List of colleges and universities in West Virginia

Old Main at Marshall University
McMurran Hall at Shepherd University
Woodburn Hall at West Virginia University

There are forty-four colleges and universities in the U.S. state of West Virginia that are listed under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. These institutions include two research universities, five master's universities, and fourteen baccalaureate colleges, as well as twenty-one associate's colleges. In addition, there are three institutions classified as special-focus institutions.[1]

West Virginia's oldest surviving post-secondary institution is Bethany College, founded on March 2, 1840 by Alexander Campbell.[2][3][4] Marshall University and West Liberty University were both established in 1837, but as private subscription schools.[5][6] Founded in 1867, 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] With an enrollment of 1,549 students, Wheeling University is West Virginia's largest traditional private post-secondary institution, while Valley College–Princeton is the state's smallest, with an enrollment of 72.[7] The American Public University System, a private for-profit, distance education institution based in Charles 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 two land-grant universities: West Virginia State University and West Virginia University.[8] West Virginia University is also the state's sole participant university in the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program.[9] In addition, West Virginia has two historically black colleges and universities that are members of the Thurgood 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, and West Virginia University School of Medicine. It has one law school, West Virginia University College of Law, which is accredited by the American Bar Association.[12] The majority (thirty-three) of West Virginia's post-secondary institutions are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).[13] Most are accredited by multiple agencies or have specific programs or units accredited by agency, including as the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

  1. ^ "Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education: Institution Lookup". Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Archived from the original on May 11, 2014. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  2. ^ West Virginia Legislature 2012, p. 475.
  3. ^ Rice 1993, p. 73.
  4. ^ "About Bethany". Bethany College. Archived from the original on October 5, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  5. ^ "Marshall University Official History". Marshall University. Archived from the original on October 5, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  6. ^ "About West Liberty University". West Liberty University. Archived from the original on October 5, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  7. ^ a b c d "College Navigator". United States Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences. Archived from the original on October 5, 2015. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  8. ^ "Map of Land-Grant Colleges and Universities" (PDF). United States Department of Agriculture, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 8, 2009. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  9. ^ "NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium". West Virginia Space Grant Consortium. Archived from the original on February 19, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  10. ^ "White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities". United States Department of Education. Archived from the original on October 5, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  11. ^ "Thurgood Marshall College Fund: Member Schools". Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Archived from the original on October 5, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  12. ^ "ABA-Approved Law Schools by Year". American Bar Association. Archived from the original on October 5, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  13. ^ "The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association". North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Archived from the original on October 5, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2015.