by our College Data Analytics TeamThere are lots of options to choose from today when trying to decide which school to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Best West Virginia Schools For The Money For Those Making $0-$30k ranking - to help you make that decision. You may be surprised that some normally high-priced schools offer very generous financial aid packages to those who qualify.
In This Year's Value Report:
After analyzing 28 schools in West Virginia, we came up with our list of those that offered the best value programs. Our ranking for the best value schools is based on objective factors. We steer clear of subjective measures since they don't give a clear picture when determining how one school compares to another. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
When determining the value of a school in our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia ranking, we first look at its average net price of a student coming from a family that makes $0-$30k a year. The net price is defined as the sum of room and board, tuition, and fees minus any financial aid that the student receives. In addition, the overall quality of a school is important to ensure a good education, not just how much it costs.
To make it into this list a school must offer a quality education like the schools in our Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considers factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
We go into more detail on these factors on our best value ranking methodology page.
You can scroll down to see the top schools for this ranking, but you may also want to view some of the other ranking methods listed below.
Know what field you want to major in? Make sure you check out our best value schools by major. In addition, you can select one of the links below to see the best value colleges for other degree levels.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found American Public University System to be the best value (income $0-$30k) school in West Virginia in this year’s ranking. This large private for-profit school is located in Charles Town, West Virginia.
Not only is American Public University System a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in West Virginia for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $10,661.
The quality degree programs at Marshall University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia. This fairly large public school is located in Huntington, West Virginia.
Marshall University has the honor of being ranked #4 in West Virginia for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,986.
Out of the 28 schools in West Virginia that were part of this year’s ranking, West Virginia University landed the #3 spot on the list. WVU is located in Morgantown, West Virginia and has a large student population. It is a public school.
West Virginia University has the honor of being ranked #2 in West Virginia for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $9,179.
The quality degree programs at Blue Ridge Community and Technical College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia. This small public school is located in Martinsburg, West Virginia.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Blue Ridge Community and Technical College is ranked #9 for quality in the state of West Virginia. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,923.
Learn More About Value at Blue Ridge Community and Technical College
A rank of #5 on our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia list means Potomac State College of West Virginia University is a great place for students working on their degree. WVU Potomac State College is a public institution located in Keyser, West Virginia.
Potomac State College of West Virginia University has the honor of being ranked #8 in West Virginia for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $6,197.
Learn More About Value at Potomac State College of West Virginia University
West Virginia Northern Community College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia ranking. WVNCC is a small public school situated in Wheeling, West Virginia.
Not only is West Virginia Northern Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #22 in West Virginia for overall quality. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $3,392.
Learn More About Value at West Virginia Northern Community College
With a ranking of #7, Shepherd University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia list. Shepherd University is a public institution located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Shepherd University is ranked #11 for quality in the state of West Virginia. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $7,457.
With a ranking of #8, Concord University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia list. This small public school is located in Athens, West Virginia.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Concord University is ranked #16 for quality in the state of West Virginia. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $6,959.
BridgeValley Community & Technical College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia list. BridgeValley Community & Technical College is located in South Charleston, West Virginia and has a small student population. It is a public school.
Not only is BridgeValley Community & Technical College a great value, but it is also ranked #17 in West Virginia for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $7,105.
Read full value report on BridgeValley Community & Technical College
Mountwest Community and Technical College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia ranking, coming in at #10. Huntington, West Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Mountwest Community and Technical College has the honor of being ranked #18 in West Virginia for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $7,255.
Read full value report on Mountwest Community and Technical College
Pierpont Community and Technical College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia ranking. Fairmont, West Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Pierpont Community and Technical College has the honor of being ranked #13 in West Virginia for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $8,106.
Read full value report on Pierpont Community and Technical College
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia ranking, coming in at #12. Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College is a small public school located in Mount Gay, West Virginia.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College is ranked #24 for quality in the state of West Virginia. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,589.
Read full value report on Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College
West Virginia University at Parkersburg came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia ranking. This small public school is located in Parkersburg, West Virginia.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, West Virginia University at Parkersburg is ranked #15 for quality in the state of West Virginia. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $8,168.
Read full value report on West Virginia University at Parkersburg
Fairmont State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia ranking. Fairmont State is a public institution located in Fairmont, West Virginia.
Not only is Fairmont State University a great value, but it is also ranked #14 in West Virginia for overall quality. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $8,697.
West Virginia University Institute of Technology came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia ranking. West Virginia University Tech is located in Beckley, West Virginia and has a small student population. It is a public school.
Not only is West Virginia University Institute of Technology a great value, but it is also ranked #20 in West Virginia for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $7,071.
Read full value report on West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Bluefield State College landed the #16 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia ranking. Bluefield State College is located in Bluefield, West Virginia and has a small student population. It is a public school.
Not only is Bluefield State College a great value, but it is also ranked #19 in West Virginia for overall quality. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $9,019.
West Liberty University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia list. Located in West Liberty, West Virginia, the school is a small public institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, West Liberty University is ranked #7 for quality in the state of West Virginia. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $12,051.
New River Community and Technical College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia list. This small public school is located in Beaver, West Virginia.
New River Community and Technical College has the honor of being ranked #26 in West Virginia for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $4,217.
West Virginia Wesleyan College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Buckhannon, West Virginia, the school is a small private not-for-profit institution.
Not only is West Virginia Wesleyan College a great value, but it is also ranked #6 in West Virginia for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $15,404.
University of Charleston ranked #20 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia list. UC is a private not-for-profit institution located in Charleston, West Virginia.
University of Charleston has the honor of being ranked #3 in West Virginia for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $19,632.
West Virginia State University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia list. WVSU is located in Institute, West Virginia and has a small student population. It is a public school.
Not only is West Virginia State University a great value, but it is also ranked #23 in West Virginia for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $13,376.
Davis & Elkins College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia ranking, coming in at #22. D&E is a private not-for-profit institution located in Elkins, West Virginia.
Not only is Davis & Elkins College a great value, but it is also ranked #12 in West Virginia for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $17,470.
Glenville State College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia ranking, coming in at #23. Glenville State College is a small public school situated in Glenville, West Virginia.
Glenville State College has the honor of being ranked #25 in West Virginia for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $12,398.
With a ranking of #24, Alderson Broaddus University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia list. Located in Philippi, West Virginia, the school is a small private not-for-profit institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Alderson Broaddus University is ranked #10 for quality in the state of West Virginia. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $19,818.
Salem University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in West Virginia list. Salem is located in Salem, West Virginia and has a small student population. It is a private for-profit school.
Not only is Salem University a great value, but it is also ranked #21 in West Virginia for overall quality. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $18,399.
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Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.