Virginia vs West Virginia - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
These are two different admissions games: Virginia admits 16.8% of applications, West Virginia admits 89%.
If you are applying from outside the US, budget without institutional support where there is none: only West Virginia reports aid for international students ($21,636 on average), Virginia does not.
The tuition gap is $34,315 a year: $28,608 (West Virginia) against $62,923.
The gap in median earnings after a decade favours Virginia: $87K against $56K.
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
Virginia is the more selective of the two (16.81% vs 89% acceptance). Virginia ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#201-300 vs #501-600). Virginia graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($87K vs $56K). West Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,608 vs $62,923 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 Virginia for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
Choose West Virginia for: lower tuition.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Virginia is more selective (16.81% vs 89% acceptance); Virginia has a higher median SAT (1470 vs 1110).
Virginia graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($87K vs $56K); Virginia has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.6% vs 64.7%).
West Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,608 vs $62,923); Virginia offers a larger average aid package ($37,123 vs $16,730).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Virginia | West Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #201-300 | #501-600 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 16.81% | 89% |
| Yield rate | 40% | 26.5% |
| Median SAT | 1470 | 1110 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 3.70 |
| Number of applications | 58,951 | 20,150 |
| International students | 4.9% | 1.7% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $87K | $56K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $59K | $36K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $130K | $84K |
| Graduation rate | 95.6% | 64.7% |
| Retention rate | 97.9% | 83.4% |
| Median debt | $17,500 | $22,500 |
| Tuition · year | $62,923 | $28,608 |
| Avg. aid package | $37,123 | $16,730 |
| % of need met | 100% | 63% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $25,137 | $36,010 |
| Application fee | $75 | $65 |
| Enrollment | 26,470 | 23,643 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Virginia or West Virginia?
It's harder to get into Virginia. Virginia accepts 16.81% of applicants, while West Virginia accepts 89%.
Do Virginia or West Virginia graduates earn more?
Virginia graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $87K vs $56K.
How much is tuition at Virginia vs West Virginia?
Sticker-price tuition is $62,923 per year at Virginia and $28,608 per year at West Virginia.
What SAT score do you need for Virginia or West Virginia?
The median admitted SAT score is 1470 at Virginia and 1110 at West Virginia; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Virginia or West Virginia?
Virginia ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #201-300 for Virginia vs #501-600 for West Virginia.
Which university offers more financial aid - Virginia or West Virginia?
The average aid package is $37,123 at Virginia and $16,730 at West Virginia.
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