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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2026 Best Social Work Schools in West Virginia

5 Colleges in the United States
291 Social Work Degrees Awarded
$37,139 Avg Early-Career Salary

Social Work is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for social work students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

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Best Schools for Social Work in West Virginia

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall social work education in West Virginia.

Top Schools in Social Work

1

Our analysis ranked West Virginia University the best school in the country for a degree in social work. West Virginia University is a very large public school located in the city of Morgantown. Roughly 64% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 94 social work degrees were awarded at West Virginia University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, social work degree recipients from West Virginia University generally make around $41,026. Typical student debt for the program is $25,000. Read more about the social work program at West Virginia University

2
Shepherd University crest
Shepherd University
Shepherdstown, WV

Students looking for a strong social work program will find one at Shepherd University, which ranked #2. Located in the rural area of Shepherdstown, Shepherd University is a mid-sized public university. About 51% of students finish within six years. Shepherd University awarded about 13 social work degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their social work degree from Shepherd University earn around $32,965 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $27,722 to complete this degree. Get the full social work details for Shepherd University

3
Marshall University crest
Marshall University
Huntington, WV

Students looking for a strong social work program will find one at Marshall University, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Huntington, Marshall University is a large public institution. Marshall University graduates 51% of students within six years. Marshall University awarded about 61 social work degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, social work degree recipients from Marshall University generally make around $40,417. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree. See the full social work program report for Marshall University

4

Students looking for a strong social work program will find one at Concord University, which ranked #4. This mid-sized public university is located in the rural area of Athens. Concord University graduates 39% of students within six years. About 107 social work degrees were awarded at Concord University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, social work degree recipients from Concord University generally make around $41,228. Concord University graduates carry a median of $18,967 in student loans. Read more about the social work program at Concord University

5

A rank of #5 makes West Virginia State University one of the top schools for social work. This mid-sized public university is located in the suburb of Institute. About 39% of students finish within six years. About 16 social work degrees were awarded at West Virginia State University in the most recent year. Social Work graduates of West Virginia State University earn a median of $30,060 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $37,371 to complete this degree. Get the full social work details for West Virginia State University

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Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 8 schools evaluated.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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