Graduate earnings are in line with similar institutions.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
West Virginia University graduates demonstrate steady earnings progression throughout their early careers. Median earnings increase from $45,181 six years after enrollment to $52,556 at eight years and reach $55,939 at ten years, representing 23.8% growth from the six-year benchmark.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduate earnings fall below the peer average for similar institutions.
Financial justification for the investment.
Healthy debt burden. Most graduates can manage $22,500 in debt with typical earnings.
West Virginia University graduates carry median debt of $22,500, placing the institution at the 52nd percentile nationally and $2,500 below the peer median of $25,000. Student debt ranges from $5,500 at the 25th percentile to $26,250 at the 75th percentile, indicating controlled borrowing across most students with some variation based on individual circumstances and program length.
West Virginia University ranks at the 68.2nd percentile for return on investment, placing it above average nationally with a return tier phrase of above average performance. Graduates earn $3,896 below expectations compared to similar student demographics, ranking at the 38.5th percentile for earnings uplift, indicating modest relative performance.
Approximately 28.5% of West Virginia University graduates continue to graduate or professional study, with high confidence in this estimate based on p...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
West Virginia University's strongest earning programs cluster in engineering and business fields, with Petroleum Engineering leading at $88,983, followed by Industrial Engineering at $86,715, and Mechanical Engineering at $83,975. Banking and Financial Support Services produces graduates earning $71,597, while specialized programs like Aerospace Physiology and Medicine achieve $63,291 with perfect value scores.
These high-performing programs significantly elevate the institution's overall earnings profile, while traditional liberal arts and social science programs show more modest outcomes ranging from $40,000-$50,000. The concentration of strong outcomes in technical and professional fields reflects the university's particular strengths in engineering education and business preparation, supporting students who select these pathways with excellent return on educational investment.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
The earnings distribution at West Virginia University spans from $35,542 at the 25th percentile to $84,067 at the 75th percentile, creating a 2.4:1 ratio that reflects substantial variation in post-graduation outcomes. Low-income graduates earn $46,200, demonstrating that students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds achieve meaningful earnings growth.
