There are forty-four colleges and universities in the U.S. state ofWest Virginia that are listed under theCarnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education . These institutions include tworesearch universities , fivemaster's universities , and fourteenbaccalaureate colleges , as well as twenty-oneassociate's colleges . In addition, there are three institutions classified asspecial-focus institutions .[ 1]
West Virginia's oldest surviving post-secondary institution isBethany College , founded on March 2, 1840, byAlexander Campbell .[ 2] [ 3] [ 4] Marshall University andWest Liberty University were both established in 1837, but as privatesubscription schools .[ 5] [ 6] West Virginia University is the state's largest public institution of higher learning in terms of enrollment, as it had 29,707 students as of spring 2013.[ 7] Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College is the state's smallest, with an enrollment of 822.[ 7] Wheeling University is West Virginia's largest traditionalprivate post-secondary institution , whileValley College–Princeton is the state's smallest, with an enrollment of 72.[ 7] American Public University System , a privatefor-profit ,distance education institution based inCharles Town , has the largest enrollment of any post-secondary institution in West Virginia, with 31,331 students.[ 7] Catholic Distance University , a fully online non-profit university in Charles Town, educates undergraduate students in Liberal Arts and theology and graduate students in theology and educational ministry.
West Virginia has twoland-grant universities :West Virginia State University and West Virginia University.[ 8] National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program .[ 9] historically black colleges and universities that are members of theThurgood Marshall College Fund :Bluefield State University and West Virginia State University.[ 10] [ 11]
West Virginia has three medical schools:Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine ,West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine , andWest Virginia University School of Medicine . It has one law school,West Virginia University College of Law , which isaccredited by theAmerican Bar Association .[ 12] Higher Learning Commission (HLC).[ 13] multiple agencies or have specific programs or units accredited by agency, including as theAccreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), theAmerican Physical Therapy Association (APTA), theCommission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and theCouncil for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
List of active institutions School Location[ note 1] Control[ note 2] Type[ note 3] Enrollment[ 7] (Fall 2023) Founded Accreditation[ 7] American Public University System Charles Town Private for-profit Master's university 50,187 1991[ 14] [ 15] CCNE ,CEPH ,HLC Appalachian Bible College Mount Hope Private not-for-profit Special-focus institution 218 1950[ 2] [ 16] ABHE ,HLC Bethany College Bethany Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 671 1840[ 2] [ 3] [ 4] HLC Blue Ridge Community and Technical College Martinsburg Public Associate's college 4,309 1974[ 17] ACEN ,APTA ,HLC Bluefield State University Bluefield Public Baccalaureate college 1,270 1895[ 18] [ 19] ACEN ,CCNE ,JRCERT ,HLC BridgeValley Community and Technical College–Montgomery Montgomery Public Associate's college 1,070 1966[ 20] [ 21] ADA ,HLC BridgeValley Community and Technical College–South Charleston South Charleston Public Associate's college 1,793 1953[ 21] ACEN ,HLC Catholic International University Charles Town Private not-for-profit Master's university 171 1983 DEAC ,HLC ,ATS University of Charleston Charleston Private not-for-profit Doctoral/Professional university 2,758 1888[ 22] [ 23] ACEN ,ACPE ,AOTA ,JRCERT ,HLC Concord University Athens Public Master's university 1,798 1872[ 18] [ 24] CCNE ,HLC Davis & Elkins College Elkins Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 683 1904[ 22] [ 25] ACEN ,CNEA ,HLC Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College Moorefield Public Associate's college 416 1999[ 20] [ 26] ACEN ,HLC Fairmont State University Fairmont Public Master's university 3,307 1865[ 27] [ 28] ACEN ,CCNE ,HLC Future Generations University Franklin Private not-for-profit Special focus institution 44 2003[ 29] HLC Glenville State University Glenville Public Baccalaureate college 1,633 1872[ 27] [ 30] HLC Huntington Junior College Huntington Private for-profit Special focus institution 209 1936[ 31] HLC Marshall University Huntington Public Research university 11,027 1837[ 5] [ 27] ACEN ,AND ,APTA ,APA ,ASHA ,CEPH ,LCME ,NASM ,HLC Mountwest Community and Technical College Huntington Public Associate's college 1,459 1975[ 32] [ 33] APTA ,HLC New River Community and Technical College Beckley Public Associate's college 1,262 2003[ 34] [ 35] ACEN ,APTA ,HLC Pierpont Community and Technical College Fairmont Public Associate's college 1,939 1974[ 34] [ 36] AND ,APTA ,HLC Potomac State College of West Virginia University Keyser Public Associate's college 1,143 1901[ 37] [ 38] HLC Salem University Salem Private for-profit Master's university 894 1888[ 39] [ 40] CNEA ,HLC Shepherd University Shepherdstown Public Master's university 3,318 1871[ 37] [ 41] ACEN ,AND ,CCNE ,NASM ,HLC Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College Mount Gay Public Associate's college 1,461 1971[ 42] [ 43] ACEN ,ADA ,JRCERT ,HLC Valley College–Beckley Beckley Private for-profit Associate's college 181 1983[ 44] ACEN ,ACCSC Valley College–Martinsburg Martinsburg Private for-profit Associate's college 651 1983[ 44] ACEN ,ACCSC West Liberty University West Liberty Public Master's university [ 45] 2,348 1837[ 6] [ 46] ACEN ,ADA ,ASHA ,CCNE ,NASM ,HLC West Virginia Junior College–Bridgeport Bridgeport Private for-profit Special focus institution 175 1922[ 47] ACEN ,ABHES West Virginia Junior College–Charleston Cross Lanes Private for-profit Associate's college 317 1892[ 48] ACEN ,ABHES West Virginia Junior College–Morgantown Morgantown Private for-profit Associate's college 584 1922[ 47] ACEN ,ABHES West Virginia Northern Community College Wheeling Public Associate's college 1,263 1972[ 42] [ 49] ACEN ,JRCERT ,HLC West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine Lewisburg Public Special-focus institution 795 1972[ 46] [ 50] AOA ,HLC West Virginia State University Institute Public Master's university 3,458 1891[ 51] [ 52] CCNE ,HLC West Virginia University Morgantown Public Research university 24,200 1867[ 51] [ 53] ACPE ,ABA ,ADA ,AND ,AOTA ,APTA ,APA ,ASHA ,CCNE ,CEA ,CEPH ,COA ,LCME ,NASAD ,NASM ,NAST ,HLC West Virginia University at Parkersburg Parkersburg Public Baccalaureate college 2,584 1961[ 54] [ 55] ACEN ,HLC West Virginia University Institute of Technology Beckley Public Baccalaureate college 1,448 1895[ 56] [ 57] HLC West Virginia Wesleyan College Buckhannon Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 991 1890[ 39] [ 58] ACEN ,CCNE ,HLC Wheeling University Wheeling Private not-for-profit Master's university 748 1954[ 14] [ 59] APTA ,CCNE ,HLC
Defunct institutions [ edit ] Explanatory notes
Citations
^a b c d "Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education: Institution Lookup" .Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching . Archived fromthe original on May 11, 2014. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^a b c West Virginia Legislature 2012 , p. 475.^a b Rice 1993 , p. 73.^a b "About Bethany" .Bethany College . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^a b "Marshall University Official History" .Marshall University . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^a b "About West Liberty University" .West Liberty University . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^a b c d e f "College Navigator" .United States Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedAugust 4, 2023 .^ "Map of Land-Grant Colleges and Universities" (PDF) .United States Department of Agriculture , Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service. Archived fromthe original (PDF) on October 8, 2009. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium" .West Virginia Space Grant Consortium . Archived fromthe original on February 19, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities" .United States Department of Education . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "Thurgood Marshall College Fund: Member Schools" .Thurgood Marshall College Fund . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "ABA-Approved Law Schools by Year" .American Bar Association . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association" .North Central Association of Colleges and Schools . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^a b West Virginia Legislature 2012 , p. 479.^ "About the American Public University System: History" .American Public University System . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "Appalachian Bible College: About Us" .Appalachian Bible College . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "History" .Blue Ridge Community and Technical College . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^a b West Virginia Legislature 2012 , p. 463.^ "History" . Bluefield State College. Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^a b West Virginia Legislature 2012 , p. 469.^a b "History" .BridgeValley Community and Technical College . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^a b West Virginia Legislature 2012 , p. 476.^ "Our History" .University of Charleston . Archived fromthe original on October 7, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "History & Goals" .Concord University . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "D&E History" .Davis & Elkins College . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "Commencement Draws 300 At Eastern As WV's First Lady Keynotes" .Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^a b c West Virginia Legislature 2012 , p. 464.^ "About Fairmont State: The Story" .Fairmont State University . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "About Us" .Future Generations Graduate School . Archived fromthe original on May 25, 2010. RetrievedMay 16, 2016 .^ "About Us" . Glenville State College. Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "History" .Huntington Junior College . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ West Virginia Legislature 2012 , p. 470.^ "History" .Mountwest Community and Technical College . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^a b West Virginia Legislature 2012 , p. 471.^ "College History" .New River Community and Technical College . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "History & Quick Facts" .Pierpont Community and Technical College . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^a b West Virginia Legislature 2012 , p. 465.^ "A Century of Excellence" .Potomac State College of West Virginia University . Archived fromthe original on March 26, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^a b West Virginia Legislature 2012 , p. 478.^ "SIU History" .Salem University . Archived fromthe original on March 19, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "History of the University" .Shepherd University . Archived fromthe original on August 25, 2014. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^a b West Virginia Legislature 2012 , p. 472.^ "History of Southern" .Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College . January 8, 2013. Archived fromthe original on September 26, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^a b c Peterson's 2009 , p. 443.^ "West Liberty University - Institution Profile" .Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System . RetrievedAugust 29, 2024 .^a b West Virginia Legislature 2012 , p. 466.^a b Peterson's 2009 , p. 444.^ "About WVJC" .West Virginia Junior College at Morgantown . April 2, 2013. Archived fromthe original on September 10, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "About: College Snapshot" .West Virginia Northern Community College . Archived fromthe original on December 3, 2014. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "About Us: A Medical School in Rural Appalachia" .West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine . Archived fromthe original on December 3, 2014. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^a b West Virginia Legislature 2012 , p. 467.^ "History and Traditions: Our History Runs Deep" .West Virginia State University . Archived fromthe original on September 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "History" .West Virginia University . Archived fromthe original on June 17, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ West Virginia Legislature 2012 , p. 473.^ "History: West Virginia University at Parkersburg Timeline" .West Virginia University at Parkersburg . Archived fromthe original on September 18, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ West Virginia Legislature 2012 , p. 468.^ "About WVU Tech" .West Virginia University Institute of Technology . Archived fromthe original on September 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "About Wesleyan" .West Virginia Wesleyan College . Archived fromthe original on September 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "History of WJU" .Wheeling Jesuit University . Archived fromthe original on September 9, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ West Virginia Legislature 2012 , p. 474.^a b "About ABU" .Alderson Broaddus University . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ Ferrell Knisely, Amelia (September 1, 2023)."Alderson Broaddus files for bankruptcy and will liquidate its assets" .West Virginia Watch . RetrievedSeptember 6, 2023 . ^ Suntrup, Jack (July 8, 2014)."College campus in Cross Lanes to close" .Charleston Gazette-Mail ^ "HISTORY" .carnegiehallwv . RetrievedMarch 2, 2023 .^ "The History of Greenbrier Military School - [PDF Document]" .documents.pub . RetrievedMarch 2, 2023 .^ "MSU Website" .Mountain State University . Archived fromthe original on September 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "History" .Mountain State University . Archived fromthe original on February 1, 2014. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ West Virginia Legislature 2012 , p. 477.^ "Our History: A Living Vision" .Ohio Valley University . Archived fromthe original on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ "Following decision to close, Ohio Valley University loses ability to confer degrees" .^ "Storer College" .United States Department of the Interior ,National Park Service .Archived from the original on February 15, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ Whitehill 1902 , pp. 114–117.^ "Valley College's Princeton campus closing" .Bluefield Daily Telegraph . June 3, 2019. RetrievedAugust 5, 2025 .^ "About Us" .West Virginia Business College–Wheeling . Archived fromthe original on July 3, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 .^ Junkins, Casey (July 11, 2017)."West Virginia Business College Is Officially Closed" .The Intelligencer . RetrievedSeptember 12, 2023 . ^a b Ambler 1951 , p. 184.^a b West Virginia Legislature 1868b , p. 6.Ambler, Charles Henry (1951).A History of Education in West Virginia From Early Colonial Times to 1949 Huntington, West Virginia : Standard Printing & Publishing Company.OCLC 1205534 – viaInternet Archive .Peterson's (2009).Vocational & Technical Schools - East: More Than 2,600 Vocational Schools East of the Mississippi River Lawrence Township, Mercer County, New Jersey :Peterson's .ISBN 9780768928099 OCLC 191531193 .Archived from the original on June 26, 2014. RetrievedOctober 4, 2016 – viaGoogle Books .Rice, Otis K. (1993).West Virginia: A History Lexington, Kentucky :University Press of Kentucky .ISBN 9780813127330 OCLC 719387818 .Archived from the original on January 4, 2014. RetrievedOctober 4, 2016 – viaGoogle Books .West Virginia Legislature (1868b).Acts of the Legislature of West Virginia at an Extraordinary Session, Commencing June 2nd, 1868 OCLC 422695120 – viaInternet Archive .West Virginia Legislature (2012). Darrell E. Holmes, Clerk of the West Virginia Senate (ed.)."West Virginia Blue Book, 2012" (PDF) .West Virginia Blue Book . Charleston, West Virginia: Chapman Printing.ISSN 0364-7323 .OCLC 1251675 . Archived fromthe original (PDF) on October 5, 2015. RetrievedOctober 5, 2015 . Whitehill, Alexander Reid (1902).History of Education in West Virginia Washington, D.C. :United States Government Printing Office .OCLC 2860098 .Archived from the original on June 26, 2014. RetrievedOctober 4, 2016 – viaGoogle Books .
West Virginia University System Public universities West Virginia Community and Private Defunct
