Best colleges for Business Administration in West Virginia
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of Charleston, West Virginia University and West Virginia State University are the top bachelor's Business Administration programs in West Virginia by graduate earnings. University of Charleston leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $63,623, College Scorecard. University of Charleston, West Virginia University and Shepherd University award the most Business Administration degrees in West Virginia: 733, 113 and 91 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 26 West Virginia colleges offer Business Administration and award 5,852 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Charleston Charleston Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $63,623 | 733 | 46% | $21,939 | $13,666 |
| 2 | West Virginia University Morgantown Public · Bachelor's degree | $49,634 | 113 | 65% | — | $25,242 |
| 3 | West Virginia State University Institute Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,709 | 55 | 39% | — | $27,045 |
| 4 | Shepherd University Shepherdstown Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,766 | 91 | 51% | — | $18,500 |
| 5 | West Liberty University West Liberty Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,713 | 69 | 60% | — | $27,000 |
| 6 | Fairmont State University Fairmont Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,767 | 70 | 44% | — | $26,000 |
| 7 | Concord University Athens Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,348 | 62 | 39% | — | $18,900 |
| 8 | Glenville State University Glenville Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,916 | 67 | 34% | — | $25,747 |
| 9 | American Public University System Charles Town Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree Online | $61,687 | 4,180 | 57% | $10,199 | $20,490 |
| 10 | Salem University Salem Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $45,834 | 95 | 20% | $14,845 | $31,000 |
Top 2 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valley College - Martinsburg Martinsburg Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $38,886 | 22 | 66% | $25,386 | $21,146 |
| 2 | Blue Ridge Community and Technical College Martinsburg Public · Associate degree | $32,176 | 25 | 32% | — | $17,904 |
Colleges awarding the most Business Administration degrees in West Virginia
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Charleston Charleston Private not-for-profit | 733 | $63,623 |
| 2 | West Virginia University Morgantown Public | 113 | $49,634 |
| 3 | Shepherd University Shepherdstown Public | 91 | $41,766 |
| 4 | Fairmont State University Fairmont Public | 70 | $33,767 |
| 5 | West Liberty University West Liberty Public | 69 | $34,713 |
| 6 | Glenville State University Glenville Public | 67 | $30,916 |
| 7 | Concord University Athens Public | 62 | $33,348 |
| 8 | West Virginia State University Institute Public | 55 | $43,709 |
| 9 | Bluefield State University Bluefield Public | 47 | Not reported |
| 10 | Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College Moorefield Public | 28 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 16 West Virginia colleges offering Business Administration
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Public University System (Online) | Charles Town | Private for-profit | 4,180 |
| Salem University | Salem | Private for-profit | 95 |
| Wheeling University | Wheeling | Private not-for-profit | 69 |
| Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College | Logan | Public | 27 |
| Blue Ridge Community and Technical College | Martinsburg | Public | 25 |
| Potomac State College of West Virginia University | Keyser | Public | 23 |
| Valley College - Martinsburg | Martinsburg | Private not-for-profit | 22 |
| West Virginia University at Parkersburg | Parkersburg | Public | 20 |
| Davis & Elkins College | Elkins | Private not-for-profit | 15 |
| New River Community and Technical College | Beaver | Public | 13 |
| Bethany College | Bethany | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| BridgeValley Community & Technical College | South Charleston | Public | 9 |
| Mountwest Community and Technical College | Huntington | Public | 3 |
| Strayer University - West Virginia (Online) | Scott Depot | Private for-profit | 3 |
| Ameritas College (Online) | Huntington | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Marshall University | Huntington | Public | 2 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021).
Top skills
What General and Operations Managers earn in West Virginia
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Business Administration programs in West Virginia.
Which West Virginia colleges award the most Business Administration degrees?+
University of Charleston (733 graduates a year), West Virginia University (113 graduates a year) and Shepherd University (91 graduates a year) award the most Business Administration degrees in West Virginia, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 26 West Virginia colleges offer Business Administration.
What is the best college for Business Administration in West Virginia?+
By graduate earnings, University of Charleston leads among bachelor's Business Administration programs in West Virginia, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $63,623, College Scorecard. West Virginia University and West Virginia State University follow. By degrees awarded, University of Charleston is the largest, with 733 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Business Administration program in West Virginia has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Charleston tops the list at $63,623. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do General and Operations Managers earn in West Virginia?+
The average annual wage for General and Operations Managers in West Virginia is $101,610 (median $82,500), across about 15,300 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Business Administration program?+
The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, monitoring, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for General and Operations Managers?+
The national job outlook is about +4.4% growth with around 308,700 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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