Best Child Development Schools Near Bluefield, WV (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Bluefield, West Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering child development programs. Bluefield has a population of about 9,511. Median household income is $43,826 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 24.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In West Virginia, the top-earning child development-related role is Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education at a median $58,790 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Child Development Schools to Bluefield

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer child development programs near Bluefield, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Bluefield city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Bluefield. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

West Virginia University at Parkersburg

Parkersburg, WV 136.1 miles from Bluefield
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
64.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $35,171
Avg net price $1,807/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

West Virginia University

Morgantown, WV 177.7 miles from Bluefield
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
67.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,939
Avg net price $15,634/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 168

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

American Public University System

Charles Town, WV 229.7 miles from Bluefield
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively online
50.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,409
Avg net price $9,597/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 98

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all West Virginia schools on the West Virginia child development page.

Child Development Wages Near Bluefield

Occupation Median Annual Wage (West Virginia, statewide)
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education $32,480
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare $45,660
Child, Family, and School Social Workers $52,220
Childcare Workers $27,710
Special Education Teachers, Preschool N/A
Social and Human Service Assistants $39,290
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education $58,790
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other $41,060

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Bluefield at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 9,511 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $43,826 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 24.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Bluefield-Area Cities With Child Development Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited child development schools are near Bluefield, WV?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering child development programs near Bluefield. The closest is Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, VA (43.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is East Tennessee State University (91.8 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying child development roles in West Virginia?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying child development-related roles in West Virginia are: Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education ($58,790), Child, Family, and School Social Workers ($52,220), Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare ($45,660). Wages for Bluefield workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Beckley instead of Bluefield?

Beckley, WV is 36.5 miles from Bluefield and has its own set of local child development programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Bluefield an affordable place to study child development?

Bluefield’s median household income of $43,826 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bluefield while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and West Virginia public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Child Development Programs

Other Programs Available in Bluefield

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Bluefield:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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