Accounting Schools in West Virginia

West Virginia Accounting Schools

West Virginia Board of Accountancy106 Capitol Street – Suite 100
Charleston, WV 53708-8935
Phone: 304-558-3557
Fax: 304-558-1325
Email: wvboa@mail.wvnet.edu

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) prediction for the “Accountants and Auditors” job category’s growth expectation to be a 16 percent increase from 2010 to 2020 bodes well for those interested in an accounting career. West Virginia has many accredited accounting schools to help you pave the way for a job in a public, private or government sector.

Each of the schools may have some specific requirements but common requirements, in addition to general accounting courses, usually include business classes in finance, calculus, communication, and law. Human resource management, intermediate statistics, marketing, and economics are other degree requirements, whether a two year or beyond graduate level degree.

For those wishing to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) an additional 30 hours of coursework may be required.

Total Accounting Schools: 26
Total Accounting Students: 11,162
Average Tuition: $10,904
Average Scholarship Package: $5,983
Average Grant Amount: $8,649
Average Classroom Size: 17 Students
Online Accounting Programs: 20
Average Online Tuition: $9,232
Online Undergraduate Programs: 20
Online Graduate Programs: 11
Top Accounting Schools:West Virginia University
Wheeling Jesuit University
University of Charleston
Largest Accounting School:West Virginia University
• 5,022 Students Currently Attending
Cheapest Accounting School:Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College
• $2,520 Annual Tuition Charges
School With Largest Financial Aid Packages:University of Charleston
• $16,372 Average Financial Aid Award

Salary and Job Outlook for Accountants in West Virginia

Between 2018 and 2028, the number of accounting jobs in West Virginia is expected to increase by an impressive 7% —greater than the national projected growth rate of 4% for this profession during this time. According to state-level data, West Virginia will see about 430 annual job openings during this ten-year period leading to 2028 due to a combination of new job growth, retirements, and natural job turnover.

As of May 2020, West Virginia’s accountants earned an average salary of $63,390. Accountants with graduate degrees like the master’s in accounting, extensive experience that includes holding leadership and management positions, and an industry credential like the CPA earned salaries that were closer to the 90th percentile, which was $103,630 as of May 2020.

The Winchester metro area reported some of the highest salaries for accountants during this time, including an average salary of $83,010 and a top (90th percentile) salary of $129,330.

Note that these figures represent base salaries only and not salary incentives like bonuses and stock options that are frequently part of an accounting professional’s salary package.

Graduates of accounting degrees in West Virginia enjoy career opportunities as:

  • Bookkeepers– Employees hired as bookkeepers need a wide range of skills. They must be able to efficiently organize and control the routine financial transactions of the company. Purchasing, payroll, and benefits may fall under the guidance of a bookkeeper, especially if it is a smaller sized company. The demands of the job require a bookkeeper to be detail oriented and extremely disciplined.
  • Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents– As the title suggests, these individuals collect tax money from businesses and citizens. Employees in this category are needed at national, state, and local levels. A tax examiner reviews returns for accuracy and legitimate deductions. Revenue agents handle the more complex tax returns.
  • Personal Financial Advisers– Personal financial advisors keep your finances in shape and healthy. They work with individuals or businesses to set up budgets for healthy spending, saving, and investing to help people reach their financial goals.

May 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and job market data for accountants and auditors represents state data, not school-specific information.

Job growth projections for 2018-2028 sourced from the U.S. Department of Labor-sponsored O*Net database represents state data, not school-specific information.

Conditions in your area may vary. Data Accessed May 2021.