2027 at a glanceWest Virginia Degree Completion Programs at a Glance
- The #1 school for degree completion in West Virginia in 2027 is University of Charleston, because its rate is $380 per credit for West Virginia residents (lower than 6 other colleges on this list) and 56% of its transfer students earn a degree within eight years (higher than 2 other colleges on this list).
- #2 is West Virginia University: 60% of its transfer students earn a degree within eight years (higher than 7 other colleges on this list).
- #3 is Fairmont State University: 62% of its transfer students earn a degree within eight years (higher than 8 other colleges on this list).
7 of the 10 colleges here are based in West Virginia. They come first. The rest of the list is online colleges based in neighboring states, ranked with the same measures at their out-of-state rate.
The ranking
Degree Completion Programs in West Virginia, Ranked
#1Charleston, West VirginiaUniversity of Charleston
Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership
OnlineDegree completion route
Why it ranks #1: Its rate is $380 per credit for West Virginia residents (lower than 6 other colleges on this list) and 56% of its transfer students earn a degree within eight years (higher than 2 other colleges on this list).
The University of Charleston built Organizational Leadership as a completion degree for working adults. You need 40 transferable semester hours and a 2.0 GPA, and up to 90 hours can transfer. Seven-week courses run in A and B terms, entirely online. If your credit total falls short, independent study and credit for prior learning can help fill gaps.
- Undergraduates Fully Online
- 53%
- Transfer Credits
- Up to 90 credit hours
- Study Schedule
- Seven-week courses in A and B terms each semester
#2Morgantown, West VirginiaWest Virginia University
Regents Bachelor of Arts
OnlineDegree completion route
Why it ranks #2: 60% of its transfer students earn a degree within eight years (higher than 7 other colleges on this list) and its online rate is $519 per credit for West Virginia residents.
WVU offers the Regents Bachelor of Arts online at $519 per credit hour, with 120 credits in all. Transfer students are admitted directly with a 2.0 GPA after F-Forgiveness, which can drop old F grades from your average. Only 24 credits must come from West Virginia public schools, and 12 of those at WVU.
- Undergraduates Fully Online
- 6%
- Where You Start
- Transfer students are admitted directly into the program with a GPA of 2.0 after F-Forgiveness is applied.
- Degree Requirements
- 120 credits
#3Fairmont, West VirginiaFairmont State University
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
OnlineTransfer entry route
Why it ranks #3: 62% of its transfer students earn a degree within eight years (higher than 8 other colleges on this list) and its rate is $351 per credit for West Virginia residents (lower than 8 other colleges on this list).
Fairmont State added a fully online option for its Criminal Justice BS in 2025, alongside the on-campus program. The criminal justice program has no admission requirements of its own beyond university admission. The school reviews credit from accredited institutions and its Transfer Equivalency System shows how your courses will apply.
- Undergraduates Fully Online
- 22%
- Where You Start
- No program-specific admission requirements beyond general Fairmont State admission; transferable credit is reviewed from accredited institutions.
#4Charles Town, West VirginiaAmerican Public University System
Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies
OnlineDegree completion route
Why it ranks #4: 100% of its undergraduates study fully online (the highest on this list) and its online rate is $360 per credit for West Virginia residents (lower than 7 other colleges on this list).
American Public University System is based in Charles Town, and its online Interdisciplinary Studies BA lets you choose a focus such as business, communication, natural and social sciences, or social services. Up to 90 credits may transfer toward the 120 required. Courses start monthly and run 8 to 16 weeks, so you rarely wait for a term to begin.
- Undergraduates Fully Online
- 100%
- Degree Requirements
- 120 total credits.
- Study Schedule
- Online courses start monthly and vary from 8 to 16 weeks.
#5Huntington, West VirginiaMarshall University
BS in Geography
OnlineDegree completion route
Why it ranks #5: 57% of its transfer students earn a degree within eight years (higher than 4 other colleges on this list) and its online rate is $401 per credit for West Virginia residents (lower than 4 other colleges on this list).
Marshall University in Huntington runs its Geography degree as an online completion path. Admissions evaluates your earlier coursework, then a geography adviser maps the rest of the 120 credits. The department lists transfer of up to 72 credits. Methods in Geography covers data sources, visualization and analysis.
- Undergraduates Fully Online
- 12%
- Where You Start
- Admissions evaluates previous college coursework, and a geography adviser helps plan the remaining online degree-completion requirements.
#6Salem, West VirginiaSalem University
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Management
OnlineTransfer entry route
Why it ranks #6: Its rate is $425 per credit for West Virginia residents (lower than 3 other colleges on this list) and 35% of its undergraduates study fully online (higher than 6 other colleges on this list).
Salem University takes up to 90 credit hours toward a bachelor's degree, counting community college courses, credit by exam, prior learning and a Joint Service Transcript. The Business Administration management track is online, and the degree adds 30 core business credits to 75 foundational and elective credits. Admission starts with a high school diploma or HiSET.
- Undergraduates Fully Online
- 35%
#7Shepherdstown, West VirginiaShepherd University
Regents Bachelor of Arts
OnlineDegree completion route
Why it ranks #7: Its rate is $279 per credit for West Virginia residents (the lowest on this list) and 58% of its transfer students earn a degree within eight years (higher than 5 other colleges on this list).
Shepherd University in Shepherdstown runs the Regents Bachelor of Arts, a West Virginia degree built for working adults. Coursework can be 100% online after you meet with the RBA advisor. Up to 72 community or technical college credits transfer, and a portfolio can earn credit for what you have learned at work or in the military.
- Undergraduates Fully Online
- 8%
- Where You Start
- Transfer in with a 2.0 GPA; applicants must have graduated from high school at least three years ago.
- Degree Requirements
- 120 credits
#8Based in OhioFranklin University
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
OnlineColumbus, OhioTransfer entry route
Why it ranks #8: It accepts up to 94 transfer credits (the highest on this list) and 93% of its undergraduates study fully online (higher than 8 other colleges on this list).
Franklin University's business administration bachelor's accepts up to 94 credits toward a 124-credit degree, and earlier college coursework and eligible professional learning can be considered. Online courses use six- and twelve-week formats. The final strategic planning work examines an organization, competitive conditions, risk and contingency planning.
- Undergraduates Fully Online
- 93%
#9Based in PennsylvaniaDrexel University
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Health Administration Major
OnlinePhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaTransfer entry route
Why it ranks #9: 63% of its transfer students earn a degree within eight years (the highest on this list) and its graduates earn a median $85,839 a year (the highest on this list).
Drexel's online health administration degree is a BSBA with a Health Administration major, priced at $497 per credit hour for 2026-27. Applicants with college coursework completed after high school apply as transfer students and receive a credit evaluation, and up to 90 semester credits can count. Study covers healthcare financing, regulation, ethics, information systems and analytics.
- Undergraduates Fully Online
- 7%
#10Based in VirginiaOld Dominion University
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
OnlineNorfolk, VirginiaDegree completion route
Why it ranks #10: 60% of its transfer students earn a degree within eight years (higher than 6 other colleges on this list) and its online rate is $453 per credit for out-of-state students (lower than 2 other colleges on this list).
Many courses in Old Dominion University's online Psychology BS have no scheduled class meeting, but exams can have fixed times, so check them against your work calendar. Courses run eight weeks. Out-of-state students pay $453 per credit this fall. Up to 90 credits transfer toward the 120 total.
- Undergraduates Fully Online
- 32%
- Where You Start
- The completion route is for students with previous college credits; ODU evaluates your coursework through its admission and transfer process.
- Transfer Credits
- Up to 90 credits can transfer toward this degree.
- Degree Requirements
- 120 total credits; at least 30 credit hours must be completed at ODU.
- Published Tuition
- Fall 2026: $443 per credit for eligible Virginia residents; $453 for out-of-state students.
- Study Schedule
- Accelerated 8-week courses; many have no scheduled class meeting, but exams can have fixed times.
Build a Plan Around Your Transfer Credits.
List the college credits you already have in the degree planner, then bring that list and your questions to a West Virginia school’s transfer advisor. The school’s evaluation decides which credits count toward your degree.
Build your degree plan ↗Going Back to College in West Virginia
Public colleges in West Virginia follow shared transfer rules set by the Higher Education Policy Commission, including an appeals process if credit is denied. In the Regents Bachelor of Arts you need 120 credits and 24 hours at West Virginia public institutions. Shepherd takes up to 72 community college credits, and WVU lists $519 per credit hour online. Private options differ. Salem University accepts up to 90 hours and the University of Charleston up to 90 in its completion degree. Portfolios can add credit for work and life experience.
Read the official guidance: RBA Today
RBA Today is the state's adult-focused version of the Regents Bachelor of Arts, with compressed classes, the option to receive credit for life and work experience, and online, evening and weekend classes.
Who qualifies: Adults who have completed some college classes; participating colleges and universities set their own admission steps.
Visit the official RBA Today page ↗Series 17 Transferability of Credits and Grades
The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission sets rules for transferring credits and grades among public colleges and universities, with an appeals process if transfer credit is denied and a reverse transfer rule for students who move before earning an associate degree.
Read the official guidance: Every college on every state list is scored the same way, out of 100. The measures, from most to least weight:
- Transfer Student Completion (25%): the share of transfer students who earn a degree within eight years (IPEDS Outcome Measures).
- Cost per Credit (20%): the online per-credit rate the school publishes, at the resident rate for in-state schools, or the federal per-credit charge when no online rate is published.
- Transfer Credit Maximum (15%): the most transfer credit the featured degree accepts, from the school’s own policy.
- Online Experience (15%): the share of undergraduates who study fully online (IPEDS).
- Graduate Earnings (15%): median earnings of the school’s graduates in that field (College Scorecard).
- School Reputation (10%): a rating of how employers regard the school’s bachelor’s degrees, made the same way for every school from its published facts.
When a measure is missing for a college, it gets the middle value for that measure, so missing data never helps a school move up.
Read the full state ranking method ↗ Before you call an admissions officeQuestions About Finishing Your Degree in West Virginia
Which School Has the Best Degree Completion Program in West Virginia?+
The #1 school for degree completion in West Virginia in 2027 is University of Charleston, because its rate is $380 per credit for West Virginia residents (lower than 6 other colleges on this list) and 56% of its transfer students earn a degree within eight years (higher than 2 other colleges on this list). #2 is West Virginia University: 60% of its transfer students earn a degree within eight years (higher than 7 other colleges on this list). #3 is Fairmont State University: 62% of its transfer students earn a degree within eight years (higher than 8 other colleges on this list). The order comes from transfer student graduation rates, cost per credit, transfer credit limits, online experience, graduate earnings and school reputation, weighted the same way for every state.
What Is the Regents Bachelor of Arts in West Virginia?+
It is a degree completion program the State Board of Regents created in 1975, now offered at public colleges and universities across the state. At Shepherd, you can take coursework 100% online after meeting with the RBA advisor, and you need 120 credits in total. The program is built for working adults who started college and want a flexible way to finish.
Read the official guidance: Can I Appeal a Denied Transfer Credit at a West Virginia Public College?+
Yes. The Higher Education Policy Commission set up an appeals process for the denial of transfer credit, and each public institution must have a clear policy on how to appeal. If the campus process does not settle it, you can ask for an outside review coordinated by the Commission. Start by asking the registrar at your school.
Read the official guidance: Can I Earn Credit for Work Experience in West Virginia?+
Several schools offer it. Shepherd lets RBA students write a portfolio for college equivalent credit, with a $300 portfolio fee. WVU says RBA students may earn credit through academic portfolios. Salem University counts prior learning toward its 90 transfer hours, and the University of Charleston lists credit for prior learning among ways to fill gaps in a completion degree.
Read the official guidance: 
