by our College Data Analytics Team
If you’re a veteran, service member, or military-affiliated student looking for a college that has your back, you’ve come to the right place. The ranking below was designed to help you find 57 colleges for veteran and military-affiliated students in West Virginia, using our 2026 methodology.
Our ranking weighs the factors that matter most to veteran and military-affiliated students: affordability and veteran financial benefits, academic quality, on-campus veteran resources and support services, veteran-friendly policies, and the size of the veteran student community. To arm you with the information you need, College Factual evaluated 57 colleges, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
Your ideal fit depends on your goals and benefits. Drill down by location, or explore our other rankings below.
Looking to pit your favorite colleges against each other? Try our tool College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter most to you.
Learn more about these veteran-friendly colleges below:
Our analysis found American Public University System to be the #1 college for veterans in West Virginia. On our overall veterans measure, it scores 77.0 out of 100. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-resources score.
Veteran and military students will find strong support at Shepherd University, which ranked #2 this year. The school's overall veterans score is 76.4 out of 100. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7.
Veteran and military students will find strong support at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, which ranked #3 this year. On our overall veterans measure, it scores 75.5 out of 100. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7.
A rank of #4 makes Blue Ridge Community and Technical College one of the best colleges for veterans in West Virginia. It scores 71.1 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-resources score.
Veteran and military students will find strong support at West Virginia University, which ranked #5 this year. West Virginia University scores 71.0 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-resources score.
Fairmont State University landed the #6 spot in West Virginia this year. It scores 70.8 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7.
Marshall University came in at #7 in this year's ranking. Marshall University scores 70.2 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7.
Davis & Elkins College ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best colleges for veterans. Davis & Elkins College scores 68.8 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability scores 86.7, and veteran resources 66.7.
Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College came in at #9 in this year's ranking. On our overall veterans measure, it scores 68.7 out of 100. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 33.3.
Bluefield State University earned the #10 position in West Virginia. On our overall veterans measure, it scores 67.7 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7.
Concord University ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best colleges for veterans. On our overall veterans measure, it scores 67.4 out of 100. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7.
Strayer University-West Virginia earned the #12 position in West Virginia. The school's overall veterans score is 66.9 out of 100. Veteran affordability scores 100.0, alongside a 33.3 veteran-resources score.
West Virginia University at Parkersburg landed the #13 spot in West Virginia this year. The school's overall veterans score is 66.7 out of 100. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7.
Glenville State University came in at #14 in this year's ranking. The school's overall veterans score is 65.9 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-resources score.
Catholic International University came in at #15 in this year's ranking. It scores 65.6 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, alongside a 33.3 veteran-resources score.
University of Charleston came in at #16 in this year's ranking. University of Charleston scores 63.7 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Its affordability for veterans scores 82.6, alongside a 33.3 veteran-resources score.
Pierpont Community and Technical College came in at #17 in this year's ranking. Pierpont Community and Technical College scores 61.5 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7.
Mountwest Community and Technical College earned the #18 position in West Virginia. The school's overall veterans score is 61.4 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 33.3.
Huntington Junior College landed the #19 spot in West Virginia this year. Huntington Junior College scores 61.0 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 33.3.
Valley College-Martinsburg landed the #20 spot in West Virginia this year. On our overall veterans measure, it scores 59.6 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 33.3.
West Liberty University landed the #21 spot in West Virginia this year. It scores 58.6 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, alongside a 33.3 veteran-resources score.
BridgeValley Community & Technical College earned the #22 position in West Virginia. It scores 58.5 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On affordability for veterans it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-resources score.
West Virginia Junior College-Bridgeport landed the #23 spot in West Virginia this year. On our overall veterans measure, it scores 57.9 out of 100. Veteran affordability scores 100.0, alongside a 33.3 veteran-resources score.
Appalachian Bible College ranked #24 on our 2026 list of the best colleges for veterans. It scores 57.7 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, alongside a 0.0 veteran-resources score.
Salem University came in at #25 in this year's ranking. Salem University scores 57.1 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 33.3.
These colleges also placed near the top this year:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
We measure this ranking on the factors that matter most to veteran and military-affiliated students: affordability and veteran financial benefits, academic quality, on-campus veteran resources and support services, veteran-friendly policies, and the size of the veteran student community.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition.
References
See our data sources and methodologies.
