Best colleges for Registered Nursing in West Virginia
Ranked by graduate earnings
West Virginia University, West Virginia Junior College - Charleston and Shepherd University award the most Registered Nursing degrees in West Virginia: 248, 152 and 73 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 25 West Virginia colleges offer Registered Nursing and award 2,303 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…
Top 4 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 | Shepherd University Shepherdstown Public · Bachelor's degree | $75,914 | 73 | 51% | — | $27,206 |
| 2 | West Virginia University Morgantown Public · Bachelor's degree | $71,298 | 248 | 65% | — | $26,000 |
| 3 | American Public University System Charles Town Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree Online | $85,161 | 137 | 57% | $10,199 | $28,384 |
| 4 | West Liberty University West Liberty Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $71,848 | 19 | 60% | — | $29,408 |
Top 10 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 | Davis & Elkins College Elkins Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $71,201 | 41 | 39% | $19,284 | $25,500 |
| 2 | Fairmont State University Fairmont Public · Associate degree | $69,582 | 189 | 44% | — | $31,000 |
| 3 | Blue Ridge Community and Technical College Martinsburg Public · Associate degree | $68,897 | 55 | 32% | — | $26,766 |
| 4 | University of Charleston Charleston Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $67,888 | 345 | 46% | $21,939 | $24,250 |
| 5 | BridgeValley Community & Technical College South Charleston Public · Associate degree | $67,830 | 105 | 34% | — | $18,375 |
| 6 | Marshall University Huntington Public · Associate degree | $65,826 | 256 | 51% | — | $25,375 |
| 7 | West Virginia Northern Community College Wheeling Public · Associate degree | $63,473 | 25 | 33% | — | $19,963 |
| 8 | Bluefield State University Bluefield Public · Associate degree | $62,242 | 88 | 37% | — | $22,750 |
| 9 | West Virginia Junior College - Morgantown Morgantown Private for-profit · Associate degree Online | $68,238 | 102 | 71% | $19,134 | $24,181 |
| 10 | West Virginia University at Parkersburg Parkersburg Public · Associate degree | $64,670 | 97 | 9% | — | $20,103 |
Colleges awarding the most Registered Nursing 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 | West Virginia University Morgantown Public | 248 | $71,298 |
| 2 | West Virginia Junior College - Charleston Cross Lanes Private for-profit | 152 | Not reported |
| 3 | Shepherd University Shepherdstown Public | 73 | $75,914 |
| 4 | West Virginia Junior College - Bridgeport Bridgeport Private for-profit | 54 | Not reported |
| 5 | West Virginia Wesleyan College Buckhannon Private not-for-profit | 43 | Not reported |
| 6 | Valley College - Martinsburg Martinsburg Private not-for-profit | 32 | Not reported |
| 7 | Valley College - Beckley Beckley Private not-for-profit | 29 | Not reported |
| 8 | New River Community and Technical College Beaver Public | 25 | Not reported |
| 9 | West Liberty University West Liberty Public | 19 | $71,848 |
| 10 | West Virginia State University Institute Public | 13 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 15 West Virginia colleges offering Registered Nursing
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Charleston | Charleston | Private not-for-profit | 345 |
| Marshall University | Huntington | Public | 256 |
| Fairmont State University | Fairmont | Public | 189 |
| American Public University System (Online) | Charles Town | Private for-profit | 137 |
| BridgeValley Community & Technical College | South Charleston | Public | 105 |
| West Virginia Junior College - Morgantown (Online) | Morgantown | Private for-profit | 102 |
| West Virginia University at Parkersburg | Parkersburg | Public | 97 |
| Bluefield State University | Bluefield | Public | 88 |
| Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College | Logan | Public | 74 |
| Blue Ridge Community and Technical College | Martinsburg | Public | 55 |
| Wheeling University | Wheeling | Private not-for-profit | 47 |
| Salem University | Salem | Private for-profit | 43 |
| Davis & Elkins College | Elkins | Private not-for-profit | 41 |
| West Virginia Northern Community College | Wheeling | Public | 25 |
| Concord University | Athens | Public | 11 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141).
Top skills
What Registered Nurses earn in West Virginia
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Registered Nursing programs in West Virginia.
Which West Virginia colleges award the most Registered Nursing degrees?+
West Virginia University (248 graduates a year), West Virginia Junior College - Charleston (152 graduates a year) and Shepherd University (73 graduates a year) award the most Registered Nursing degrees in West Virginia, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 25 West Virginia colleges offer Registered Nursing.
Which Registered Nursing program in West Virginia has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Shepherd University tops the list at $75,914. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Registered Nurses earn in West Virginia?+
The average annual wage for Registered Nurses in West Virginia is $86,970 (median $80,130), across about 23,430 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Registered Nursing program?+
The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop critical thinking, active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Registered Nurses?+
The national job outlook is about +4.9% growth with around 189,100 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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