Morgantown, WV · Clery Act 2023 · Public

West Virginia University

According to the U.S. Department of Education's Clery Act filings, this profile covers campus safety, crime statistics, fire-safety data, and peer comparison for this 24,200-student campus.

4.59
Incidents / 1k students
#2,533
Rank of 3,050
#26
WV rank
24,200
Enrolled students

Data updated June 2026

The verdict

West Virginia University reports 4.59 on-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 enrolled students, ranking #2,533 of 3,050 ranked U.S. campuses - with more reported incidents than 85% of ranked campuses its size.

4.59
incidents / 1,000 students
#2,533
of 3,050 ranked nationally
85%
report fewer incidents than this campus
59
on-campus incidents, 2023

Safety score = reported on-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is safer).

Reporting-period change

What changed in 2023

-17 reported incidents

West Virginia University decreased from 76 to 59 reported on-campus incidents between the 2022 and 2023 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.

This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.

See national reporting-year changes

West Virginia University is a Public institution located in Morgantown, WV, enrolling approximately 24,200 students. Clery Act data spanning 2021–2023 records 202 total on-campus incidents across all reported crime categories. Within WV, it ranks #26 by safety score. Verify with the U.S. Department of Education Clery Act database →

With 24,200 enrolled students, this campus sits in the large research university bracket, which shapes how raw incident counts should be interpreted.

The most frequently reported category at West Virginia University is "Rape" with 54 cumulative incidents across the reporting window. Compared to 5 peer institutions of similar enrollment size in WV averaging 2.43 incidents per 1,000 students, West Virginia University reports 89% more incidents per student.

Fire safety data covers 1 reporting year for on-campus residential facilities, logging 2 total fires. Arrests and disciplinary actions span 36 category-year records, covering liquor law violations, drug law violations, and weapons possession on-campus. No Department of Education Clery Act enforcement actions are recorded against this institution.

Safety Score

4.59 /1K students

incidents per 1,000 enrolled

National Rank

#2533

See peer comparison

State Rank (WV)

#26

within state peers

Incidents (2023)

59

across 11 crime categories

Where West Virginia University sits among ranked U.S. campuses

On-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 students, every ranked campus with 2,000+ students

5 safer than 15% of 1,807 ranked campuses

0–1: 874 ranked campuses (48%). Below this entry. 1–2: 281 ranked campuses (16%). Below this entry. 2–3: 186 ranked campuses (10%). Below this entry. 3–4: 135 ranked campuses (7%). Below this entry. 4–5: 84 ranked campuses (5%). This entry sits in this band. 5–6: 71 ranked campuses (4%). Above this entry. 6–7: 36 ranked campuses (2%). Above this entry. 7–8: 37 ranked campuses (2%). Above this entry. 8–9: 103 ranked campuses (6%). Above this entry. This campus 0 9 every ranked campus, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more ranked campuses. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety & Security Survey (Clery Act) · 2023

Safety percentile vs. peers

West Virginia University percentile rank 17.0%
National median

Higher percentile = safer than more peers. Rank #2533 out of 3,050 ranked institutions (enrollment >= 500) in the OPE Campus Safety Survey.

Reporting density vs peer median

West Virginia University reports 89% more incidents per student than the median of 5 peer institutions.

Academic & Financial Profile

Tuition & Costs

In-State Tuition
$10,104
Out-of-State Tuition
$28,608
Avg Net Price
$15,634
Median Debt
$22,500
Pell Grant Recipients
22%
How does this cost rank in WV? →

Admissions

Acceptance Rate
89%
SAT Average
1122
SAT Math Range
490–600
ACT Average
24
ACT Range
20–26

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate
63%
Retention Rate
83%
Median Earnings (6yr)
$45,181
Median Earnings (10yr)
$55,939
Loan Repayment (3yr)
72%

Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.

Enrollment scale

How campus size shapes the safety figures

With 24,200 enrolled students, West Virginia University is in the largest 3% of the 5,673 institutions in this dataset with a reported enrollment. The safety score above already normalizes reported on-campus incidents per 1,000 students, so compare it with similarly sized campuses instead of treating a higher raw count as evidence that a campus is less safe. Use the annual crime table to see what was reported, then use the peer comparison to judge the rate against schools of a similar scale. A lower reported rate is not a guarantee of individual safety or a measure of reporting quality.

Crime Statistics by Year

11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus only

West Virginia University: on-campus incidents by year

Declining 12% (67 → 59 incidents)

50607080 202120222023 67 59 ▼ -11.9%
Crime Type 202320222021
Aggravated Assault 10119
Arson 212
Burglary 72421
Fondling 151612
Incest 000
Motor Vehicle Theft 536
Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter 000
Negligent Manslaughter 010
Rape 181917
Robbery 210
Statutory Rape 000

Source: US Dept US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Figures show on-campus incidents

Fire Safety

Year Fires Inj. Deaths Cat I Cat II
2023 2 0 0 0 0

Arrests & Disciplinary Actions

36 category-year records
Disposition26%47%27%ArrestsDisciplinary referralsNo action
36 reported records
Category Year Arrests Discipline
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 10 74
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 43 549
Weapons 2023 0 0
Weapons 2023 0 0
Weapons 2023 0 0
Weapons 2023 1 0
Drugs 2022 0 0
Drugs 2022 0 0
Drugs 2022 0 0
Drugs 2022 42 104
Liquor 2022 0 0
Liquor 2022 0 0
Liquor 2022 0 0
Liquor 2022 50 765

West Virginia University vs peer institutions

Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment

Scores are incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer).

Selected

WV

West Virginia University

4.59 incidents / 1,000 students
National rank
#2,533
Enrollment
24,200
Data year
2023

DE

University of Delaware

2.81 incidents / 1,000 students
National rank
#2,219
Enrollment
24,221
Data year
2023

Similar Institutions

University of Delaware
Newark, DE · 24,221 enrolled
Safety Score 2.81
The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX · 24,351 enrolled
Safety Score 1.52
University of Mississippi
University, MS · 24,043 enrolled
Safety Score 3.70
Palm Beach State College
Lake Worth, FL · 24,369 enrolled
Safety Score 0.04
California State University-Fresno
Fresno, CA · 23,986 enrolled
Safety Score 4.09

Closest by National Rank

Institutions ranked nearest West Virginia University nationally (rank #2533), regardless of size or state.

Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, IL
National Rank #2532
Columbus State University
Columbus, GA
National Rank #2534
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI
National Rank #2531
Oglethorpe University
Atlanta, GA
National Rank #2535
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
National Rank #2530

Frequently Asked Questions

Is West Virginia University safe?
West Virginia University has a safety score of 4.59 (total on-campus incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #2,533 nationally out of 3,050+ ranked institutions. Compare this with peer institutions for context.
What crimes are reported at West Virginia University?
Aggravated Assault, Arson, Burglary, Fondling, Incest, and other categories, for calendar year 2023.
How does West Virginia University compare to similar schools?
See the Similar Institutions section below for peers of similar enrollment in WV.
Does West Virginia University have fire safety data?
Yes. West Virginia University reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. 2 fires were reported in the most recent year.

Understanding West Virginia University's Safety Profile

West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV enrolls 24,200 students and has a safety score of 4.59 incidents per 1,000 enrolled students , ranking #2533 nationally.

Reported incidents cover 2021 to 2023. On-campus incidents decreased from 76 in 2022 to 59 in 2023.

Fire safety data covers on-campus residential facilities. 2 fires were reported in the most recent year.

What this means for you

West Virginia University's 4.59 reported on-campus incidents per 1,000 students is a starting point for comparison, not a verdict on any student's safety.

Figures reflect the 2023 Clery Act reporting year as filed with the U.S. Department of Education.

Data sourced from the U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety & Security Survey (Clery Act). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCampus Editorial

Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure 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.