PennWest California vs. West Virginia University at Parkersburg

Should I go to PennWest California or West Virginia University at Parkersburg? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PennWest California or West Virginia University at Parkersburg is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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PennWest California vs. West Virginia University at Parkersburg comparison
PennWest California West Virginia University at Parkersburg College 3 College 4
PennWest California
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Overview

PennWest California West Virginia University at Parkersburg
Location California, PA Parkersburg, WV
Setting Town Fringe Small Suburban
Enrollment 6,509 2,288
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1033
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calu.edu wvup.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PennWest California West Virginia University at Parkersburg
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $4,032
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $9,024
Room & Board $10,416 $7,200
Avg Net Price - $3,029
Avg Grant Aid $0 $5,811
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 82%

Admission

PennWest California West Virginia University at Parkersburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - -
Admitted - -
Acceptance Rate Open
Enrolled % Open
Avg High School GPA 3.31 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Very Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 940/1150
Submit Test Scores
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025

Academics

PennWest California West Virginia University at Parkersburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (40%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Science Technologies (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

PennWest California West Virginia University at Parkersburg
Graduation Rate 53% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $31,500
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $12,031
Median Loan Payment $258 $124

Diversity

PennWest California West Virginia University at Parkersburg
% Men 39% 36%
% Women 61% 64%
Racial Diversity Low Extremely Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 92%
% Black 12% 2%
% Hispanic 3% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

PennWest California West Virginia University at Parkersburg
% In-State 86% 92%
% Out-of-State 13% 8%

Campus

PennWest California West Virginia University at Parkersburg
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest California is larger than than West Virginia University at Parkersburg based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 2,288 students)

PennWest California vs. West Virginia University at Parkersburg Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest California or West Virginia University at Parkersburg?

  • PennWest California is 91.4% more expensive to attend than West Virginia University at Parkersburg for in-state tuition ($7,716.00 vs. $4,032.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28.3% higher at PennWest California than West Virginia University at Parkersburg ($11,574.00 vs. $9,024.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Virginia University at Parkersburg are 44.7% lower than costs at PennWest California ($7,200 vs. $10,416)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at West Virginia University at Parkersburg than PennWest California (82% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by West Virginia University at Parkersburg students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($5,811 vs. $0)

Which college is harder to get into, PennWest California or West Virginia University at Parkersburg? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between West Virginia University at Parkersburg or PennWest California .

PennWest California vs. West Virginia University at Parkersburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest California or West Virginia University at Parkersburg? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between West Virginia University at Parkersburg and PennWest California.

  • The graduation rate at PennWest California is higher than West Virginia University at Parkersburg (53% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from PennWest California earn on average $11,000 more per year than West Virginia University at Parkersburg graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $31,500)
  • West Virginia University at Parkersburg students graduate with a $12,969 lower median federal student loan debt than PennWest California graduates. ($12,031 vs. $25,000)
  • West Virginia University at Parkersburg graduates are paying $134 less per month on federal student loans than PennWest California graduates. ($124 vs. $258)
  • More PennWest California graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former West Virginia University at Parkersburg students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 33%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/