Mountain State University, despite the name, is a private college located in Beckley, West Virginia. It was founded in 1933 as Beckley College, a junior college and continued as such until 1994, when it achieved four-year status and was renamed The College of West Virginia. This name was objected to by West Virginia University. In 2001 the school was renamed Mountain State University.

The school is heavly involved in on-line and distance learning classes. Of its aprox. 3,000 students, a very large percentage do not take classes in person on its campus.

In 2003 immigration authorities investigated private contractors who recruited students for the school, but no link to the school itself was proven.

In sports, the school competes in the NAIA and has been very successful in basketball.