West Virginia
Student Access & Success
West Virginia’s four-year institutions receive a low grade in this area; despite ranking in the top 10 states in the percentage of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants, the state is in the bottom third of states for credentials per 100 full-time equivalent undergraduates and completion and retention rates. West Virginia’s two-year institutions fare slightly better, ranking in the top 20 states on credentials per 100 full-time equivalent undergraduates and the percentage of Pell recipients.
Efficiency & Cost-Effectiveness
West Virginia receives an average grade in this area for four-year institutions, with a cost per completion ($65,598) and state and local funding per completion ($42,870) that rank in the middle third of all states. West Virginia’s two-year institutions fare slightly better, with a cost per completion ($37,028) that is the best in the country.
Meeting Labor Market Demand
The median wage of a West Virginia bachelor’s degree holder is approximately $12,700 (or 42%) more than the median wage of a high school graduate; the overall unemployment rate for a bachelor’s degree holder is about 2 points lower. The median wage of an associate’s degree holder is approximately $7,600 (or 25%) more than the median wage of a high school graduate; the overall unemployment rate is about 1.5 points lower.
Transparency & Accountability
West Virginia receives a good score for public accountability resources but the state’s overall performance is average (four-years) and below average (two-years). The state contracts with West Virginia University to provide annual reports on graduate labor outcomes. Additionally, public four-year institutions are required to test a small, representative sample of freshmen and seniors using the Collegiate Learning Assessment to evaluate student learning, although results are not made public.
Policy Environment
West Virginia’s strategic plan for higher education includes goals for student learning and increasing system efficiency. The state’s Core Coursework Transfer Agreement provides guidance on individual course transfer. The state does not have an outcomes-based funding system, contributing to its overall average performance in this area.
Innovation
The West Virginia Virtual Learning Network is a consortium of state universities that provides access to online degree programs at both four- and two-year institutions, but it does not feature individual online course offerings. Regarding new providers, West Virginia has a highly restrictive regulatory environment, with a burdensome approval process and a sensitive regulatory trigger.
Report Card
Compare with
Four-Year Institutions
WV Nat'l| Student Access & Success | D |
|---|
| Percentage of Pell Grant Recipients | 39.4 | 30.8 |
|---|---|---|
| Retention Rate | 72.1 | 77.9 |
| Completion Rate | 46.9 | 54.5 |
| Completions per 100 FTE Students | 16.8 | 19.7 |
| Risk-Adjusted Completion Points (5-point Scale) | 3 | |
| Complete College America | * |
| Efficiency & Cost-Effectiveness | C |
|---|
| Cost Per Completion | $65,598 | $68,140 |
|---|---|---|
| State and Local Funding Per Completion | $42,870 | $41,198 |
| State, Local, and Tuition Funding Per Completion | $81,657 | $76,932 |
| Cost Per Completion and Public Funding Combined Measure (5-point scale) | 3 |
| Meeting Labor Market Demand | F |
|---|
| BA vs. HS Wage Gap (Overall) | $12,689 | $17,881 |
|---|---|---|
| BA vs. HS Wage Ratio (Overall) | 142.3 | 156.0 |
| BA vs. HS Wage Gap (25–34) | $7,525 | $12,703 |
| BA vs. HS Wage Ratio (25–34) | 130.1 | 149.9 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (Overall) | 2.1 | 4.0 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (Overall) | 1.6 | 2.1 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (25–34) | 3.4 | 7.1 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (25–34) | 1.6 | 2.9 |
| Transparency & Accountability | C |
|---|
| Transparency—Public Accountability (5-point Scale) | 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency—Consumer Information (3-point Scale) | 1 | |
| Does the State Report Labor Market Outcomes? | true | |
| Labor Market Outcomes (4-point Scale) | 1 | |
| Does the State Report Student Learning Outcomes? | true | |
| Student Learning Outcomes (3-point Scale) | 2 |
Two-Year Institutions
WV Nat'l| Student Access & Success | C |
|---|
| Percentage of Pell Grant Recipients | 57.2 | 46.9 |
|---|---|---|
| Retention Rate | 51.1 | 58.6 |
| Completion Rate | 18.5 | 20.5 |
| Completions Per 100 FTE Undergraduates | 18.0 | 16.8 |
| Risk-Adjusted Completion Points (5-point Scale) | 3 |
| Efficiency & Cost-Effectiveness | B |
|---|
| Cost Per Completion | $37,028 | $57,210 |
|---|---|---|
| State and Local Funding Per Completion | $28,426 | $35,476 |
| State, Local, and Tuition Funding Per Completion | $37,796 | $52,512 |
| Cost Per Completion and Public Funding Combined MeasureCombined Measure (5-point Scale) | 4 |
| Meeting Labor Market Demand | D |
|---|
| AA vs. HS Wage Gap (Overall) | $7,574 | $8,545 |
|---|---|---|
| AA vs. HS Wage Ratio (Overall) | 125.2 | 126.1 |
| AA vs. HS Wage Gap (25–34) | $5,492 | $6,595 |
| AA vs. HS Wage Ratio (25–34) | 122.0 | 125.0 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (Overall) | 1.6 | 2.7 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (Overall) | 1.4 | 1.5 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (25–34) | 3.3 | 4.9 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (25–34) | 1.6 | 1.84 |
| Transparency & Accountability | D |
|---|
| Transparency—Public Accountability (5-point Scale) | 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency—Consumer Information (3-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Does the State Report Labor Market Outcomes? | true | |
| Labor Market Outcomes (4-point Scale) | 1 | |
| Does the State Report Student Learning Outcomes? | false | |
| Student Learning Outcomes (3-point Scale) | 0 |
State
WV Nat'l| Policy Environment | C |
|---|
| State Goals (6-point Scale) | 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Does the State Have Outcomes-Based Funding? | false | |
| Four-Year Outcomes-Based Funding (3-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Two-Years Outcomes-Based Funding (3-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Does the State Have a Credit Transfer Policy? | true | |
| Credit Transfer Policy (5-point Scale) | 3 |
| Innovation: Openness to Providers | D |
|---|
| Numerical Openness to New Providers Grade | 66% | |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory Jurisdiction | 50% | |
| Financial Burden | 87% | |
| Approval Process Burden | 60% |
| Innovation: Online Learning | C |
|---|
| Numerical Online Learning Grade | 42.9 | |
|---|---|---|
| Online Learning Score (7-point Scale) | 3 |
State Facts at a Glance
- Number of Public Four-Year Institutions 10
- Number of Public Two-Year Institutions 14
- Number of Students Served by Public Four-Year Institutions 50415
- Number of Students Served by Public Two-Year Institutions 19103