West Liberty University
West Liberty, WV208 University Drive, West Liberty, WV 26074
304-336-5000
West Liberty University is a public university in West Virginia. It was founded in 1837 as West Liberty Academy and became a four-year college in 1888. The university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers bachelor's and master's degrees. The university's athletic teams compete in the Mountain East Conference.
West Liberty University was founded in 1837 as West Liberty Academy. The academy was chartered by the Virginia General Assembly and was the first academy in the state west of the Allegheny Mountains. The academy was originally located in what is now downtown West Liberty, but moved to its current location on a hill overlooking the town in 1857. In 1888, the academy became a four-year college and began offering bachelor's degrees. The college was renamed West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1901. The college continued to grow in the early 20th century, adding new buildings and programs.
In the 1960s, the college began to experience financial difficulties. In response, the college implemented a number of cost-saving measures, including reducing the number of faculty and staff, eliminating some academic programs, and selling off some of its property. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the college also began admitting black students and women. In 1975, the college was renamed West Virginia Wesleyan College and University. In the 1980s and 1990s, the university experienced a period of growth, adding new academic programs and facilities.
Today, West Liberty University is a comprehensive university offering bachelor's and master's degrees in a variety of disciplines. The university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the NCAA Division II. The university's athletic teams compete in the Mountain East Conference.
Quick Facts
Enrollment: 2481
Acceptance Rate: 68.44%
Type: Public, 4-year or above
Main Website: https://www.westliberty.edu/
Financial Aid: https://www.westliberty.edu/financial-aid/
Annual Costs
Total Cost In-State On-Campus: $23665
Total Cost Out-State On-Campus: $31605
Return on Investment Rating
The estimated cost for four years as an undergraduate at West Liberty University is $99183.62. This includes the average cost of attendance for four years plus the interest on the average loan over a ten year repayment minus the average of grants and scholarships per student.
We then contrast this figure with average early-career and mid-career average incomes of graduates of four year programs at West Liberty University. For graduates of West Liberty University, we saw an average early-career income of $40100.00 and mid-career income of $61100.00. We then ranked the school's value based on how many years of mid-career income it takes to repay the educational costs.