There 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 Top West Virginia Colleges for an Associate ranking - to help you make that decision.
We analyzed 18 colleges and universities across West Virginia to determine which ones have the best associate degree programs. To come up with this ranking of the best schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
Early-Career Salaries Are Higher
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving a associate degree from the school. A associate degree holder from a school in West Virginia makes an average starting salary of $39,902, but the students who attended schools in the top 16 of our list make an average of $46,217.
Starting Salary ( 32184 to 64628 )
Average Student Debt
In addition to average starting salaries, we also consider the average amount of student loans that students take on while pursuing their associate degree.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients from schools in West Virginia have accumulated an average of $13,948 in student debt.
The average amount taken out in student loans for graduates at a particular school may be crippling for those who earn less than average wages after graduation.
Other Ranking Factors in Our Methodology
We also analyze a number of other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt when coming up with our yearly Best Associate Degree Schools ranking.
Several other factors - such as how much the school spends on educational resources, the demand of the school, the availability of online learning options, and the student body caliber - go into our rankings.
If you'd rather work on your associate degree in a specific area of the country, you might be interested in our rankings by place. In addition, we've put together a number of other college rankings that may help you in your search.
American Public University System tops this year’s ranking as the best school for associate degrees in West Virginia for overall quality. Located in Charles Town, West Virginia, the large private for-profit school handed out 3,322 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from American Military University is $43,884 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $8,586 after getting their degree.
The excellent associate degree programs at Marshall University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in West Virginia. Marshall University is a fairly large public school situated in Huntington, West Virginia. It awarded 138 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from Marshall University make an average of $65,826 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $11,060 after getting their degree.
Out of the 18 associate degree schools in West Virginia that were part of this year’s ranking, West Liberty University landed the #3 spot on the list. West Liberty University is located in West Liberty, West Virginia and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 28 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $51,493 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $28,408 in student loans.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Blue Ridge Community and Technical College. The school came in at #4 in West Virginia on this year’s best associate degree schools ranking. Blue Ridge Community and Technical College is located in Martinsburg, West Virginia and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 384 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Blue Ridge Community and Technical College is $36,260 during the early years of their career.
The excellent associate degree programs at Fairmont State University helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in West Virginia. Located in Fairmont, West Virginia, the small public school handed out 153 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $69,582 during the early years of their career.
University of Charleston did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in West Virginia ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Charleston, West Virginia, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 153 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $56,167 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #7, Bluefield State College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in West Virginia list. Bluefield State College is a public institution located in Bluefield, West Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 106 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $61,994 during the early years of their career.
Pierpont Community and Technical College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in West Virginia ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Fairmont, West Virginia, the small public school awarded 377 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $53,258 during the early years of their career.
Potomac State College of West Virginia University landed the #9 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in West Virginia ranking. Located in Keyser, West Virginia, the small public school handed out 247 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from WVU Potomac State College make an average of $14,865 per year during the early years of their career.
West Virginia University at Parkersburg came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in West Virginia ranking. West Virginia University at Parkersburg is a small public school located in Parkersburg, West Virginia that handed out 342 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from West Virginia University at Parkersburg make an average of $61,063 per year during the early years of their career.
BridgeValley Community & Technical College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in West Virginia ranking, coming in at #11. BridgeValley Community & Technical College is located in South Charleston, West Virginia and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 339 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from BridgeValley Community & Technical College make an average of $59,002 a year.
With a ranking of #12, Mountwest Community and Technical College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in West Virginia list. Huntington, West Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 228 students in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $37,946 during the early years of their career.
West Virginia Northern Community College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in West Virginia list. Located in Wheeling, West Virginia, the small public school handed out 222 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $45,320 during the early years of their career.
Glenville State College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in West Virginia ranking. Glenville State College is located in Glenville, West Virginia and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 155 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Glenville State College is $26,219 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $13,100 in student loans.
New River Community and Technical College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in West Virginia ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Beaver, West Virginia, the small public school awarded 172 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Martinsburg College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in West Virginia ranking, coming in at #16. Martinsburg College is located in Martinsburg, West Virginia and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 26 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
West Virginia Junior College - Morgantown ranked #17 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in West Virginia list. Located in Morgantown, West Virginia, the small private for-profit school awarded 291 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from WVJC Morgantown make an average of $30,434 a year.
West Virginia Junior College - Charleston came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in West Virginia ranking. WVJC Charleston is a private for-profit institution located in Cross Lanes, West Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 79 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from WVJC Charleston go into careers with an average salary of $26,168 during the early years of their career.
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
