West Virginia has generally ranked below national standards in education. In 2000, 75.2% of adult West Virginians were high school graduates, well below the national average of 80.4%. Only 14.8% had completed four or more years of college, also well below the national average of 24.4%.
The total enrollment for fall 1999 in West Virginia's public schools stood at 291,811. Of these, 203,475 attended schools from kindergarten through grade eight, and 88,336 attended high school. Minority students made up approximately 5% of the total enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools in 2001. Total enrollment was estimated at 285,169 in fall 2000 and is expected to drop to 290,000 by fall 2005. Expenditure per pupil in elementary and secondary public schools was $6,878 in the 1999/2000 school year. Expenditures for public education in 2000/01 were estimated at $2,157,163. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2001 was 15,895.
As of fall 2000, there were 92,329 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In the same year West Virginia had 36 degree-granting institutions. The state supports West Virginia University, Marshall University, and the West Virginia College of Graduate Studies (all offering graduate work), as well as 3 medical schools, 8 four-year colleges, and 3 public two-year institutions. There are also 10 private colleges. In 1997, minority students comprised 6.8% of total post-secondary enrollment.