A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . Students at WVSU are primarily White with a smaller Black population. The school has medium racial diversity. 35% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.
West Virginia State University is a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) primarily serving the African-American community.
| Race | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| White |
65%
|
| Black |
14%
|
| Hispanic |
1%
|
| Asian |
0%
|
| American Indian / Alaskan |
0%
|
| Hawaiian / Pacific Islander |
0%
|
| Two or more races |
10%
|
| International |
1%
|
| Race Unknown |
9%
|
There are 41% more female students than male students enrolled at West Virginia State University with a gender ratio of 59% women to 41% men. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, WVSU has a lower gender diversity than other US colleges and is slightly less inclusive of males.
| Gender | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
41%
|
| Women |
59%
|
| Gender | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
1,570
|
| Women |
2,215
|
WVSU serves a very low number of students outside of West Virginia, with 81 percent of the student body residing in-state.
| Origin | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| In State |
81%
|
| Out of State |
17%
|
| Foreign |
2%
|
| Unknown Location |
0%
|
51% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.
| Segment | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Students Over 25 Years Old | 22.7% |
| Part time Undergrads | 11% |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=237899 IPEDS survey data for West Virginia State University.