University High School

University High School in Morgantown, WV, is a large public high school serving 1,371 students in grades 9-12 as part of the highly-rated Monongalia County Schools district, which ranks in the top 10% of districts statewide.

University High has earned a 5-star rating for ten consecutive years, consistently ranking among West Virginia's best high schools—peaking at #3 in the state in 2023-2024. The school's graduation rate is exceptionally strong at 96.8%, surpassing both the district and state averages. Academically, 11th graders outperform state averages by significant margins: 34.3% proficiency in Math (13.7 points above state), 61% in English Language Arts (9.8 points above), and 34.6% in Science (11 points above). With a student-teacher ratio of 15.9:1, the school offers more personalized attention than nearby Fairmont Senior High School (19.8:1) and Morgantown High School (18:1). Per-student spending of $11,782 is moderate—higher than Morgantown High but significantly lower than Clay-Battelle High School, which spends $15,379 per student yet ranks 81st in the state compared to University High's #7 ranking.

While University High remains elite, recent trends warrant attention. Test scores in ELA and Science have declined over the past two years, and Morgantown High has closed the gap—actually surpassing University High in all three tested subjects in 2025-2026. The school also shows volatility in serving certain student groups: low-income students' rankings swung dramatically from the 85th to 31st percentile and back, while multi-racial students dropped sharply in the latest year. On a positive note, special education students improved significantly, and female students rank 7th statewide. University High remains a top-tier school, but families should watch whether it can reverse these recent declines and maintain its competitive edge.