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List of colleges and universities in West Virginia facts for kids

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Old Main at Marshall University
McMurran Hall at Shepherd 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.

West Virginia's oldest surviving post-secondary institution is Bethany College, founded on March 2, 1840 by Alexander Campbell. Marshall University and West Liberty University were both established in 1837, but as private subscription schools. 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. Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College is the state's smallest, with an enrollment of 822. 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. 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. 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. West Virginia University is also the state's sole participant university in the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program. 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.

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. The majority (thirty-three) of West Virginia's post-secondary institutions are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). 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).

Institutions

List of active institutions
School Location Control Type Enrollment
(Fall 2022)
Founded Accreditation
American Public University System Charles Town Private for-profit Master's university 48,668 1991 CCNE, HLC
Appalachian Bible College Mount Hope Private not-for-profit Special-focus institution 232 1950 ABHE, HLC
Bethany College Bethany Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 623 1840 NCATE, HLC
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College Martinsburg Public Associate's college 4,247 1974 ACEN, HLC
Bluefield State University Bluefield Public Baccalaureate college 1,306 1895 ACEN, CCNE, JRCERT, NCATE, HLC
BridgeValley Community and Technical College–Montgomery Montgomery Public Associate's college 1,070 1966 ADA, HLC
BridgeValley Community and Technical College–South Charleston South Charleston Public Associate's college 1,634 1953 ACEN, HLC
Catholic Distance University Charles Town Private not-for-profit Master's university 168 1983 DEAC, HLC, ATS
University of Charleston Charleston Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 3,059 1888 ACEN, ACPE, JRCERT, NCATE, HLC, TEAC
Concord University Athens Public Baccalaureate college 1,748 1872 NCATE, HLC
Davis & Elkins College Elkins Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 650 1904 ACEN, NAST, HLC, TEAC
Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College Moorefield Public Associate's college 376 1999 HLC
Fairmont State University Fairmont Public Master's university 3,498 1865 ACEN, CCNE, NCATE, HLC
Future Generations University Franklin Private not-for-profit Special focus institution 42 2003 HLC
Glenville State University Glenville Public Baccalaureate college 1,630 1872 NCATE, HLC
Huntington Junior College Huntington Private for-profit Associate's college 147 1936 HLC
Marshall University Huntington Public Research university 10,691 1837 ACEN, ADA, APTA, APA, ASHA, LCME, NASM, NCATE, HLC
Mountwest Community and Technical College Huntington Public Associate's college 1,273 1975 APTA, HLC
New River Community and Technical College Beckley Public Associate's college 1,007 2003 HLC
Pierpont Community and Technical College Fairmont Public Associate's college 1,460 1974 APTA, HLC
Potomac State College of West Virginia University Keyser Public Associate's college 1,145 1901 HLC
Salem University Salem Private for-profit Master's university 984 1888 HLC, NCATE
Shepherd University Shepherdstown Public Master's university 3,235 1871 CCNE, NASM, NCATE, HLC
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College Mount Gay Public Associate's college 1,365 1971 ACEN, ADA, JRCERT, HLC
Valley College–Beckley Beckley Private for-profit Associate's college 152 1983 ACICS
Valley College–Martinsburg Martinsburg Private for-profit Associate's college 615 1983 ACICS
Valley College–Princeton Princeton Private for-profit Associate's college 72 1983 ACICS
West Liberty University West Liberty Public Baccalaureate college 2,315 1837 ACEN, ADA, CCNE, NASM, NCATE, HLC
West Virginia Junior College–Bridgeport Bridgeport Private for-profit Associate's college 146 1922 ACICS
West Virginia Junior College–Charleston Cross Lanes Private for-profit Associate's college 225 1892 ACICS
West Virginia Junior College–Morgantown Morgantown Private for-profit Associate's college 525 1922 ACICS
West Virginia Northern Community College Wheeling Public Associate's college 1,222 1972 ACEN, JRCERT, HLC
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine Lewisburg Public Special-focus institution 793 1972 AOA, HLC
West Virginia State University Institute Public Master's university 3,785 1891 NCATE, HLC
West Virginia University Morgantown Public Research university 24,741 1867 ACPE, ABA, ADA, ADA, AOTA, APTA, APA, ASHA, CCNE, CEPH, LCME, NASAD, NASM, NAST, NCATE, HLC
West Virginia University at Parkersburg Parkersburg Public Baccalaureate college 2,288 1961 ACEN, NCATE, HLC
West Virginia University Institute of Technology Beckley Public Baccalaureate college 1,481 1895 HLC
West Virginia Wesleyan College Buckhannon Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 951 1890 ACEN, NASM, NCATE, HLC
Wheeling University Wheeling Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 749 1954 APTA, CCNE, HLC, TEAC
Key
Abbreviation Accrediting agency
ABA American Bar Association
ACEN Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
ACCSC Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges
ADA American Dietetic Association
AOA American Osteopathic Association
ACICS Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools
ACPE Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education
ADA American Dental Association
AOTA American Occupational Therapy Association
APTA American Physical Therapy Association
APA American Psychological Association
ASHA American Speech–Language–Hearing Association
ABHE Association for Biblical Higher Education
CCNE Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
CEPH Council on Education for Public Health
JRCERT Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
LCME Liaison Committee on Medical Education
NASAD National Association of Schools of Art and Design
NASM National Association of Schools of Music
NAST National Association of Schools of Theatre
HLC Higher Learning Commission
NCATE National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
TEAC Teacher Education Accreditation Council

Defunct institutions

List of defunct institutions in West Virginia
School Location Control Founded Closed Ref(s)
Alderson Broaddus University Philippi Private not-for-profit 1871 2023
Everest Institute-Cross Lanes Cross Lanes Private for-profit 1968 2014
Greenbrier College Lewisburg Private 1812 1972
Greenbrier Military School Lewisburg Private 1812 1972
Mountain State University Beckley Private not-for-profit 1933 2013
Ohio Valley University Vienna Private not-for-profit 1958 2021
Storer College Harpers Ferry Church affiliated, not-for-profit; limited state support 1867 1955
West Virginia Business College–Wheeling Wheeling Private for-profit 1881 2017

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anexo:Universidades de Virginia Occidental para niños

  • Higher education in the United States
  • List of college athletic programs in West Virginia
  • List of recognized higher education accreditation organizations
  • Lists of American institutions of higher education
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