Houston 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: Houston admits 73.9%, West Virginia admits 89%.
Real money goes to international students at West Virginia ($21,636 on average), while Houston stops at $4,456.
The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Houston: $62K against $56K.
The higher mid-range SAT belongs to Houston: 1240 against 1110, a gap of 130 points.
These numbers describe the cohorts already enrolled, not your chances; treat them as a starting point rather than a forecast.
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
Houston is the more selective of the two (73.92% vs 89% acceptance). Houston ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#201-300 vs #501-600). Houston graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($62K vs $56K). Houston has lower sticker-price tuition ($27,926 vs $28,608 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 Houston for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
Choose West Virginia for: a higher graduation rate, a larger aid package.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Houston is more selective (73.92% vs 89% acceptance); Houston has a higher median SAT (1240 vs 1110).
Houston graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($62K vs $56K); West Virginia has a higher 6-year graduation rate (64.7% vs 64.6%).
Houston has lower sticker-price tuition ($27,926 vs $28,608); West Virginia offers a larger average aid package ($16,730 vs $16,450).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Houston | West Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #201-300 | #501-600 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 73.92% | 89% |
| Yield rate | 26.5% | 26.5% |
| Median SAT | 1240 | 1110 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.49 | 3.70 |
| Number of applications | 31,716 | 20,150 |
| International students | 5.7% | 1.7% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $62K | $56K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $39K | $36K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $93K | $84K |
| Graduation rate | 64.6% | 64.7% |
| Retention rate | 87% | 83.4% |
| Median debt | $18,194 | $22,500 |
| Tuition · year | $27,926 | $28,608 |
| Avg. aid package | $16,450 | $16,730 |
| % of need met | 55.1% | 63% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $21,819 | $36,010 |
| Application fee | $75 | $65 |
| Enrollment | 47,980 | 23,643 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Houston or West Virginia?
It's harder to get into Houston. Houston accepts 73.92% of applicants, while West Virginia accepts 89%.
Do Houston or West Virginia graduates earn more?
Houston graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $62K vs $56K.
How much is tuition at Houston vs West Virginia?
Sticker-price tuition is $27,926 per year at Houston and $28,608 per year at West Virginia.
What SAT score do you need for Houston or West Virginia?
The median admitted SAT score is 1240 at Houston and 1110 at West Virginia; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Houston or West Virginia?
Houston ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #201-300 for Houston vs #501-600 for West Virginia.
Which university offers more financial aid - Houston or West Virginia?
The average aid package is $16,450 at Houston and $16,730 at West Virginia.
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