Daniel Reynolds, Teacher at Ben Franklin Career Center | LinkedIn
Daniel Reynolds, Teacher at Ben Franklin Career Center | LinkedIn
Data shows that students paid $15,281 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $234 more than the previous school year.
Among the eight institutions in the county, the University of Charleston stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $31,900. Ross Medical Education Center-Charleston followed with an average of $16,297 per year. Ben Franklin Career Center students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $4,900.
At the time, a total of $10 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Kanawha County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached $2.3 million.
Currently there are eight higher education institutions in Kanawha County, including University of Charleston, Ross Medical Education Center-Charleston, and Ben Franklin Career Center.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain State School of Massage | 13 | $5,937 | $457 | 13 | $8,181 | $629 |
| University of Charleston | 234 | $5,484,756 | $23,439 | 145 | $971,899 | $6,703 |
| BridgeValley Community & Technical College | 268 | $1,512,378 | $5,643 | 76 | $267,521 | $3,520 |
| Charleston School of Beauty Culture | 34 | $148,500 | $4,368 | 16 | $78,400 | $4,900 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-Charleston | 30 | $177,563 | $5,919 | 25 | $236,513 | $9,461 |
| Ben Franklin Career Center | 35 | $179,124 | $5,118 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Carver Career Center | 24 | $172,173 | $7,174 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| West Virginia State University | 266 | $2,302,868 | $8,657 | 106 | $707,044 | $6,670 |
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