Regional university
#4 Best colleges in West VirginiaWest Liberty University
West Liberty, WV · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $15,366 a year
Median debt at graduation: $23,250 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In West Virginia
- Best colleges for NCAA Division II athletes in West Virginia#1 of 12
- Best colleges for education in West Virginia#2 of 16
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in West Virginia#2 of 15
- Best colleges for chemistry in West Virginia#2 of 14
- Best test-optional colleges in West Virginia#2 of 13
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in West Virginia#3 of 19
Show 12 more
- Best colleges for mathematics in West Virginia#2 of 12
- Best small colleges in West Virginia#2 of 12
- Best colleges for art and design in West Virginia#2 of 11
- Best colleges for nursing in West Virginia#3 of 15
- Best colleges in West Virginia#4 of 19
- Best colleges for business in West Virginia#4 of 19
- Best colleges for criminal justice in West Virginia#3 of 14
- Best colleges for English in West Virginia#3 of 14
- Best colleges for psychology in West Virginia#3 of 14
- Best colleges for music in West Virginia#2 of 8
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in West Virginia#3 of 12
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in West Virginia#3 of 11
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.60%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.69%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,045 · ACT 21
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.12 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$7,232
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $23,809 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 1,944 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 39% · Women 61% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 36% |
| Total students | 2,348 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $15,366 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $23,809 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $23,250 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 60% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 32% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 30% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 50% |
| First-year retention | 69% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $43,296 |
| Admission rate | 97% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $816 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 32% |
| Average SAT | 1045 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 470–580 |
| SAT math | 420–543 |
| ACT composite | 18–24 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Nursing | |
| Dental assisting | |
| Biology | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Business administration | |
| Liberal arts | |
| Speech-language pathology | |
| Social work | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Teacher education | |
| Social sciences |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Allied health, Chemistry, Clinical laboratory science, Communication studies, Design, Education (general), Educational leadership, English, Interdisciplinary studies, Management information systems, Mathematics, Music, Psychology, Rehabilitation and therapy, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Health professions | |
| Business | |
| Education | |
| Biology | |
| Parks, recreation and fitness |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Rural |
| Part-time undergraduates | 4% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 6% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $12,728 |
| Sports | NCAA Division II · Mountain East Conference |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 12 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 64%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $9,903IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 66% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)About 30 miles away |
| Town population | 1,481Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | PittsburghAbout 38 miles away |
| Typical weather | 30°F in January · 73°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Wheeling Ohio Co Airport, WV, about 3 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.00 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is West Liberty University’s Compass Score?
- Good (grade B-). The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does West Liberty University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $15,366 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into West Liberty University?
- West Liberty University admitted 97% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do West Liberty University’s graduates do?
- 60% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $43,296; the median federal debt at graduation is $23,250.
Ask the school
Something you want to know that isn’t on this page? Ask it here. We send it to the school, and their answer appears on this page. Your name is never shared.
Reviews
Personal experiences from signed-in readers. Reviews are moderated automatically and never change a school’s grades.
No reviews yet.
Sign in to write a review.
My rating and notes
Sign in or create a free account to rate this school privately, keep notes, and save it to your list.
About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 237932
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (medium programs)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Report an error or a newer source
- Respond as this school
Colleges like this one
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
Compare side by side: West Liberty vs Shepherd · West Liberty vs Delta State · West Liberty vs Sul Ross State · West Liberty vs Eastern Oregon
More in West Virginia · West Virginia rankings