Graduates of West Virginia State University earn median 4-year earnings of $44,688, placing West Virginia State University in the 2.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $7,022 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing West Virginia State University in the 29.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks West Virginia State University #1298 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 12.3 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These figures represent lifetime returns relative to WV's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $30,928 (the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential). The earnings pattern centers on business and applied professional fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 65 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $50,169, performing at 0.7x the national benchmark for the field. The General Studies program graduates 53 students earning $47,026, and the The Criminal Justice program graduates 36 students earning $50,063. Teacher Education and Kinesiology round out the top five, each contributing to the institution's applied-field focus. The concentration in Business — the institution's dominant program family — aligns with regional labor-market demand and supports the earnings outcomes observed across the graduate cohort.
Graduates of West Virginia State University earn median 4-year earnings of $44,688, placing West Virginia State University in the 2.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $7,022 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing West Virginia State University in the 29.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks West Virginia State University #1298 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 12.3 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These figures represent lifetime returns relative to WV's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $30,928 (the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential). The earnings pattern centers on business and applied professional fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 65 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $50,169, performing at 0.7x the national benchmark for the field. The General Studies program graduates 53 students earning $47,026, and the The Criminal Justice program graduates 36 students earning $50,063. Teacher Education and Kinesiology round out the top five, each contributing to the institution's applied-field focus. The concentration in Business — the institution's dominant program family — aligns with regional labor-market demand and supports the earnings outcomes observed across the graduate cohort.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
Moderate debt load. Repaying $23,338 requires planning but is achievable.
Graduates of West Virginia State University earn median 4-year earnings of $44,688, placing West Virginia State University in the 2.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $7,022 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing West Virginia State University in the 29.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks West Virginia State University #1298 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 12.3 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These figures represent lifetime returns relative to WV's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $30,928 (the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential). The earnings pattern centers on business and applied professional fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 65 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $50,169, performing at 0.7x the national benchmark for the field. The General Studies program graduates 53 students earning $47,026, and the The Criminal Justice program graduates 36 students earning $50,063. Teacher Education and Kinesiology round out the top five, each contributing to the institution's applied-field focus. The concentration in Business — the institution's dominant program family — aligns with regional labor-market demand and supports the earnings outcomes observed across the graduate cohort.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
West Virginia State University's program mix is anchored in business, education, and applied professional fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 65 graduates, followed by General Studies, Criminal Justice, Teacher Education, and Kinesiology. Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 319 students annually, the institution's strength concentrates in workforce-aligned fields where graduates move directly into employment. The highest-earning programs at West Virginia State University reflect the institution's applied-professional orientation. Business Administration graduates earn a median $50,169 four years after enrollment, followed by Criminal Justice at $50,063, General Studies at $47,026, and Kinesiology at $46,622. The largest programs—Business Administration with 65 graduates earning a median $50,169 and General Studies with 53 graduates earning a median $47,026—combine substantial enrollment with solid four-year earnings, anchoring the institution's economic profile. West Virginia State University positions itself as a regional public institution where program selection directly connects to local and regional labor-market demand. The concentration in Business and related applied fields aligns with workforce needs in West Virginia and surrounding regions, where employers in manufacturing, healthcare, education, and business services recruit actively. The supply and demand for college graduates provides context for how these program families align with regional and national labor-market trends.
Lower quartile, 10-year field
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates of West Virginia State University earn median 4-year earnings of $44,688, placing West Virginia State University in the 2.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $7,022 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing West Virginia State University in the 29.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks West Virginia State University #1298 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 12.3 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These figures represent lifetime returns relative to WV's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $30,928 (the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential). The earnings pattern centers on business and applied professional fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 65 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $50,169, performing at 0.7x the national benchmark for the field. The General Studies program graduates 53 students earning $47,026, and the The Criminal Justice program graduates 36 students earning $50,063. Teacher Education and Kinesiology round out the top five, each contributing to the institution's applied-field focus. The concentration in Business — the institution's dominant program family — aligns with regional labor-market demand and supports the earnings outcomes observed across the graduate cohort.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
