Potomac State College of West Virginia University

Key Highlights

• Public WVU-system institution separately listed by the state regulator with its main campus in Keyser
• Established in 1901 as the Keyser Preparatory Branch of West Virginia University
• Actively accepting students for fall 2026
• Offers both two-year study and a focused portfolio of bachelor’s programs

Student Life & Environment

Campus life includes college-operated housing, dining, student organizations, recreation, intercollegiate athletics, intramurals, and services for commuters. The 2025–2026 organization roster listed more than 20 groups, including Student Government Association, Active Minds, Black Student Alliance, Catamount Gamers, agriculture and forestry groups, language and faith organizations, a veterans association, and service-oriented clubs. The institution does not list fraternities or sororities. The housing policy published on the student-life site requires single, full-time students to live in college-operated housing unless they qualify for an exemption. Examples include living with parents within 50 miles, being married, having children, or being at least 21. Students should confirm the policy against their own age, enrollment, and family circumstances before budgeting. University Place provides suite-style housing as well as dining, fitness, study, classroom, and residence-life spaces. Memorial Hall also appears in the current 2026–2027 housing rate schedule. Students can use the recreation center and participate in intramural activities such as basketball, flag football, soccer, softball, and volleyball. Commuters have access to organizations, evening activities, health and counseling services, the library, computer laboratories, and recreation facilities. The campus also provides individual and group counseling, academic tutoring, and career-development appointments. These resources are concrete advantages, though the smaller Keyser setting offers a different scale and activity range from WVU’s Morgantown campus.

Location & Surroundings

The campus is in Keyser, the seat of Mineral County in West Virginia’s Potomac Highlands. Its official address is 101 Fort Avenue, Keyser, West Virginia 26726. The setting is more intimate and rural than WVU’s Morgantown campus, so applicants should consider transportation, employment, entertainment, and access to specialized services when deciding whether it fits their needs. Campus facilities are concentrated around Fort Hill and include academic buildings, residence halls, a student union, library, recreation spaces, athletic facilities, and the Church-McKee Arts Center. The agricultural program extends beyond the central campus: three college farms provide more than 800 acres of outdoor instructional space. The 368-acre Gustafson Farm supports hands-on work with livestock, crops, greenhouses, forest products, and agricultural business activities. Cumberland, Maryland, is approximately 20 miles from Keyser and has an Amtrak station. The college reports providing a free shuttle between campus and that station during Thanksgiving, winter, and spring breaks. Students may bring vehicles, but campus parking is limited and requires a permit.

Costs & Career Outcomes

The official tuition page available in August 2026 displayed different undergraduate charges by residency, degree category, and program. For a standard associate-degree semester at 12 credits, it listed $2,808 in tuition and university fees for West Virginia residents, $4,452 for Metro students, and $7,020 for nonresidents. Applied-science and bachelor’s programs carried different program or tuition charges. The Metro rate was advertised for residents of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Because the tuition page did not clearly label these figures with an academic year in the retrieved material, students should confirm that the displayed schedule applies to their intended 2026–2027 term before relying on it. The separately dated 2026–2027 housing schedule lists semester room charges ranging from $3,051 for a shared University Place suite to $4,284 for a single suite with a private bath. Memorial Hall private rooms cost $3,427 per semester. Meal plans ranged from $2,435 to $3,246 per semester, and a $225 housing application fee or deposit is credited to the bill when a room is assigned. Additional charges can include parking, orientation, health insurance, and program-specific expenses. The annual student health-insurance charge shown for 2026–2027 was $3,257, with a waiver process for eligible students. Applicants should use the college’s financial-aid and net-price tools for an individualized estimate rather than treating tuition alone as total cost. Scholarships and aid depend on eligibility. Career support is available to all students through individual appointments covering major selection, internships, job searches, graduate-school preparation, and career planning. No verified institution-wide salary or placement outcome was found, so career value should be assessed through the curriculum, transfer plan, experiential opportunities, and outcomes for the specific program.