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2026 Best Trade Schools in West Virginia
Looking for the best Trade degree programs in West Virginia? Our ranking highlights 68 institutions by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology. Our scores reflect factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and admissions selectivity.
To help you make your decision, Trade College analyzed 43 schools to build this 2026 ranking, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). View our full ranking methodology.
Top 25 Trade Degree Schools in West Virginia
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Pierpont Community And Technical College earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking in West Virginia. Set in Fairmont, WV, Pierpont Community And Technical College is a public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,762 in tuition and fees, compared with $13,660 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,268 to complete their Trade program here. Read the full report on Pierpont Community And Technical College
You'll be in good company at West Virginia University, which ranked #2 this year. West Virginia University is a public school based in Morgantown, WV. About 64% of students finish within six years. Students from in state pay about $10,104 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,608. The median Trade program debt is $23,772. Read more about West Virginia University
Out of the 43 schools in West Virginia in this year's ranking, University Of Charleston landed the #3 spot. Set in Charleston, WV, University Of Charleston is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 44% of students complete a degree within six years here. Students from in state pay about $22,617 in tuition and fees. Graduates carry a median of $22,646 in student loans. Read more about University Of Charleston
You'll be in good company at West Virginia Junior College Morgantown, which ranked #4 this year. Located in Morgantown, WV, West Virginia Junior College Morgantown is a private for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,798. Students borrow a median of $13,870 to complete their Trade program here. Get the full West Virginia Junior College Morgantown report
American Public University System came in at #5 on this year's Trade ranking in West Virginia. Based in Charles Town, WV, American Public University System is a private for-profit institution. About 47% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $8,400. The median Trade program debt is $23,438. See the full American Public University System profile
West Liberty University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best Trade schools. West Liberty University is a public school based in West Liberty, WV. Roughly 56% of students complete a degree within six years here. Students from in state pay about $8,893 in tuition and fees, compared with $17,442 for out-of-state students. West Liberty University Trade students take on a median of $27,144 in debt. Get the full West Liberty University report
Marshall University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best Trade schools. This public school is set in Huntington, WV. About 51% of students finish within six years. Students from in state pay about $9,162 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $20,342. Students borrow a median of $25,250 to complete their Trade program here. Read the full report on Marshall University
Blue Ridge Community And Technical College placed #8 among Trade schools in West Virginia. Blue Ridge Community And Technical College is a public school based in Martinsburg, WV. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,752, compared with $8,808 for out-of-state students. Typical Trade student debt is $18,402. Read the full report on Blue Ridge Community And Technical College
Bridgevalley Community And Technical College landed the #9 spot in West Virginia this year. Located in South Charleston, WV, Bridgevalley Community And Technical College is a public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,800 in tuition and fees, compared with $12,428 for out-of-state students. The median Trade program debt is $11,958. See the full Bridgevalley Community And Technical College profile
Fairmont State University came in at #10 in this year's ranking. Set in Fairmont, WV, Fairmont State University is a public institution. About 44% of students finish within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,708, while out-of-state students pay about $18,924. The median Trade program debt is $26,447. See the full Fairmont State University profile
West Virginia Junior College Charleston placed #11 among Trade schools in West Virginia. Set in Cross Lanes, WV, West Virginia Junior College Charleston is a private for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees run about $14,798. The median Trade program debt is $10,729. Get the full West Virginia Junior College Charleston report
Mountwest Community And Technical College landed the #12 spot in West Virginia this year. This public school is set in Huntington, WV. In-state tuition and fees average $4,938, compared with $12,304 for out-of-state students. Typical Trade student debt is $11,763. More on Mountwest Community And Technical College
Bluefield State College placed #13 among Trade schools in West Virginia. Bluefield State College is a public school based in Bluefield, WV. Bluefield State College posts a six-year graduation rate of 30%. In-state tuition and fees average $10,648, while out-of-state students pay about $18,376. Bluefield State College Trade students take on a median of $24,791 in debt. Read the full report on Bluefield State College
West Virginia Northern Community College came in at #14 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Wheeling, WV. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,706, compared with $12,698 for out-of-state students. The median Trade program debt is $11,528. Read more about West Virginia Northern Community College
West Virginia University At Parkersburg came in at #15 in this year's ranking. Located in Parkersburg, WV, West Virginia University At Parkersburg is a public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,476 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $9,424. Graduates carry a median of $15,595 in student loans. Read more about West Virginia University At Parkersburg
Southern West Virginia Community And Technical College ranked #16 on our 2026 list of the best Trade schools. Set in Logan, WV, Southern West Virginia Community And Technical College is a public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,136 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $7,872. Read more about Southern West Virginia Community And Technical College
New River Community And Technical College came in at #17 in this year's ranking. Set in Beaver, WV, New River Community And Technical College is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees run about $5,156, with out-of-state students paying around $9,646. New River Community And Technical College Trade students take on a median of $8,187 in debt. Read the full report on New River Community And Technical College
West Virginia Junior College Bridgeport ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the best Trade schools. More on West Virginia Junior College Bridgeport
Ross Medical Education Center Charleston came in at #19 in this year's ranking. More on Ross Medical Education Center Charleston
Wheeling Jesuit University came in at #20 in this year's ranking. See the full Wheeling Jesuit University profile
Monongalia County Technical Education Center did well this year, earning the #21 position. See the full Monongalia County Technical Education Center profile
Fayette Institute Of Technology placed #22 among Trade schools in West Virginia. Get the full Fayette Institute Of Technology report
Huntington School Of Beauty Culture placed #23 among Trade schools in West Virginia. See the full Huntington School Of Beauty Culture profile
Ross Medical Education Center Morgantown ranked #24 on our 2026 list of the best Trade schools. See the full Ross Medical Education Center Morgantown profile
Bethany College West Virginia placed #25 among Trade schools in West Virginia. See the full Bethany College West Virginia profile
Rest of the Top 50 Best Trade Degree Schools in West Virginia
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s ranking:
International Beauty School 4 came in at #26 in this year's ranking. Get the full International Beauty School 4 report
West Virginia Wesleyan College ranked #27 on our 2026 list of the best Trade schools. Read the full report on West Virginia Wesleyan College
West Virginia School Of Osteopathic Medicine landed the #28 spot in West Virginia this year. Read the full report on West Virginia School Of Osteopathic Medicine
Huntington Junior College landed the #29 spot in West Virginia this year. Get the full Huntington Junior College report
Concord University ranked #30 on our 2026 list of the best Trade schools. More on Concord University
John D Rockefeller Iv Career Center ranked #31 on our 2026 list of the best Trade schools. Read more about John D Rockefeller Iv Career Center
Future Generations Graduate School came in at #32 in this year's ranking. Read the full report on Future Generations Graduate School
Potomac State College Of West Virginia University landed the #33 spot in West Virginia this year. More on Potomac State College Of West Virginia University
Strayer University West Virginia ranked #34 on our 2026 list of the best Trade schools. Read the full report on Strayer University West Virginia
Valley College Beckley placed #35 among Trade schools in West Virginia. Read the full report on Valley College Beckley
Roane Jackson Technical Center landed the #36 spot in West Virginia this year. More on Roane Jackson Technical Center
Carver Career Center landed the #37 spot in West Virginia this year. Get the full Carver Career Center report
United Technical Center landed the #38 spot in West Virginia this year. More on United Technical Center
Wood County School Of Practical Nursing ranked #39 on our 2026 list of the best Trade schools. See the full Wood County School Of Practical Nursing profile
Clarksburg Beauty Academy And School Of Massage Therapy came in at #40 in this year's ranking. Get the full Clarksburg Beauty Academy And School Of Massage Therapy report
Morgantown Beauty College Inc ranked #41 on our 2026 list of the best Trade schools. Read the full report on Morgantown Beauty College Inc
Glenville State College came in at #42 in this year's ranking. Read more about Glenville State College
Ben Franklin Career Center landed the #43 spot in West Virginia this year. Read more about Ben Franklin Career Center
Mingo Extended Learning Center placed #44 among Trade schools in West Virginia. Get the full Mingo Extended Learning Center report
B M Spurr School Of Practical Nursing did well this year, earning the #45 position. More on B M Spurr School Of Practical Nursing
Eastern West Virginia Community And Technical College came in at #46 in this year's ranking. Read more about Eastern West Virginia Community And Technical College
Martinsburg College came in at #47 in this year's ranking. See the full Martinsburg College profile
Ralph R Willis Career And Technical Center placed #48 among Trade schools in West Virginia. Read more about Ralph R Willis Career And Technical Center
Valley College Martinsburg came in at #49 in this year's ranking. Read the full report on Valley College Martinsburg
West Virginia University Institute Of Technology ranked #50 on our 2026 list of the best Trade schools. More on West Virginia University Institute Of Technology
More Trade Rankings
Ranking Methodology & Notes
These rankings are produced by Trade College (DMS_RANKING_2023), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and admissions data drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: Dms College Quality · Scope: State · 43 schools evaluated. *Averages shown above reflect the top 68 ranked schools only.
References
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) — National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education (core institutional data).
- College Scorecard — U.S. Department of Education (graduate earnings and outcomes data).