West Virginia State University
West Virginia State University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
West Virginia State University Featured Rankings
- #1 Best Small Colleges in West Virginia
- #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in West Virginia 2026
- #2 West Virginia's Best Online Colleges 2026
- #3 West Virginia's Best Online Master's Degrees
- #3 WV Public Colleges
- #3 Most Affordable Colleges in West Virginia
- #3 Best Colleges in West Virginia 2026
- #4 Most Influential US Universities by State
- #11 HBCU Online Master's Programs
- #11 Online Bachelor’s in English
- #12 Best Online HBCUs
- #13 Online Bachelor’s in Health Science
- #30 Most Influential HBCUs
- #38 Online Master’s in Education
About West Virginia State University
According to Wikipedia, West Virginia State University is a public historically black, land-grant university in Institute, West Virginia. Founded in 1891 as the West Virginia Colored Institute, it is one of the original 19 land-grant colleges and universities established by the second Morrill Act of 1890, which evolved as a diverse and inclusive campus. Following desegregation, WVSU's student population slowly became more white than black. As of 2017, WVSU's student body was 75% white and only 8% African-American.
West Virginia State University's Online Degrees
BS in Business Administration
Degree Concentrations
- Accounting
- Required Credits: 35
- Format: Fully online
MEd in Education
Degree Concentrations
- Instructional Leadership
- Required Credits: 36
- Format: Fully online
RBA in Regents Bachelor Of Arts
- Required Credits: 120
- Format: Fully online
West Virginia State University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,465 | 96% | 57% | 36% | 900 | 17 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does West Virginia State University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $9,570 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do West Virginia State University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former West Virginia State University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $43,742 a year, and 87% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
West Virginia State University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 4,312 | 4,138 | 174 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is West Virginia State University?
West Virginia State University is located at Rte 25, Institute, WV 25112-1000.
How Safe is West Virginia State University?
West Virginia State University reported 0.6 violent and property offenses on campus per 1,000 students in 2024, fewer than most midsize partly residential campuses. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.
Relative to its enrollment, West Virginia State University has a violent crime rate of 0.03% and a property crime rate of 0.03%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft).
What Is West Virginia State University Known For?
West Virginia State University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Mathematics
- Education
- Chemistry
- History
- Biology
- Social Work
- Political Science
- Engineering
- Nursing
- Economics
- Psychology
- Literature
- Criminal Justice
- Medical
- Communications
- Sociology
- Computer Science
West Virginia State University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much West Virginia State University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
West Virginia State University ranks #223 in the U.S. and #906 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesWest Virginia State University ranks #410 in the U.S. and #1738 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesWest Virginia State University ranks #465 in the U.S. and #2307 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesWest Virginia State University ranks #490 in the U.S. and #1392 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesWest Virginia State University ranks #557 in the U.S. and #2396 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesWest Virginia State University ranks #808 in the U.S. and #1964 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesWest Virginia State University ranks #883 in the U.S. and #3821 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesWest Virginia State University ranks #897 in the U.S. and #4885 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesWest Virginia State University ranks #947 in the U.S. and #2419 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesWest Virginia State University ranks #955 in the U.S. and #5271 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesWest Virginia State University ranks #988 in the U.S. and #2604 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesWest Virginia State University ranks #1013 in the U.S. and #3040 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesWest Virginia State University ranks #1093 in the U.S. and #2083 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesWest Virginia State University ranks #1105 in the U.S. and #3785 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesWest Virginia State University ranks #1133 in the U.S. and #4274 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesWest Virginia State University ranks #2081 in the U.S. and #6181 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesWest Virginia State University ranks #2545 in the U.S. and #9606 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesWho Are West Virginia State University's Most Influential Alumni?
West Virginia State University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Mathematics, History, and Education. Here are some of West Virginia State University's most famous alumni:
- Katherine Johnson
- An African-American mathematician.
- Carter G. Woodson
- An African-American historian, writer, and journalist.
- Forest Dewey Dodrill
- An Open heart surgeon.
- Antoine Fuqua
- An American film director and producer.
- Margaret S. Collins
- An African-American child prodigy, entomologist.
- Mary Elizabeth Carnegie
- An American writer.
- Leander J. Shaw Jr.
- An American jurist.
- Oscar Holmes
- An American pilot, chemist and lawyer .
- Randall Engle
- An American psychologist.
- Sherine Obare
- A Dean of the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro..
- Butch Miles
- An American jazz drummer .
- T. J. Anderson
- An African American composer, conductor, educator.
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