Admissions

West Virginia acceptance rate

Last checked: 2026-10-26

The acceptance rate at West Virginia University is 86.3% for fall 2023. Out of 19,857 applicants, 17,129 were admitted and 4,377 enrolled.

The application numbers

FigureFall 2023
Applicants, fall 202319,857
Admitted, fall 202317,129
Acceptance rate, fall 202386.3%
Admitted students who enrolled, fall 20234,377

How this rate compares

The rate at West Virginia University matches the West Virginia pilot school average of 86.3%.

Against the national pilot school average of 53.0%, the rate at West Virginia University is 33.3 points higher, which means a larger share of applicants were admitted.

Averages here are simple averages across the pilot schools that publish a rate, 1 school in West Virginia and 235 schools nationwide on this site.

What the acceptance rate does and does not mean

The acceptance rate is the share of applicants who were offered a place. It is worked out by dividing the number of students admitted by the number who applied, for fall 2023.

A low rate means many more people applied than the school could admit. It does not by itself prove that a school is better, that teaching is stronger, or that graduates earn more. Some schools draw very large applicant pools because applying is free or simple, and some excellent schools admit a large share of a smaller, well matched pool.

A high rate does not mean admission is automatic. Schools still set entry requirements, and popular programs inside a school can be far harder to enter than the overall rate suggests. The rate also says nothing about cost. Read it beside the total cost, the average net price, and the outcomes on the cost page for West Virginia University.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the acceptance rate at West Virginia?

The acceptance rate at West Virginia University is 86.3% for fall 2023. It is the number admitted, 17,129, divided by the number who applied, 19,857.

How many students apply to West Virginia each year?

In fall 2023, 19,857 students applied to West Virginia University, 17,129 were admitted, and 4,377 admitted students enrolled.

How selective is West Virginia compared with other schools in West Virginia?

The average acceptance rate across the pilot schools in West Virginia that publish a rate is 86.3%, and the national average across the pilot schools on this site is 53.0%. The rate at West Virginia University is 86.3%.

Does a low acceptance rate mean a school is better?

No. A low rate means far more people applied than the school could admit. It says nothing on its own about teaching quality, cost, or graduate earnings, which is why this site prints the rate beside cost and outcomes figures.

How much does West Virginia cost?

The total cost for one year at West Virginia University is $27,644 for in state students. The cost page on this site breaks that total into tuition, fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses.

What is the graduation rate at West Virginia?

The graduation rate at West Virginia University is 61%, measuring the share of a starting cohort that finished within one and a half times the normal program length.

Sources: the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, United States Department of Education. Admissions figures are for fall 2023. See the methodology page for full detail.