West Virginia Snapshot
729
Public Schools in West Virginia
68
Colleges in West Virginia
57.7%
Avg Completion Rate
How West Virginia compares
West Virginia
57.74%
National Average
56.52%
West Virginia's avg completion rate is 2.2% higher than the national average.
West Virginia Education Laws
Compulsory attendance, homeschool regulation, school choice programs, and per-pupil spending for West Virginia — verified against ECS, HSLDA, Ballotpedia, and NCES.
Compulsory Ages
11 years of required schooling (national avg 11.0)
Kindergarten
Entry age: 5 by Jul 1
Homeschool Regulation
Notice plus testing or subjects required
School Choice
ESA up to $4,600 per student
Per-Pupil Spending
7% below national avg ($15,305)
Student-Teacher Ratio
10% below national avg (14.5)
Compulsory Education in West Virginia
West Virginia requires school attendance from age 6 through age 17 — a total of 11 years of required schooling. Kindergarten attendance is optional in West Virginia, though most districts offer K with entry age 5 by Jul 1.
Homeschool Laws in West Virginia
West Virginia falls in the moderate regulation tier (HSLDA classification). Notice plus testing or subjects required.
- Notice to authorities required: Yes
- Standardized testing required: Yes
- Specific subjects mandated: No
Annual notice + assessment; option for portfolio review
School Choice in West Virginia
West Virginia offers universal school choice — any K-12 student is eligible regardless of income or zoning.
- Education Savings Account (ESA) — up to $4,600 per student
- School voucher program
Hope Scholarship ESA — nearly universal since 2021
School Spending & Class Size in West Virginia
West Virginia spends $14,308 per K-12 student annually (NCES, FY2022). 7% below national avg ($15,305). The average student-to-teacher ratio is 13.1:1. 10% below national avg (14.5).
How West Virginia compares to other states
Quick policy snapshot for every other state. Click any state to view its full policy page.
| State | Ages | Homeschool | Choice | Per-Pupil $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 6–17 | Low | Universal | $11,314 |
| Alaska | 7–16 | None | None | $20,403 |
| Arizona | 6–16 | Low | Universal | $10,003 |
| Arkansas | 5–18 | Low | Universal | $12,520 |
| California | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $17,078 |
| Colorado | 6–17 | Low | None | $13,572 |
| Connecticut | 5–18 | Low | None | $22,769 |
| Delaware | 5–16 | Moderate | Limited | $17,277 |
| District of Columbia | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $28,100 |
| Florida | 6–16 | Moderate | Universal | $11,763 |
| Georgia | 6–16 | Moderate | Limited | $12,350 |
| Hawaii | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $16,597 |
| Idaho | 7–16 | None | Universal | $9,557 |
| Illinois | 7–17 | None | None | $17,889 |
| Indiana | 7–18 | Low | Universal | $11,413 |
| Iowa | 6–16 | Moderate | Universal | $13,549 |
| Kansas | 7–18 | None | Limited | $13,768 |
| Kentucky | 6–18 | Low | None | $12,702 |
| Louisiana | 7–18 | Moderate | Universal | $12,477 |
| Maine | 7–17 | Moderate | None | $18,046 |
| Maryland | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $16,018 |
| Massachusetts | 6–16 | High | None | $20,857 |
| Michigan | 6–16 | None | None | $13,715 |
| Minnesota | 7–17 | Moderate | Limited | $14,873 |
| Mississippi | 6–17 | Low | Universal | $10,030 |
| Missouri | 7–17 | None | None | $12,915 |
| Montana | 7–16 | Moderate | Limited | $13,432 |
| Nebraska | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $14,950 |
| Nevada | 7–18 | Moderate | Limited | $12,646 |
| New Hampshire | 6–18 | Moderate | Universal | $19,753 |
| New Jersey | 6–16 | None | Limited | $23,046 |
| New Mexico | 5–18 | Moderate | None | $12,915 |
| New York | 6–16 | High | None | $28,760 |
| North Carolina | 7–16 | Moderate | Universal | $10,413 |
| North Dakota | 7–16 | Moderate | None | $16,385 |
| Ohio | 6–18 | Moderate | Limited | $15,204 |
| Oklahoma | 5–18 | None | Universal | $10,430 |
| Oregon | 7–18 | Moderate | None | $14,521 |
| Pennsylvania | 8–17 | High | Limited | $19,188 |
| Rhode Island | 5–18 | High | Limited | $20,546 |
| South Carolina | 5–17 | Moderate | Limited | $12,516 |
| South Dakota | 6–18 | Low | None | $12,649 |
| Tennessee | 6–18 | Moderate | Universal | $11,554 |
| Texas | 6–18 | None | Universal | $11,675 |
| Utah | 6–18 | Moderate | Limited | $9,140 |
| Vermont | 6–16 | High | Limited | $21,656 |
| Virginia | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $14,202 |
| Washington | 8–18 | Moderate | None | $15,420 |
| Wisconsin | 6–18 | Low | Limited | $14,914 |
| Wyoming | 7–16 | Low | Universal | $18,763 |
More about West Virginia
Explore other state-specific topics to get the full picture of living in West Virginia.
FAQ
How many ZIP codes does Mubboo track in West Virginia?
Mubboo tracks 738 ZIP codes in West Virginia via the U.S. Census ZCTA basemap. Use the search box above to look up data for any specific ZIP.
How does West Virginia's average college completion rate compare nationally?
West Virginia's average college completion rate is higher the national average. See the "How West Virginia compares" callout above for the precise side-by-side comparison.
How fresh is this data?
Mubboo refreshes each data source on its native cadence — HUD Fair Market Rents annually (October), Tax Foundation tables annually, and federal datasets per their published schedules. Each page caches for 24 hours via ISR. See our methodology page for details.
Data sources: NCES Common Core of Data, College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education). Mubboo refreshes each source on its native cadence (HUD annually, Tax Foundation annually, etc.). See our full methodology →