West Virginia University at Parkersburg

Parkersburg, WV 1,868 Undergrads 34.6% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$9,420

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$1,807

After Aid

Median Earnings

$47,106

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$1,807

Peer Midpoint: $9,847

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$47,106

Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5

Graduation Rate34.6%

Peer Midpoint: 34.6%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients47.8%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time65.5%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS51.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

100.0%

SAT Avg

SAT Reading

25th: --75th: -

SAT Math

25th: --75th: -

ACT Composite

25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV

Vs Median Peer

Vs HS Grad

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

+$504k

-$12k

+$19k

Median Cost$2k/yr

+$501k

-$15k

+$16k

Full Cost$9k/yr

+$487k

-$29k

+$2k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$2k/yr

486%

Full Cost$9k/yr

12%

Analysis Assumptions:

Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return157%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return22%

Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Natl Median: $60,097

Lifetime Value Added

+$33k

Criminal Justice and Corrections

CertCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$31,458

Natl Median: $57,702

Lifetime Value Added

-$119k

CertCIP: 1907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $31,135

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians

CertCIP: 1506

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,294

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Non-Professional Legal Studies

CertCIP: 2200

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $78,149

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants

CertCIP: 5139

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,073

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Precision Metal Working

CertCIP: 4805

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$50,838

Natl Median: $48,702

Lifetime Value Added

+$99k

Radio, Television, and Digital Communication

CertCIP: 0907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $33,711

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

AssocCIP: 5204

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $37,587

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business/Commerce, General

AssocCIP: 5201

Median Debt

$13,172

Earnings (4yr)

$47,073

Natl Median: $49,927

Lifetime Value Added

+$16k

Computer and Information Sciences, General

AssocCIP: 1101

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,246

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer Science

AssocCIP: 1107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $62,283

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminal Justice and Corrections

AssocCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$30,179

Natl Median: $46,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$161k

Graphic Communications

AssocCIP: 1003

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $36,221

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services

AssocCIP: 1907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $34,184

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Journalism

AssocCIP: 0904

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,496

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

AssocCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$9,000

Earnings (4yr)

$36,446

Natl Median: $44,125

Lifetime Value Added

-$91k

Mechanics and Repairers, General

AssocCIP: 4700

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$22,989

Natl Median: $56,973

Lifetime Value Added

-$220k

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

AssocCIP: 3099

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,491

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Non-Professional Legal Studies

AssocCIP: 2200

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,222

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Precision Metal Working

AssocCIP: 4805

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$53,470

Natl Median: $56,451

Lifetime Value Added

+$68k

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

AssocCIP: 0909

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $53,309

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

AssocCIP: 5138

Median Debt

BachCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$17,055

Earnings (4yr)

$43,935

Natl Median: $53,072

Lifetime Value Added

-$89k

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

BachCIP: 3099

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,693

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

BachCIP: 5138

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$77,910

Natl Median: $88,910

Lifetime Value Added

+$183k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

BachCIP: 1312

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$39,681

Natl Median: $47,382

Lifetime Value Added

-$125k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.