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Best Trade Programs in West Virginia (2026)

Top 100 of 114 programs in West Virginia · Updated 2026

The best trade school programs in West Virginia, ranked by overall value. We scored 114 programs across West Virginia trade schools on earnings, job demand, and tuition ROI. The top programs average $39,284/yr in graduate earnings.

Programs in WV

114

Avg Earnings (Top 100)

$39,284/yr

Avg TSW Score

60/100

#1 Program

Electrical Installation

Pierpont Community and Technical College

Top Trade Programs in West Virginia

Top 100 programs by TSW Score. Click any row for full analysis.

#	Program	TSW Score	Earnings	ROI
1	Electrical Installation Pierpont Community and Technical College · Fairmont, WV	84 80–85	$99,033/yr	116.6x
2	Business Administration American Public University System · Charles Town, WV	84 79–86	$54,480/yr	62.7x
3	Nursing West Virginia University at Parkersburg · Parkersburg, WV	82 77–83	$64,670/yr	77.2x
4	Nursing Blue Ridge Community and Technical College · Martinsburg, WV	85 79–85	$68,897/yr	87.8x
5	Nursing BridgeValley Community & Technical College · South Charleston, WV	81 76–81	$67,830/yr	63.9x
6	Nursing West Virginia Northern Community College · Wheeling, WV	81 76–82	$63,473/yr	72.4x
7	Practical Nursing United Technical Center · Clarksburg, WV	80 78–81	$46,221/yr	104.0x
8	Nursing Fairmont State University · Fairmont, WV	76 72–76	$69,582/yr	41.7x
9	Practical Nursing John D Rockefeller IV Career Center · New Cumberland, WV	71 70–71	$45,227/yr	48.2x
10	Electrical Installation New River Community and Technical College · Beaver, WV	78 76–78	$50,399/yr	96.7x
11	Nursing Marshall University · Huntington, WV	74 70–75	$65,826/yr	38.0x
12	Business Administration American Public University System · Charles Town, WV	74 69–76	$47,518/yr	33.3x
13	Nursing Bluefield State University · Bluefield, WV	73 67–73	$62,242/yr	35.6x
14	Practical Nursing Pierpont Community and Technical College · Fairmont, WV	73 72–73	$39,018/yr	68.7x
15	Practical Nursing New River Community and Technical College · Beaver, WV	73 72–74	$38,778/yr	72.9x
16	IT Management American Public University System · Charles Town, WV	80 69–83	$50,957/yr	82.4x
17	Business American Public University System · Charles Town, WV	73 66–75	$44,027/yr	35.2x
18	Business West Virginia University at Parkersburg · Parkersburg, WV	76 72–78	$33,536/yr	74.9x
19	Nursing West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown · Morgantown, WV	71 66–71	$68,238/yr	23.2x
20	Practical Nursing West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown · Morgantown, WV	67 67–67	$46,248/yr	31.0x
21	Criminal Justice American Public University System · Charles Town, WV	69 67–71	$46,978/yr	26.7x
22	Practical Nursing Monongalia County Technical Education Center · Morgantown, WV	66 63–66	$44,589/yr	—
23	Business Administration Blue Ridge Community and Technical College · Martinsburg, WV	71 63–73	$32,176/yr	49.3x
24	Practical Nursing James Rumsey Technical Institute · Martinsburg, WV	64 62–65	$40,810/yr	—
25	Business Administration Valley College-Martinsburg · Martinsburg, WV	70 64–72	$38,886/yr	—
26	Practical Nursing Fayette Institute of Technology · Oak Hill, WV	65 62–65	$41,617/yr	—
27	Allied Health Professions Pierpont Community and Technical College · Fairmont, WV	74 71–74	$58,605/yr	103.8x
28	Business Strayer University-West Virginia · Scott Depot, WV	69 62–71	$44,154/yr	19.1x
29	Practical Nursing Roane-Jackson Technical Center · Leroy, WV	64 61–64	$39,990/yr	—
30	Allied Health Professions BridgeValley Community & Technical College · South Charleston, WV	66 63–66	$55,112/yr	52.2x
31	Practical Nursing Cabell County Career Technology Center · Huntington, WV	63 60–63	$37,848/yr	—
32	Nursing Davis & Elkins College · Elkins, WV	68 62–68	$71,201/yr	10.2x
33	Practical Nursing Wood County Technical Center-Practical Nursing · Parkersburg, WV	62 60–63	$37,542/yr	—
34	Culinary Arts Pierpont Community and Technical College · Fairmont, WV	63 58–64	$26,399/yr	32.8x
35	IT Management Strayer University-West Virginia · Scott Depot, WV	68 61–71	$61,810/yr	20.1x
36	Nursing University of Charleston · Charleston, WV	67 61–67	$67,888/yr	9.3x
37	Practical Nursing Mercer County Technical Education Center · Princeton, WV	62 59–62	$36,263/yr	—
38	Practical Nursing Academy of Careers and Technology · Beckley, WV	62 59–62	$36,679/yr	—
39	Practical Nursing Fred W Eberle Technical Center · Buckhannon, WV	61 58–61	$34,661/yr	—
40	Allied Health Professions West Virginia University Hospital Departments of Rad Tech and Nutrition · Morgantown, WV	61 57–62	$65,090/yr	—
41	Medical Assisting Pierpont Community and Technical College · Fairmont, WV	61 54–62	$32,291/yr	45.0x
42	Human Development & Family Studies American Public University System · Charles Town, WV	62 61–64	$31,857/yr	34.9x
43	Accounting American Public University System · Charles Town, WV	64 58–67	$42,509/yr	29.7x
44	Allied Health Professions West Virginia Northern Community College · Wheeling, WV	61 59–61	$43,466/yr	46.0x
45	Health Administration Mountwest Community and Technical College · Huntington, WV	63 58–65	$31,656/yr	31.9x
46	Medical Assisting Mountwest Community and Technical College · Huntington, WV	60 58–61	$35,603/yr	34.7x
47	Medical Assisting Blue Ridge Community and Technical College · Martinsburg, WV	61 54–62	$30,181/yr	50.4x
48	Practical Nursing Ralph R Willis Career and Technical Center · Stollings, WV	57 55–58	$30,107/yr	—
49	Practical Nursing West Virginia Northern Community College · Wheeling, WV	61 55–62	$21,062/yr	69.4x
50	Computer Networking Pierpont Community and Technical College · Fairmont, WV	62 50–65	$33,590/yr	52.0x
51	Liberal Arts & Humanities American Public University System · Charles Town, WV	55 55–55	$52,108/yr	37.4x
52	Dental Assisting West Liberty University · West Liberty, WV	57 55–57	$51,493/yr	26.2x
53	Business Pierpont Community and Technical College · Fairmont, WV	60 54–61	$26,517/yr	26.7x
54	Health Administration Ross Medical Education Center-Charleston · Charleston, WV	60 53–62	$28,495/yr	—
55	IT Management West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown · Morgantown, WV	60 52–62	$40,087/yr	13.0x
56	IT Management Valley College-Martinsburg · Martinsburg, WV	60 52–63	$32,522/yr	—
57	Science Technology Studies Pierpont Community and Technical College · Fairmont, WV	59 53–62	$51,538/yr	58.3x
58	Allied Health Professions Carver Career Center · Charleston, WV	55 51–56	$41,510/yr	—
59	Health Administration Ross Medical Education Center-Morgantown · Morgantown, WV	58 51–60	$26,601/yr	—
60	Allied Health Professions Bluefield State University · Bluefield, WV	54 51–55	$45,128/yr	21.0x
61	Medical Assisting University of Charleston · Charleston, WV	54 50–55	$39,938/yr	5.1x
62	Liberal Arts & Humanities Mountwest Community and Technical College · Huntington, WV	55 57–55	$43,753/yr	31.6x
63	Health Administration West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown · Morgantown, WV	55 50–58	$27,387/yr	18.1x
64	Health Administration Valley College-Martinsburg · Martinsburg, WV	55 49–58	$22,879/yr	—
65	Dental Assisting BridgeValley Community & Technical College · South Charleston, WV	55 53–55	$39,504/yr	31.6x
66	Allied Health Professions University of Charleston · Charleston, WV	52 48–53	$52,401/yr	8.1x
67	Liberal Arts & Humanities West Virginia University at Parkersburg · Parkersburg, WV	49 49–49	$33,409/yr	45.2x
68	Liberal Arts & Humanities Blue Ridge Community and Technical College · Martinsburg, WV	49 49–49	$32,872/yr	45.2x
69	Medical Assisting Ross Medical Education Center-Charleston · Charleston, WV	52 48–52	$25,879/yr	—
70	Health Administration Martinsburg College · Martinsburg, WV	55 48–57	$21,374/yr	—
71	Health Administration Huntington Junior College · Huntington, WV	54 46–56	$25,995/yr	15.9x
72	HVAC Technology Valley College-Martinsburg · Martinsburg, WV	47 46–47	$33,697/yr	—
73	Health Administration Valley College-Martinsburg · Martinsburg, WV	54 48–57	$20,993/yr	—
74	Medical Assisting Valley College-Martinsburg · Martinsburg, WV	51 47–52	$25,153/yr	—
75	Public Health American Public University System · Charles Town, WV	55 49–57	$36,794/yr	25.2x
76	Medical Assisting Ross Medical Education Center-Morgantown · Morgantown, WV	52 47–52	$25,789/yr	—
77	Sales & Marketing Huntington Junior College · Huntington, WV	52 48–54	$25,876/yr	9.2x
78	Allied Health Professions Academy of Careers and Technology · Beckley, WV	50 46–51	$33,114/yr	—
79	Health Administration West Virginia Junior College-Charleston · Cross Lanes, WV	53 47–55	$28,006/yr	9.0x
80	Business West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown · Morgantown, WV	53 48–55	$25,241/yr	7.8x
81	Health Administration West Virginia Junior College-Bridgeport · Bridgeport, WV	53 47–55	$28,006/yr	8.9x
82	Medical Assisting Martinsburg College · Martinsburg, WV	50 46–51	$23,773/yr	—
83	Health Administration West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown · Morgantown, WV	52 45–54	$26,443/yr	9.2x
84	Accounting West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown · Morgantown, WV	53 46–56	$31,860/yr	10.1x
85	Data Processing American Public University System · Charles Town, WV	52 44–55	$44,801/yr	34.8x
86	Medical Assisting Valley College-Beckley · Beckley, WV	48 44–48	$19,046/yr	—
87	Real Estate American Public University System · Charles Town, WV	51 48–54	$43,251/yr	24.7x
88	Medical Assisting West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown · Morgantown, WV	47 43–47	$27,577/yr	8.6x
89	Human Development & Family Studies American Public University System · Charles Town, WV	46 41–48	$16,558/yr	15.3x
90	Cosmetology Clarksburg Beauty Academy and School of Massage Therapy · Clarksburg, WV	44 40–45	$21,049/yr	—
91	Medical Assisting Huntington Junior College · Huntington, WV	44 41–45	$23,748/yr	9.3x
92	Mental Health Services Huntington Junior College · Huntington, WV	45 42–46	$26,687/yr	12.3x
93	Medical Assisting West Virginia Junior College-Charleston · Cross Lanes, WV	45 41–45	$25,555/yr	7.8x
94	Liberal Arts & Humanities Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College · Moorefield, WV	42 44–41	$28,134/yr	31.8x
95	Medical Assisting West Virginia Junior College-Bridgeport · Bridgeport, WV	45 41–45	$25,555/yr	7.7x
96	Legal Support Services American Public University System · Charles Town, WV	46 41–50	$40,049/yr	24.8x
97	Cosmetology Academy of Careers and Technology · Beckley, WV	43 39–43	$17,407/yr	—
98	Cosmetology International Beauty School 4 · Martinsburg, WV	42 39–43	$16,785/yr	—
99	Dental Assisting Ross Medical Education Center-Charleston · Charleston, WV	43 39–43	$25,352/yr	—
100	Liberal Arts & Humanities BridgeValley Community & Technical College · South Charleston, WV	40 37–40	$23,902/yr	37.3x

About This Ranking

What we ranked

Best Trades in West Virginia ranks 100 programs across the United States by the TradeSchoolOutlook Score, which combines graduate earnings, return on investment, and job-market demand into a single 0-100 metric.

Data sources

Earnings figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, which tracks graduate income one and five years after program completion. Job-market projections use Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 employment data.

How to read the table

Use the sort controls below the headline to re-rank by earnings, ROI, or other metrics. Click any school name for full earnings projections, three-scenario modeling, and detailed program data. Most students attend a school within driving distance — local rankings are usually more actionable than national.

Caveats & limitations

Rankings reflect what the data can measure: post-graduation earnings, debt levels, and broad labor-market trends. They cannot capture program quality nuances like instructor expertise, hands-on equipment access, or industry connections. Treat rankings as a starting point — visit schools and talk to current students before committing.

Methodology

This ranking includes the top 100 trade programs at West Virginia schools, drawn from 114 total programs with earnings data. Programs are ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score (0–100), which combines graduate earnings, job market demand, and tuition ROI.

Only in-state tuition is used for ROI calculations. Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best trade program in West Virginia?

By TradeSchoolOutlook Score, Electrical Installation at Pierpont Community and Technical College ranks #1 in West Virginia with a score of 84/100 and graduate earnings of $99,033/yr.

How many trade programs are in West Virginia?

Our database includes 114 trade programs across West Virginia schools with reported earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education.

Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 (employment projections). Last updated 2025.