UNLV vs. WVU

Should I go to University of Nevada Las Vegas or West Virginia University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNLV 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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University of Nevada Las Vegas vs. West Virginia University comparison
University of Nevada Las Vegas West Virginia University College 3 College 4
University of Nevada Las Vegas West Virginia University
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Overview

 UNLV WVU
Location Las Vegas, NV Morgantown, WV
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 30,660 24,741
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #609 #559
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unlv.edu wvu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNLV WVU
Tuition (In State) $8,159 $9,360
Tuition (Out of State) $24,701 $26,568
Room & Board $11,512 $11,618
Avg Net Price $13,159 $12,202
Avg Grant Aid $6,346 $11,685
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 94%

Admission

 UNLV WVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,275 18,206
Admitted 11,325 16,091
Acceptance Rate 85.3% 88.4%
Enrolled % 38.1% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 20/26
SAT Range 1000/1220 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 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

 UNLV WVU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

 UNLV WVU
Graduation Rate 40% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,018 $24,001
Median Loan Payment $196 $248

Diversity

 UNLV WVU
% Men 43% 47%
% Women 57% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 35% 81%
% Black 8% 5%
% Hispanic 26% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 3%
% International 4% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 UNLV WVU
% In-State 82% 42%
% Out-of-State 16% 57%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Nevada Las Vegas is larger than than WVU based on total student enrollment (30,660 students vs. 24,741 students)

UNLV vs. WVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNLV or WVU?

  • West Virginia University is 14.7% more expensive to attend than UNLV for in-state tuition ($9,360.00 vs. $8,159.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.6% higher at WVU than University of Nevada Las Vegas ($26,568.00 vs. $24,701.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Virginia University than UNLV ($12,202 vs. $13,159)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Nevada Las Vegas are 0.9% lower than costs at West Virginia University ($11,512 vs. $11,618)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at West Virginia University than University of Nevada Las Vegas (94% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by West Virginia University students is 84.1% larger than aid received University of Nevada Las Vegas ($11,685 vs. $6,346)

UNLV vs. WVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Virginia University (1078) is 71 points higher than at UNLV (1007)
  • Incoming WVU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at UNLV (22)
  • Accepted freshman WVU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at UNLV (3.4)
  • WVU has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than UNLV (85.3%)

UNLV vs. WVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNLV 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 UNLV.

  • The graduation rate at WVU is higher than University of Nevada Las Vegas (57% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from West Virginia University earn on average $3,000 more per year than UNLV graduates after ten years. ($50,600 vs. $47,600)
  • University of Nevada Las Vegas students graduate with a $4,983 lower median federal student loan debt than WVU graduates. ($19,018 vs. $24,001)
  • UNLV graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than WVU graduates. ($196 vs. $248)
  • More WVU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNLV students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 52%)

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