State cost ranking · DOE College Scorecard
Cheapest Colleges in West Virginia
According to U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data, 60 West Virginia colleges ranked by average net price, what students actually paid after grant and scholarship aid, not the published sticker price.
- Aid covers full cost
- Cheapest net price
- $9,988
- West Virginia median
- 60
- Schools ranked
Data updated June 2026 · IPEDS 2022–23 vintage
The list in one line
Ralph R Willis Career and Technical Center has the lowest average net price in West Virginia at Aid covers full cost, and the state's median net price is 42% below the $17,083 national median across 4,942 schools.
- Aid covers full cost
- cheapest ranked net price
- $9,988
- West Virginia median net price
- 38 public / 22 private
- schools in this ranking
- $9,455
- avg net price, <$30K income families
Average net price is the institution-reported average amount students actually paid after all grant and scholarship aid, not counting loans that must be repaid. A very low figure at a specialty or religious institution can reflect a narrow enrollment mix rather than typical affordability, check the sector label and enrollment before comparing.
Sticker tuition and real net price diverge most at Bethany College, where in-state published tuition of $36,765 falls to an average net price of $18,605 after aid, a $18,160 gap. This is the widest sticker-to-net-price gap among ranked West Virginia schools, and a reminder that published tuition alone is a poor guide to what most admitted students actually pay.
Across all 60 ranked West Virginia schools, 38 are public institutions and 22 are private (nonprofit or for-profit). Sector is shown next to every school below because a low sticker-adjacent price at a small religious, seminary, or specialty school can reflect an unusual enrollment mix rather than broad affordability, check enrollment and sector before drawing conclusions from rank alone.
Average net price also blends every income bracket into one figure, so a family's own bracket can land well above or below the number shown here. Federal reporting requires an institution to have enough surveyed aid recipients in a bracket before that bracket is published, so a very small school can show only a partial income-bracket breakdown even when its overall average net price is fully reported. Use the school's own profile page for the full income-bracket table before treating a single average as a personal cost estimate.
West Virginia's 25 cheapest colleges by real net price
| # | College | Avg net price | Net price (<$30K income) | Median debt | Median earnings, 6yr | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ralph R Willis Career and Technical Center Logan, WV · Public | Aid covers full cost 103% of the leader · rank #1 | Aid covers full cost | - | - | 28 |
| 2 | West Virginia University at Parkersburg Parkersburg, WV · Public | $1,807 93% of the leader · rank #2 | $723 | $12,570 | $31,076 | 2,584 |
| 3 | Putnam Career and Technical Center Eleanor, WV · Public | $1,975 92% of the leader · rank #3 | $1,975 | - | $31,190 | 32 |
| 4 | Fred W Eberle Technical Center Buckhannon, WV · Public | $2,129 92% of the leader · rank #4 | $1,959 | - | $38,251 | 119 |
| 5 | Mercer County Technical Education Center Princeton, WV · Public | $2,225 91% of the leader · rank #5 | $1,623 | - | $36,860 | 102 |
| 6 | Wood County Technical Center-Practical Nursing Parkersburg, WV · Public | $2,248 91% of the leader · rank #6 | $871 | - | $32,642 | 28 |
| 7 | Mineral County Vocational Technical Center Keyser, WV · Public | $2,914 89% of the leader · rank #7 | $2,914 | - | - | 14 |
| 8 | Mingo Extended Learning Center Delbarton, WV · Public | $3,290 87% of the leader · rank #8 | $3,290 | - | - | 13 |
| 9 | Ben Franklin Career Center Dunbar, WV · Public | $3,382 87% of the leader · rank #9 | $3,702 | - | $28,611 | 99 |
| 10 | United Technical Center Clarksburg, WV · Public | $3,461 87% of the leader · rank #10 | $2,787 | - | $40,317 | 26 |
| 11 | New River Community and Technical College Beaver, WV · Public | $3,599 86% of the leader · rank #11 | $2,657 | $7,250 | $28,278 | 1,262 |
| 12 | Cabell County Career Technology Center Huntington, WV · Public | $3,657 86% of the leader · rank #12 | $3,657 | - | $35,834 | 26 |
| 13 | Fayette Institute of Technology Oak Hill, WV · Public | $4,132 84% of the leader · rank #13 | $2,482 | - | $37,056 | 36 |
| 14 | BridgeValley Community & Technical College South Charleston, WV · Public | $4,565 82% of the leader · rank #14 | $4,321 | $9,829 | $34,209 | 1,793 |
| 15 | Blue Ridge Community and Technical College Martinsburg, WV · Public | $4,641 82% of the leader · rank #15 | $4,201 | $13,000 | $35,210 | 4,309 |
| 16 | Monongalia County Technical Education Center Morgantown, WV · Public | $5,132 80% of the leader · rank #16 | $4,838 | - | $37,333 | 48 |
| 17 | West Virginia Northern Community College Wheeling, WV · Public | $5,329 79% of the leader · rank #17 | $3,911 | $10,245 | $31,298 | 1,263 |
| 18 | Roane-Jackson Technical Center Leroy, WV · Public | $5,879 77% of the leader · rank #18 | $5,879 | - | $31,335 | 11 |
| 19 | Carver Career Center Charleston, WV · Public | $6,941 73% of the leader · rank #19 | - | - | $28,840 | 163 |
| 20 | Marshall University Huntington, WV · Public | $7,502 71% of the leader · rank #20 | $4,648 | $23,250 | $39,561 | 11,027 |
| 21 | Mountwest Community and Technical College Huntington, WV · Public | $8,083 69% of the leader · rank #21 | $7,895 | $7,446 | $28,245 | 1,459 |
| 22 | Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College Moorefield, WV · Public | $8,095 69% of the leader · rank #22 | $6,392 | $8,500 | $30,420 | 416 |
| 23 | Pierpont Community and Technical College Fairmont, WV · Public | $8,325 68% of the leader · rank #23 | $7,780 | $12,110 | $31,618 | 1,939 |
| 24 | James Rumsey Technical Institute Martinsburg, WV · Public | $8,477 67% of the leader · rank #24 | $5,802 | - | $42,576 | 137 |
| 25 | Fairmont State University Fairmont, WV · Public | $9,032 65% of the leader · rank #25 | $8,434 | $21,000 | $41,197 | 3,307 |
See all 60 ranked West Virginia schools →
| # | College | Avg net price | Net price (<$30K income) | Median debt | Median earnings, 6yr | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Potomac State College of West Virginia University Keyser, WV · Public | $9,197 64% of the leader · rank #26 | $7,375 | $22,500 | $45,181 | 1,143 |
| 27 | West Virginia University Institute of Technology Beckley, WV · Public | $9,337 64% of the leader · rank #27 | $6,998 | $22,500 | $45,181 | 1,448 |
| 28 | Huntington Junior College Huntington, WV · Private nonprofit | $9,422 63% of the leader · rank #28 | $9,503 | $21,604 | $18,035 | 209 |
| 29 | American Public University System Charles Town, WV · Private for-profit | $9,597 63% of the leader · rank #29 | $9,335 | $21,743 | $32,917 | 50,187 |
| 30 | Concord University Athens, WV · Public | $9,966 61% of the leader · rank #30 | $8,021 | $18,900 | $33,094 | 1,798 |
| 31 | Academy of Careers and Technology Beckley, WV · Public | $9,988 61% of the leader · rank #31 | $9,696 | - | $33,106 | 147 |
| 32 | Randolph Technical Center Elkins, WV · Public | $10,062 61% of the leader · rank #32 | $10,075 | - | $38,072 | 11 |
| 33 | Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College Logan, WV · Public | $10,321 60% of the leader · rank #33 | $9,480 | $9,190 | $26,307 | 1,461 |
| 34 | Clarksburg Beauty Academy and School of Massage Therapy Clarksburg, WV · Private for-profit | $10,627 59% of the leader · rank #34 | $10,507 | $6,415 | $18,521 | 58 |
| 35 | Huntington School of Beauty Culture Huntington, WV · Private for-profit | $10,768 58% of the leader · rank #35 | $10,659 | - | - | 115 |
| 36 | West Virginia State University Institute, WV · Public | $11,139 57% of the leader · rank #36 | $9,457 | $23,338 | $32,849 | 3,458 |
| 37 | Shepherd University Shepherdstown, WV · Public | $11,363 56% of the leader · rank #37 | $7,906 | $21,600 | $43,726 | 3,318 |
| 38 | Appalachian Bible College Mount Hope, WV · Private nonprofit | $11,579 55% of the leader · rank #38 | $8,772 | $11,000 | $29,147 | 218 |
| 39 | Charleston School of Beauty Culture Charleston, WV · Private for-profit | $11,638 55% of the leader · rank #39 | $11,039 | $6,128 | $17,000 | 54 |
| 40 | Salem University Salem, WV · Private for-profit | $12,303 52% of the leader · rank #40 | $9,886 | $24,694 | $31,612 | 894 |
| 41 | Morgantown Beauty College Inc Morgantown, WV · Private for-profit | $12,823 50% of the leader · rank #41 | $10,684 | $6,365 | $21,195 | 74 |
| 42 | West Virginia Junior College-Charleston Cross Lanes, WV · Private for-profit | $12,887 50% of the leader · rank #42 | $11,459 | $8,270 | $26,253 | 317 |
| 43 | Bluefield State University Bluefield, WV · Public | $13,684 47% of the leader · rank #43 | $11,810 | $18,250 | $35,030 | 1,270 |
| 44 | Glenville State University Glenville, WV · Public | $14,006 46% of the leader · rank #44 | $10,884 | $25,000 | $34,917 | 1,633 |
| 45 | International Beauty School 4 Martinsburg, WV · Private for-profit | $14,581 43% of the leader · rank #45 | $11,311 | $6,333 | $22,591 | 86 |
| 46 | West Liberty University West Liberty, WV · Public | $15,366 40% of the leader · rank #46 | $12,714 | $23,250 | $36,822 | 2,348 |
| 47 | West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown Morgantown, WV · Private for-profit | $15,520 40% of the leader · rank #47 | $14,652 | $9,881 | $30,544 | 584 |
| 48 | West Virginia University Morgantown, WV · Public | $15,634 39% of the leader · rank #48 | $9,450 | $22,500 | $45,181 | 24,200 |
| 49 | B M Spurr School of Practical Nursing Glen Dale, WV · Private nonprofit | $15,661 39% of the leader · rank #49 | $18,058 | - | $42,220 | 16 |
| 50 | Ross Medical Education Center-Charleston Charleston, WV · Private for-profit | $17,821 31% of the leader · rank #50 | $17,821 | $9,500 | $27,583 | 36 |
| 51 | West Virginia Wesleyan College Buckhannon, WV · Private nonprofit | $18,083 30% of the leader · rank #51 | $12,611 | $27,000 | $42,672 | 991 |
| 52 | Davis & Elkins College Elkins, WV · Private nonprofit | $18,273 29% of the leader · rank #52 | $15,999 | $27,000 | $38,495 | 683 |
| 53 | Bethany College Bethany, WV · Private nonprofit | $18,605 28% of the leader · rank #53 | $14,315 | $27,000 | $37,124 | 671 |
| 54 | John D Rockefeller IV Career Center New Cumberland, WV · Public | $19,229 25% of the leader · rank #54 | $19,229 | - | - | 14 |
| 55 | Wheeling University Wheeling, WV · Private nonprofit | $20,503 20% of the leader · rank #55 | $17,739 | $25,125 | $48,482 | 748 |
| 56 | Ross Medical Education Center-Morgantown Morgantown, WV · Private for-profit | $20,989 18% of the leader · rank #56 | $20,848 | $9,500 | $27,138 | 16 |
| 57 | University of Charleston Charleston, WV · Private nonprofit | $22,107 14% of the leader · rank #57 | $21,427 | $19,500 | $42,698 | 2,758 |
| 58 | Valley College-Beckley Beckley, WV · Private for-profit | $25,149 4% of the leader · rank #58 | $25,305 | $9,500 | $22,156 | 181 |
| 59 | Mountain State School of Massage Charleston, WV · Private for-profit | $25,354 4% of the leader · rank #59 | $25,354 | - | - | 33 |
| 60 | Valley College-Martinsburg Martinsburg, WV · Private for-profit | $25,751 4% of the leader · rank #60 | $25,497 | $9,500 | $25,548 | 651 |
What this means for you
Use West Virginia's ranking as a starting point, real net price depends on your specific financial-aid package.
- Ralph R Willis Career and Technical Center reports the lowest average net price in West Virginia, but "average" blends every income bracket, check your bracket's figure before assuming it applies to you. View Ralph R Willis
- See your specific school's in-state cost rank and nearest-price peers. My School Profile
- Compare campus safety alongside cost before deciding. West Virginia safety
Figures reflect the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23 release.
Average net price = the institution-reported average amount students actually paid after all grant and scholarship aid, excluding loans. Only schools with a reported average net price in the DOE College Scorecard dataset are ranked. Schools with fewer than 10 net-price-reporting institutions in a state or territory are not given a dedicated ranking page.
Some schools on this page show "Aid covers full cost" instead of a dollar figure. This reflects real federal data: at a small number of low-cost institutions, mostly community colleges with strong state or federal grant programs, average grant and scholarship aid meets or exceeds the cost-of-attendance components used in the net-price calculation, producing a reported net price of $0 or below for the average aided student. It is not a display error.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23
Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Every ranked figure on this page is queried directly from the DOE College Scorecard dataset at request time; no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.