Let’s take this slowly. I am going to walk you through what the federal government reports about this university: what it is, who studies there, how much it costs, how many get in, how many stay, and how many graduate. I am not going to sell you on this school or tear it down. I am going to show you the landscape so that you and your family can decide whether it is worth continuing toward it.
Where this university stands
Concord University is a public, four-year institution located in Athens, West Virginia, within Mercer County. The area around the campus is rural, near a town, not within a large urban area. If your family does not live nearby, this matters right away: calculate separately where your child would live and how your child would get to campus. The data only locates the school’s address; it does not say how long the trip from your home takes.
The system that classifies colleges and universities in this country—the Carnegie system—identifies it as a master’s university with medium-sized programs, four-year and "highly residential." That last term has a precise meaning: at the time of that count, at least half of degree-seeking undergraduate students lived in institution-owned housing, and at least 80 out of every 100 studied full time. Living on campus is not the same as paying tuition. Room and board are charged separately, and we will get to those numbers shortly.
Carnegie also places it among institutions that receive many transfer students. If your child plans to come here after studying somewhere else, this is your first concrete task: ask in writing which courses will count and which will not. The label says that many transfer students arrive; it does not say how many credits they bring or how many are lost along the way.
Regarding academic level, IPEDS—the federal higher education data system—records the master’s degree as the highest level that Concord reports offering and classifies it as an institution primarily offering bachelor’s degrees or higher. That is an institutional fact, not a guarantee that the exact major your child wants exists here or connects undergraduate and graduate study. Verify the specific program before assuming anything.
One more thing, brief but important: Concord does not have any of three specific designations tracked by the government—it is not a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 colleges and universities in this national directory, 138 have at least one of the three. Concord’s not having one does not say which students it serves or how your child will feel there. Ask directly which cultural centers and student organizations exist today.
A small community, and one with little Latino presence
Here is a number I want you to look at directly, without embellishment. Among Concord University undergraduates, 1 out of every 100 students were reported as Hispanic or Latino, according to the fall 2023 count. Compared with 519 selective public four-year schools reporting this data, Concord is among the lowest: nine out of ten of those schools report a higher share.
I am not telling you that this makes the school bad. I am also not telling you that having more Latino students would make it better. I am telling you this: if your child will be one of the few, that is real, and it deserves your investigation before you decide. Ask which student groups exist, what support is available, and, if you can, speak with a Latino student who is already there. The number you just read is for the entire school; your child’s specific major may feel different.
The rest of the student profile: there are more women than men (59 out of every 100), few adult students ages 25 to 64 (14 out of every 100), and most entering students—77 out of every 100—came from the same state.
In terms of size, Concord had 1,798 students enrolled in the official fall count: 1,472 undergraduates and 326 graduate students. It is a small-to-midsize school. Compared with its 519 selective peers, it is among the smallest: at least nine out of ten have more students. Being small does not guarantee more attention for your child, just as being large does not guarantee more options. Ask about that by major, not for the school as a whole.
How the academic year is organized
Concord operates on semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. That means consistent dates for everyone, without calendar surprises.
The university reported accepting credit for AP exams as well as what IPEDS calls "credit for life experience"—independent study, adult courses, work experience, prior certifications, among other things—in addition to credit for military training. It also enrolls high school students in college courses for credit, both within and outside a formal dual enrollment program.
Here is a truth you will not like but that will save you money later: the university’s reporting that it accepts AP does not mean it will award credit for every exam. It does not say what score is required or whether those credits count toward your child’s exact major. Request the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
In a recent year, Concord awarded 297 bachelor’s degrees across 16 different academic families. The largest was liberal arts and sciences, general studies and humanities, with 24 out of every 100 degrees—no other area accounts for most of them. Compared with 514 similar schools, Concord has less variety among the academic families in its bachelor’s-degree details: it falls in the bottom quarter of that group. This counts degrees awarded in one year, not people or the current catalog of majors. Ask directly about the exact major that interests your child: how many graduated in it, how long it took, and what the curriculum is like.
The student-to-faculty ratio is 15 to 1—a middle-of-the-range figure, neither among the lowest nor among the highest of its peers. This number does not tell you the actual size of first-year classes; that is not included in the data.
What it takes to get in
Concord does not have open admissions. It reviews several items before saying yes: the high school transcript and high school GPA are required, and an English proficiency exam is also required for applicants to whom it applies. If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, ask today whether that exam is required and what qualifies for an exemption. This is one of the things people discover late, when there is no time left.
The SAT and ACT are not required. If your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application remains valid just the same. The undergraduate application fee is $0.
Now, the figure that probably interests you most: of every 100 people who applied for admission in 2023, Concord accepted 90. It is a highly accessible university. Compared with its 519 selective peers, it is on the less restrictive side: seven out of ten of those schools accept an equal or smaller percentage. A high likelihood of admission does not make what follows easy. That 90% does not say how much it will cost, how many finish, or whether the major your child wants has its own internal screening process. Ask about those three things separately.
Here is something interesting that is worth knowing: out of every 5 admitted students, only about 1 actually end up enrolling at Concord. The other four had a place and did not take it. Receiving an acceptance letter is not the same as deciding to attend. And do not read this as a mark against the school—the federal record does not explain why each person chose what they chose. What I can tell you is this: what others decided does not tell you what Concord will offer your child. Wait for your child’s letter with the actual net price before drawing any conclusion.
Regarding transfers: of the bachelor’s-degree-seeking cohort that entered in 2017, 29 out of every 100 transferred to another school without finishing at Concord. That is a high share compared with its peers. Keep this in mind when we discuss graduation rates later: a student who transfers and finishes elsewhere does not count as a Concord graduate, even if that student successfully completes a degree somewhere else.
The sticker price, and the price actually paid
At Concord University, among 78 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid, paid the in-state or in-district rate, and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $8,292. Among 28 students in the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $10,904; among 16 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $13,256. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.
There is a difference of $4,964 between the average for the lowest-income band (78 students) and the average for the highest-income band (16 students). Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship, the average was $10,630.
The advertised price is not the same as the price paid. Here, for students with low income, the average net price was $8,292 in the 2022-23 academic year.
The income bands on this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at this public institution, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average for students receiving grants or scholarships, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships; it also uses that rate. If your family lives outside the state or district, the calculation is different. Ask about it before applying.
How this is paid for in practice
At Concord, receiving aid is the norm, not the exception: 93 out of every 100 degree-seeking students received some grant or scholarship that does not have to be repaid. The average among recipients was $10,795 for the year. And half of students, or more, received Pell—the federal aid for families with demonstrated financial need.
Read that carefully: it is what happened with other students last year. It is not your probability or your guaranteed amount. Ask in writing which applications must be completed, what the deadlines are, and what happens to the scholarship if your child’s grades fall.
Now for the debt portion, stated plainly because nothing should be softened here. At Concord, 46 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal loan in the 2022-23 school year—more than four out of ten, a high share compared with its peers. Among those who borrowed, the annual average was $7,301.
If your child borrowed a similar amount each year for all four years of the degree, the total would be around $29,204, not including interest. That figure is decided before the first signature, not at the end of the road. And take note: that average includes only federal loans in the student’s name. It does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes end up signing for, bank debt, or credit card debt. That number is not in this report—you would have to add it yourself, year by year.
Concord also offers an installment tuition payment plan and participates in a Promise program.
Campus life, and what lies beyond the classroom
Concord has its own housing, although it does not require all first-time students to live there. It also has meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies by plan. The maximum capacity of institution-controlled housing is 1,012 students. The existence of housing does not guarantee that a bed will be available for your child: ask in writing for this year’s rate, the application deadline, and whether a space is guaranteed or your child would join a waiting list.
Regarding ROTC: Concord did not indicate any ROTC opportunity in its report, neither in the general field nor for any of the three military branches. Of the 1,786 four-year institutions in this guide, 926 did indicate one; Concord was not among them. That does not prove that no option exists nearby—it only means none was reported in this field. If that scholarship matters to your family, ask admissions directly before ruling it out.
In sports, Concord does compete at the intercollegiate level and is affiliated with the NCAA, specifically in football, basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. The membership belongs to the school, not to your child: if your child is interested in playing, write directly to the coach for that sport and ask whether there is space, which division they compete in, and whether that sport awards athletic scholarships.
Concord offers distance education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. In the fall count, 18 out of every 100 undergraduate students took their entire course load at a distance; the other 82 took at least one class in person. The university reported offering at least one complete program that can be completed at a distance, although the data does not confirm whether that program is specifically undergraduate. Confirm the exact level and major if this matters to your child.
The library has employed staff, physical and digital materials, and interlibrary loan. There are also academic and career counseling services, employment assistance for current students and graduates, on-campus child care, a Yellow Ribbon program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for military families, and a student veterans organization.
How many stay, and how many finish?
This is, to me, the most important part of the entire article, and I ask you to read it slowly.
Of the cohort that entered Concord in the fall of 2022, 49 out of every 100 were still enrolled there one year later or had already completed their bachelor’s degree. Compared with 519 similar schools, Concord is among those that retain the smallest share of their entering cohort: nine out of ten of those schools retain a higher share. The data does not explain why the rest do not appear as retained—it does not distinguish between someone who transferred, someone who paused their studies, or someone who faced a financial problem.
For graduation, the figure is similar: of the bachelor’s-degree-seeking students who entered in 2017, 42 out of every 100 graduated from Concord within six years. Within four years, the figure falls to 32 out of every 100. Compared with 518 similar schools, Concord falls in the bottom quarter: three out of four of those schools graduate a higher share.
It is, literally, nearly half and half: after six years, 42 out of every 100 had a degree from Concord, and 58 did not have one from there. That does not mean that 58 failed—remember that many transfer and finish at another school, and that outcome does not appear here as a Concord graduation.
A broader look, at eight years, confirms the pattern: of a cohort that entered in 2015-16, 47 out of every 100 had a degree or certificate from Concord as of the August 2023 cutoff. Among Pell grant recipients, the figure was 43 out of every 100—seven points below the group without Pell. An 29% of the original group had an unknown enrollment status: the report could not determine whether they were still enrolled anywhere. Unknown does not mean they dropped out; it means the system lost track of them.
I am not telling you this to scare you. I am telling you because you need to see it directly, without a filter, before building a plan. If your child finishes here, the system shows that there is a real possibility that the path will not be straight: that your child will transfer, pause, or take more than four years. A number does not decide that. It is decided, in large part, by how well supported your child is, which resources your child uses, and how much your child knows about the chosen major before starting.
What this article cannot tell you
I do not know whether your child lives near or far from Athens, West Virginia. I do not know whether your family would qualify for the resident or out-of-state rate. I do not know which major your child wants to study or whether that specific major has its own graduation record that differs from the school as a whole. I do not know how much your family can or wants to pay, or whether a loan of $29,204 over four years fits within your budget or breaks it.
Those three pieces—what the university actually offers, what your child wants and has built, and what your family can and is willing to pay—are what make a real plan. This article has given you only the first, with as much precision as the official data allows.
If you are just beginning to consider Concord: ask your child to research the specific major of interest, not just the university’s name. If it is already on the application list: prepare to request the AP credit evaluation in writing and to ask directly about first-year retention support. If you already have an admission letter in hand: wait for the actual net price before deciding anything, and compare it with what you saw here about the income bands.
Now you know one of the pieces of the map well. Combine it with what your child wants and what your family can pay, and you will finally have a real plan, not just a name on a list.
Source note: the information in this article comes from data reported by Concord University to the U.S. Department of Education’s IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System), primarily from the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles, and from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Best College Aid does not represent Concord University or the United States government; this article organizes and explains public data and does not constitute personalized admissions advice.