Research.com
West Virginia State University logo

West Virginia State University

#1051 in US ranking Institute, WV
Type:
Public
Programs:
4 years or more

Represent this school?

Update this profile on Research.com

Cost

Cost / year
$21,391
Tuition & fees
$8,930
Avg. aid
$10,186
Receiving aid
91%

Admissions

Acceptance rate
96%
SAT range
760–1040
ACT range
15–20

Outcomes

Graduation rate
39%
Median salary
$41,113
1 yr after graduation

What does West Virginia State University offer in terms of athletics?

West Virginia State University's Yellow Jackets compete in NCAA Division II athletics in the Mountain East Conference. This is a varsity competition framework; club activities, intramural games, and informal recreation have different participation rules.

The university's reported sports offerings include football, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, cross-country, golf, and tennis, as well as cheerleading. A prospective varsity athlete should consult the current team roster and coaching staff for the sport and season of interest, then confirm NCAA eligibility and any recruiting or aid requirements. A sport's presence on campus does not mean that every student can join its varsity roster or receive an athletic scholarship.

What student groups and Associations are available at West Virginia State University?

West Virginia State University students can connect through academic, service, cultural, and interest-based organizations. Reported examples include the Student Social Work Organization, the university's NAACP college chapter, CHOICES Peer Educators, and the C.E. Jones Historical Society.

These examples illustrate different reasons to join: professional connections, civic participation, peer education, and interest in the institution's history. An organization appearing in a directory does not establish that it meets regularly in every term. Students can use the current student-activities roster and campus events calendar to find active groups, meeting times, and any requirements for starting a new organization.

Who studies at West Virginia State University?

West Virginia State University reported total enrollment of 3,246 students in 2024-25. Its incoming first-time, degree- or certificate-seeking undergraduate group numbered 326, while 122 students entered as transfers. These figures describe different populations and should not be added to produce an undergraduate total.

Geographic reporting indicates that about 63% of students in the relevant reported group were West Virginia residents, while about 32% came from other U.S. states and 4% from other countries. The university also reports students across a wide age range. Its age-category figures include substantial enrollment below age 18, so the overall enrollment count should not be mistaken for the number of conventional-age, residential college students.

West Virginia State's historically Black designation describes its founding mission and institutional history, not a restriction on who can enroll. Applicants interested in the composition of a particular program or class should distinguish university-wide demographic figures from those of their intended major.

How does student life look like at West Virginia State University?

Student life at West Virginia State University combines campus activities with the routines of a university where students may live on campus or travel in for classes. Orientation, student organizations, athletics events, and university programming provide ways to meet peers outside a major; the practical experience will differ for a resident student, commuter, and online or part-time student.

The university reports a health clinic and personal or psychological counseling, as well as support for student veterans. Those resources are worth checking early for appointment procedures, eligibility, and after-hours needs. The reported student-to-faculty ratio is 13 to 1, but that institutional measure is not a promise about the size of every lecture, laboratory, or online course.

Students who need a predictable campus routine can compare course schedules with the hours of advising, tutoring, recreation, and other services they expect to use. That is especially relevant when employment or commuting limits the time available between classes.

What libraries are available to students at West Virginia State University?

Drain-Jordan Library is West Virginia State University's main academic library. It gives students a place to work with scholarly materials and seek help locating sources for coursework and research.

Students should check the library's current catalog and database listings for their subject, as well as procedures for research assistance, off-campus access to electronic resources, and obtaining materials not held locally through interlibrary loan. Published library information does not indicate a 24-hour study area or reservable study rooms, so students needing late-night space or a private group room should check current building hours and available study areas rather than assume either is offered.

West Virginia State University Student Life for 2027

Total enrollment

3246

Full Time Degree Seeking Freshmen

320

Member of Athletic Associations

NCAA

Total staff

94 full time, 46 part time

Veterans affair office

Yes

West Virginia State University Student Body

Undergraduate vs. graduate students

Undergraduate: 3,110
Graduate: 136

Full-time vs. part-time students

Full-time: 1,365
Part-time: 1,881

Full-time degree-seeking students by gender

Women: 169
Men: 151

Students by race/ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino: 45
Black or African American: 261
White: 815
American Indian or Alaska Native: 2
Asian: 10
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 2
Two or more races: 53
Unknown: 72

Freshly enrolled students' age

Under 25 years
Over 25 years

West Virginia State University Sports & Athletics

  • Member of NCAA

Varsity teams compete against other colleges, intramural teams within the school. Each column says whether men, women or both take part, and whether the sport offers athletic scholarships (Aid).

Sport

Varsity Intramural Aid

Baseball

MenMenMen

Basketball

BothBothBoth

Cheerleading

–Women–

Cross-country running

WomenWomenWomen

Football

MenMenMen

Golf

MenMenMen

Soccer

WomenWomen–

Softball

WomenWomenWomen

Tennis

BothBothBoth

Volleyball

WomenWomenWomen

Data last updated on November 2, 2026

Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026

Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.

Recently Published Articles