Temple vs West Virginia - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The tuition gap is $11,536 a year: $28,608 (West Virginia) against $40,144.
The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Temple: $64K against $56K.
Candidates with higher SAT scores go to Temple: a midpoint of 1250 against 1110, a difference of 140 points.
More than twice the application volume goes to Temple (40,817 against 20,150), which changes how any single file is read.
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
Temple is the more selective of the two (80.45% vs 89% acceptance). Temple ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#401-500 vs #501-600). Temple graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($64K vs $56K). West Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,608 vs $40,144 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 Temple for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
Choose West Virginia for: higher retention, lower tuition, lower graduate debt.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Temple is more selective (80.45% vs 89% acceptance); Temple has a higher median SAT (1250 vs 1110).
Temple graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($64K vs $56K); Temple has a higher 6-year graduation rate (75% vs 64.7%).
West Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,608 vs $40,144); Temple offers a larger average aid package ($17,833 vs $16,730).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Temple | West Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #401-500 | #501-600 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 80.45% | 89% |
| Yield rate | 15% | 26.5% |
| Median SAT | 1250 | 1110 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.42 | 3.70 |
| Number of applications | 40,817 | 20,150 |
| International students | 4.4% | 1.7% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $64K | $56K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $41K | $36K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $92K | $84K |
| Graduation rate | 75% | 64.7% |
| Retention rate | 83% | 83.4% |
| Median debt | $24,395 | $22,500 |
| Tuition · year | $40,144 | $28,608 |
| Avg. aid package | $17,833 | $16,730 |
| % of need met | 60.5% | 63% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $41,808 | $36,010 |
| Application fee | $55 | $65 |
| Enrollment | 29,637 | 23,643 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Temple or West Virginia?
It's harder to get into Temple. Temple accepts 80.45% of applicants, while West Virginia accepts 89%.
Do Temple or West Virginia graduates earn more?
Temple graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $64K vs $56K.
How much is tuition at Temple vs West Virginia?
Sticker-price tuition is $40,144 per year at Temple and $28,608 per year at West Virginia.
What SAT score do you need for Temple or West Virginia?
The median admitted SAT score is 1250 at Temple and 1110 at West Virginia; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Temple or West Virginia?
Temple ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #401-500 for Temple vs #501-600 for West Virginia.
Which university offers more financial aid - Temple or West Virginia?
The average aid package is $17,833 at Temple and $16,730 at West Virginia.
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