | $54,568 | $7,502 | $23,250 | +149% | Strong return | |
| 10 | Shepherd University Shepherdstown, WV | Public | $117,657 | $53,549 | $11,363 | $21,600 | +60% | Break-even | |
| 11 | Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College Logan, WV | Public | $115,429 | $51,971 | $10,321 | $9,190 | +191% | Strong return | |
| 12 | Fairmont State University Fairmont, WV | Public | $76,299 | $51,004 | $9,032 | $21,000 | +37% | Break-even | |
| 13 | Potomac State College of West Virginia University Keyser, WV | Public | $16,273 | $48,063 | $9,197 | $22,500 | -32% | Poor return | |
| 14 | Bethany College Bethany, WV | Private | $-11,299 | $48,648 | $18,605 | $27,000 | -57% | Poor return | |
| 15 | Salem University Salem, WV | For-profit | $-16,151 | $47,103 | $12,303 | $24,694 | -64% | Poor return | |
| 16 | Blue Ridge Community and Technical College Martinsburg, WV | Public | $-29,959 | $44,203 | $4,641 | $13,000 | -157% | Poor return | |
| 17 | West Virginia University at Parkersburg Parkersburg, WV | Public | $-33,989 | $43,891 | $1,807 | $12,570 | -194% | Poor return | |
| 18 | Glenville State University Glenville, WV | Public | $-43,614 | $46,076 | $14,006 | $25,000 | -84% | Poor return | |
| 19 | Concord University Athens, WV | Public | $-52,251 | $44,725 | $9,966 | $18,900 | -106% | Poor return | |
| 20 | West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown Morgantown, WV | For-profit | $-56,061 | $45,481 | $15,520 | $9,881 | -93% | Poor return | |
| 21 | West Liberty University West Liberty, WV | Public | $-78,296 | $44,582 | $15,366 | $23,250 | -106% | Poor return | |
| 22 | BridgeValley Community & Technical College South Charleston, WV | Public | $-103,672 | $40,452 | $4,565 | $9,829 | -458% | Poor return | |
| 23 | Pierpont Community and Technical College Fairmont, WV | Public | $-112,223 | $40,442 | $8,325 | $12,110 | -316% | Poor return | |
| 24 | West Virginia State University Institute, WV | Public | $-138,021 | $40,752 | $11,139 | $23,338 | -180% | Poor return | |
| 25 | New River Community and Technical College Beaver, WV | Public | $-216,980 | $34,643 | $3,599 | $7,250 | -1,153% | Poor return | |
| 26 | Mountwest Community and Technical College Huntington, WV | Public | $-242,039 | $33,842 | $8,083 | $7,446 | -691% | Poor return | |
| 27 | West Virginia Northern Community College Wheeling, WV | Public | $-267,491 | $32,345 | $5,329 | $10,245 | -979% | Poor return | |
| 28 | Valley College-Martinsburg Martinsburg, WV | Private | $-472,766 | $26,685 | $25,751 | $9,500 | -272% | Poor return |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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