UVa-Wise vs. WVU

Should I go to The University of Virginia's College at Wise or West Virginia University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UVa-Wise or WVU 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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The University of Virginia's College at Wise vs. West Virginia University comparison
The University of Virginia's College at Wise West Virginia University College 3 College 4
The University of Virginia's College at Wise West Virginia University
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Overview

UVa-Wise WVU
Location Wise, VA Morgantown, WV
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 1,704 24,741
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #750 #559
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uvawise.edu wvu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UVa-Wise WVU
Tuition (In State) $6,040 $9,360
Tuition (Out of State) $25,419 $26,568
Room & Board $11,919 $11,618
Avg Net Price $9,923 $12,202
Avg Grant Aid $14,299 $11,685
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 94%

Admission

UVa-Wise WVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 835 18,206
Admitted 631 16,091
Acceptance Rate 75.6% 88.4%
Enrolled % 39.8% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 20/26
SAT Range 915/1160 1000/1220
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

UVa-Wise WVU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

UVa-Wise WVU
Graduation Rate 39% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,100 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,827 $24,001
Median Loan Payment $215 $248

Diversity

UVa-Wise WVU
% Men 40% 47%
% Women 60% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 81%
% Black 12% 5%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 0% 6%
% Unknown Race 7% 0%

Students

UVa-Wise WVU
% In-State 76% 42%
% Out-of-State 21% 57%

Campus

UVa-Wise WVU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • West Virginia University is larger than than UVa-Wise based on total student enrollment (24,741 students vs. 1,704 students)

UVa-Wise vs. WVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UVa-Wise or WVU?

  • West Virginia University is 55% more expensive to attend than UVa-Wise for in-state tuition ($9,360.00 vs. $6,040.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.5% higher at WVU than The University of Virginia's College at Wise ($26,568.00 vs. $25,419.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than WVU ($9,923 vs. $12,202)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Virginia University are 2.6% lower than costs at The University of Virginia's College at Wise ($11,618 vs. $11,919)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than West Virginia University (98% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Virginia's College at Wise students is 22.4% larger than aid received West Virginia University ($14,299 vs. $11,685)

UVa-Wise vs. WVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UVa-Wise or WVU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WVU or UVa-Wise .

  • The average SAT score at West Virginia University (1078) is 136 points higher than at UVa-Wise (942)
  • Incoming WVU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at UVa-Wise (20)
  • Accepted freshman UVa-Wise students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at WVU (3.45)
  • WVU has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than UVa-Wise (75.6%)

UVa-Wise vs. WVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UVa-Wise or WVU? 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 WVU and UVa-Wise.

  • The graduation rate at WVU is higher than The University of Virginia's College at Wise (57% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from West Virginia University earn on average $8,500 more per year than UVa-Wise graduates after ten years. ($50,600 vs. $42,100)
  • The University of Virginia's College at Wise students graduate with a $3,174 lower median federal student loan debt than WVU graduates. ($20,827 vs. $24,001)
  • UVa-Wise graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than WVU graduates. ($215 vs. $248)
  • More WVU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UVa-Wise students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 57%)

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