Best Online Computer Science Programs in Charleston, WV (2026)

Charleston, West Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering computer science programs, with tuition ranging from $8,942 to $21,299 per year for indexed programs. Charleston has a population of about 47,918. Median household income is $64,512 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 44.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Charleston, WV metro area, the top-earning computer science-related role is Computer Network Architect at a median $131,210 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Computer Science Schools to Charleston

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer computer science programs near Charleston, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Charleston 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 Charleston. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

University of Charleston

Charleston, WV 1.4 miles from Charleston BOC Score 49.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,774
Avg net price $22,107/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Computer Science Wages Near Charleston

Charleston is part of the Charleston, WV metro area (BLS area code 16620). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to West Virginia statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developer$122,980Charleston, WV$138,647
Computer Systems AnalystN/AWV statewide
Computer Network Architect$131,210Charleston, WV$147,926
Database Administrator$70,280Charleston, WV$79,233
Database Architect$104,570Charleston, WV$117,892
Information Security Analyst$64,840Charleston, WV$73,100
Computer Network Support Specialist$52,670Charleston, WV$59,380
Computer User Support Specialist$50,700Charleston, WV$57,159
Web Developer$78,240WV statewide$88,207
Web and Digital Interface Designer$71,880WV statewide$81,037
Computer and Information Systems Manager$101,560Charleston, WV$114,498

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.


Charleston at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population47,918Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$64,512Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+44.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)88.7 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Computer Science-related employment in Kanawha County991 workers, 177 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Charleston-Area Cities With Computer Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited computer science schools are near Charleston, WV?

Accredited schools offering computer science programs near Charleston are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying computer science roles near Charleston?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying computer science-related roles near Charleston are: Computer Network Architect ($131,210), Software Developer ($122,980), Database Architect ($104,570). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with West Virginia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Huntington instead of Charleston?

Huntington, WV is 43.7 miles from Charleston and has its own set of local computer science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Charleston an affordable place to study computer science?

Charleston’s median household income of $64,512 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Charleston 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 Computer Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Charleston

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

Data verified: July 23, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.