Georgia vs West Virginia - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: Georgia admits 37.9%, West Virginia admits 89%.
Georgia reports no financial aid for international students, while West Virginia awards them $21,636 on average. For an applicant from outside the US that is usually the most important difference on this page.
The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Georgia: $69K against $56K.
The higher mid-range SAT belongs to Georgia: 1300 against 1110, a gap of 190 points.
None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Georgia is the more selective of the two (37.92% vs 89% acceptance). Georgia ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#401-500 vs #501-600). Georgia graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($69K vs $56K). West Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,608 vs $31,678 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Georgia for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
Choose West Virginia for: lower tuition, a larger aid package.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Georgia is more selective (37.92% vs 89% acceptance); Georgia has a higher median SAT (1300 vs 1110).
Georgia graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($69K vs $56K); Georgia has a higher 6-year graduation rate (89.7% vs 64.7%).
West Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,608 vs $31,678); West Virginia offers a larger average aid package ($16,730 vs $15,348).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Georgia | West Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #401-500 | #501-600 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 37.92% | 89% |
| Yield rate | 38.3% | 26.5% |
| Median SAT | 1300 | 1110 |
| Avg. GPA | 4.15 | 3.70 |
| Number of applications | 42,436 | 20,150 |
| International students | 1.1% | 1.7% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $69K | $56K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $45K | $36K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $102K | $84K |
| Graduation rate | 89.7% | 64.7% |
| Retention rate | 94.3% | 83.4% |
| Median debt | $18,500 | $22,500 |
| Tuition · year | $31,678 | $28,608 |
| Avg. aid package | $15,348 | $16,730 |
| % of need met | 73.2% | 63% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $20,890 | $36,010 |
| Application fee | $70 | $65 |
| Enrollment | 43,146 | 23,643 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Georgia or West Virginia?
It's harder to get into Georgia. Georgia accepts 37.92% of applicants, while West Virginia accepts 89%.
Do Georgia or West Virginia graduates earn more?
Georgia graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $69K vs $56K.
How much is tuition at Georgia vs West Virginia?
Sticker-price tuition is $31,678 per year at Georgia and $28,608 per year at West Virginia.
What SAT score do you need for Georgia or West Virginia?
The median admitted SAT score is 1300 at Georgia and 1110 at West Virginia; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Georgia or West Virginia?
Georgia ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #401-500 for Georgia vs #501-600 for West Virginia.
Which university offers more financial aid - Georgia or West Virginia?
The average aid package is $15,348 at Georgia and $16,730 at West Virginia.
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