State salary profile · West Virginia

West Virginia Salaries

West Virginia wages where BEA prices sit below the national average (RPP 89.5), from BLS OEWS May 2025. Published local OEWS areas include Beckley, WV, Charleston, WV, Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Morgantown, WV, Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, Parkersburg-Vienna, WV, then Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH, Wheeling, WV-OH.

$172,682
Mean of top 50 medians
618
Occupations
9
Local wage areas
39,750
Estimated jobs (top tier)

The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians in West Virginia is $172,682.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, The May 2025 release has a published median for 618 occupations in West Virginia; percentile boundaries and local-area rows are available only where BLS publishes them. The highest-paying reported occupation, Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric, earns $597,740, versus $19,030 for Gambling Service Workers, All Other at the bottom of the range. Detail is available for 7 metro areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas. Published local OEWS areas include Beckley, WV, Charleston, WV, Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Morgantown, WV, Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, Parkersburg-Vienna, WV, then Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH, Wheeling, WV-OH.

West Virginia · employment ≠ wage

In West Virginia, Registered Nurses lead by published employment (23,430 jobs, #1 of 608) but rank #101 of 608 on median wage ($80,130), while Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric top the wage list at $597,740 (#1 of 608) with 120 jobs (#456 of 608). The largest payroll is not the highest published median.

23,430
Registered Nurses employment #1
$597,740
Orthopedic Surgeons wage #1
#456
Employment rank of wage leader
#101
Wage rank of employment leader

Employment is OEWS tot_emp inside this state; pay is the occupation median. Same detailed-occupation pool, two rankings.

Employment of West Virginia's #1 occupations by headcount vs median wage

Same unit (published jobs) for both named leaders. BLS OEWS May 2025.

jobs

What this shows Registered Nurses lead West Virginia by employment; Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric lead on median wage at $597,740.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

West Virginia, the picture in one line

West Virginia ranks #49 of 54 states and territories by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage; its highest published occupation median is Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric at $597,740. Published local OEWS areas include Beckley, WV, Charleston, WV, Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Morgantown, WV, Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, Parkersburg-Vienna, WV, then Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH, Wheeling, WV-OH.

#49
of 54 states by published mean wage
$597,740
top-paying: Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric
9th
percentile among all states
Beckley, WV
local OEWS: Beckley, WV and Charleston, WV

The state rank uses BLS's All Occupations mean. Occupation rows below use occupation-specific medians; the two statistics are not interchangeable. Start local checks in Beckley, WV.

Where West Virginia already employs the upper wage tier

Managers, All Other and Computer Occupations, All Other lead West Virginia's published employment inside this top-pay sample, order follows OEWS job counts, not median wage.

  1. 1. Managers, All Other 3,640 jobs · $124,940
  2. 2. Computer Occupations, All Other 3,380 jobs · $107,140
  3. 3. Software Developers 2,650 jobs · $121,000
  4. 4. Financial Managers 2,610 jobs · $113,140
  5. 5. Nurse Practitioners 2,550 jobs · $127,320
  6. 6. Lawyers 2,440 jobs · $102,420
  7. 7. Pharmacists 2,260 jobs · $133,430
  8. 8. Medical and Health Services Managers 2,080 jobs · $112,010
  9. 9. Physicians, All Other 1,980 jobs · $258,020
  10. 10. Management Analysts 1,740 jobs · $97,470
  11. 11. Chief Executives 1,700 jobs · $151,950
  12. 12. Computer and Information Systems Managers 1,100 jobs · $139,820
  13. 13. Physician Assistants 1,080 jobs · $128,610
  14. 14. Industrial Production Managers 1,000 jobs · $111,760
  15. 15. Industrial Engineers 850 jobs · $108,360
  16. 16. Nurse Anesthetists 740 jobs · $278,530
  17. 17. Engineers, All Other 660 jobs · $118,800
  18. 18. Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers 530 jobs · $98,230
  19. 19. Human Resources Managers 510 jobs · $120,020
  20. 20. Electrical Engineers 500 jobs · $113,420

Local BLS wage areas inside West Virginia

Published local OEWS areas include Beckley, WV, Charleston, WV, Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Morgantown, WV, Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, Parkersburg-Vienna, WV, then Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH, Wheeling, WV-OH.

Beckley, WV Charleston, WV Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH Morgantown, WV Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area Parkersburg-Vienna, WV Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH Wheeling, WV-OH

Observed statewide pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2024–2025

May 2024 → May 2025
  • BLS's published All Occupations median in West Virginia moved from $43,320 in May 2024 to $45,300 in May 2025 (+4.6%).
  • Across the 54 states and territories priced in both releases, the median place changed +2.7%.
  • West Virginia sits +1.8 pp ahead of that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Cooks, Fast Food shows the widest statewide vs national median gap in West Virginia

Cooks, Fast Food publishes $23,120 here versus $30,890 nationally (-25.2%; 16,490statewide jobs). Next is First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers at $33,070 locally versus $44,080 nationally (-25.0%).

  1. Cooks, Fast Food$23,120 in West Virginia sits 25.2% below the national Cooks, Fast Food median of $30,890 (16,490 published local jobs).
  2. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$33,070 in West Virginia sits 25.0% below the national First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers median of $44,080 (6,390 published local jobs).
  3. Security Guards$28,800 in West Virginia sits 24.3% below the national Security Guards median of $38,020 (5,200 published local jobs).
  4. First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$53,660 in West Virginia sits 22.8% below the national First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers median of $69,500 (6,900 published local jobs).

Cooks, Fast Food and the other occupations above are descriptive OEWS endpoints for West Virginia; they are not findings about taxes, employers, or worker experience.

· Source: BLS OEWS May 2025

The West Virginia OEWS table has a published median for 618 occupations. The displayed top 50 rows have summed published employment of approximately 39,750; that sum does not include the bottom table or rows whose employment is suppressed. BLS publishes means and percentile boundaries only where the corresponding estimate meets its publication standards. Averaging the medians of the top 50 highest-paying occupations gives $172,682 per year. That is only a mean of the displayed upper-tier occupation medians; it is not the BLS All Occupations mean or median and does not describe a typical worker. Published local OEWS areas include Beckley, WV, Charleston, WV, Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Morgantown, WV, Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, Parkersburg-Vienna, WV, then Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH, Wheeling, WV-OH. Local OEWS areas in this extract include Beckley, WV, Charleston, WV, Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Morgantown, WV, Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, Parkersburg-Vienna, WV, Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH, Wheeling, WV-OH.

At the top of the ranking, Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric pays a West Virginia median of $597,740, the highest-paying reported occupation in the state. The number-two spot goes to Emergency Medicine Physicians at $491,230, followed by Radiologists at $471,650. At the bottom of the published range, Gambling Service Workers, All Other has a median of $19,030, making the displayed endpoint ratio 31.4×. The endpoints do not establish a cause or career stage. WageDex has BLS occupation rows for 7 metro areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to West Virginia, allowing comparisons below the statewide estimate without treating nonmetropolitan areas as MSAs.

West Virginia's lower BEA price level (RPP 89.5) lifts the national-price reading of the published mean to about $63,095. Even then, compare Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric and Gambling Service Workers, All Other inside a local OEWS area before treating either median as an offer. Published local OEWS areas include Beckley, WV, Charleston, WV, Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Morgantown, WV, Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, Parkersburg-Vienna, WV, then Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH, Wheeling, WV-OH. Local OEWS area names are state-specific; statewide means are not metro offers.

Top-Tier Sample

75

occupations shown below

Avg. Median Salary

$172,682

top 50 occupations

Top Salary

$597,740

Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric

Where West Virginia ranks by published mean wage

BLS All Occupations annual mean vs. 54 states & territories; local OEWS includes Beckley, WV and Charleston, WV, Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH

$56,470 Bottom 9% higher than 9% of 54 states & territories

$0–$5,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Below this entry. $55,000–$60,000: 8 states & territories (15%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$65,000: 16 states & territories (30%). Above this entry. $65,000–$70,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Above this entry. $70,000–$75,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Above this entry. $75,000–$80,000: 4 states & territories (7%). Above this entry. $80,000–$85,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Above this entry. $85,000–$90,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. $90,000–$95,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $95,000–$100,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $100,000–$105,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $105,000–$110,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $110,000–$115,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. This state $0 $115,000 every state & territory, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$5,000 0 states & territories 0%
$5,000–$10,000 0 states & territories 0%
$10,000–$15,000 0 states & territories 0%
$15,000–$20,000 0 states & territories 0%
$20,000–$25,000 0 states & territories 0%
$25,000–$30,000 0 states & territories 0%
$30,000–$35,000 0 states & territories 0%
$35,000–$40,000 1 states & territories 2%
$40,000–$45,000 0 states & territories 0%
$45,000–$50,000 1 states & territories 2%
$50,000–$55,000 3 states & territories 6%
$55,000–$60,000 (this entry) 8 states & territories 15%
$60,000–$65,000 16 states & territories 30%
$65,000–$70,000 8 states & territories 15%
$70,000–$75,000 8 states & territories 15%
$75,000–$80,000 4 states & territories 7%
$80,000–$85,000 3 states & territories 6%
$85,000–$90,000 1 states & territories 2%
$90,000–$95,000 0 states & territories 0%
$95,000–$100,000 0 states & territories 0%
$100,000–$105,000 0 states & territories 0%
$105,000–$110,000 0 states & territories 0%
$110,000–$115,000 1 states & territories 2%

$56,470 · 9th percentile of 54 states & territories

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

West Virginia ranks #49 of 54 by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage ($56,470). It is not the median wage or a prediction for a particular worker.

National-price-equivalent mean: dividing the $56,470 BLS All Occupations mean by the BEA state RPP gives $63,095. Inputs: BEA Regional Price Parity for West Virginia (RPP 89.5, 2024; 100 = national average, all items, table SARPP). The division is a WageDex calculation, not an after-tax or household-income measure.

Largest OEWS footprints in West Virginia

Published employment among the top-pay sample, top 15 by jobs

jobs
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

BLS publishes wage data for 618 distinct occupations in West Virginia. The table below shows the top 50 by median annual wage, reordered by published employment for this reading. Drill into the full top-100 ranking or the fastest-growing list for deeper coverage.

Top-pay occupations in West Virginia, by employment

View all 100 →

Same top-pay sample as the salary ranking, sorted by published West Virginia jobs so the title sequence follows the local OEWS mix.

# Occupation Median Salary
1 Managers, All Other $124,940
2 Computer Occupations, All Other $107,140
3 Software Developers $121,000
4 Financial Managers $113,140
5 Nurse Practitioners $127,320
6 Lawyers $102,420
7 Pharmacists $133,430
8 Medical and Health Services Managers $112,010
9 Physicians, All Other $258,020
10 Management Analysts $97,470
11 Chief Executives $151,950
12 Computer and Information Systems Managers $139,820
13 Physician Assistants $128,610
14 Industrial Production Managers $111,760
15 Industrial Engineers $108,360
16 Nurse Anesthetists $278,530
17 Engineers, All Other $118,800
18 Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers $98,230
19 Human Resources Managers $120,020
20 Electrical Engineers $113,420
21 Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers $97,960
22 Dentists, General $170,370
23 Architectural and Engineering Managers $149,430
24 Business Teachers, Postsecondary $104,480
25 Veterinarians $128,990
26 Radiologists $471,650
27 Computer Network Architects $122,520
28 Family Medicine Physicians $272,680
29 Emergency Medicine Physicians $491,230
30 Marketing Managers $98,750
31 Surgeons, All Other $468,210
32 Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary $100,400
33 Purchasing Managers $147,220
34 Natural Sciences Managers $138,010
35 Chemical Engineers $129,210
36 Optometrists $118,010
37 Pediatricians, General $158,470
38 Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric $597,740
39 Obstetricians and Gynecologists $300,810
40 Electronics Engineers, Except Computer $120,170
41 Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay $97,600
42 Physicians, Pathologists $400,070
43 Podiatrists $207,000
44 Power Distributors and Dispatchers $101,960
45 Artists and Related Workers, All Other $101,400
46 Physics Teachers, Postsecondary $98,320
47 Dentists, All Other Specialists $235,370
48 Sales Engineers $135,260
49 Commercial Pilots $105,950
50 Education Administrators, All Other $98,450

Lowest Paying Jobs in West Virginia

Occupation Median Salary
Gambling Service Workers, All Other $19,030
Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners $19,740
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other $21,640
Gambling Change Persons and Booth Cashiers $22,080
Cooks, Fast Food $23,120
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers $23,400
Baggage Porters and Bellhops $24,090
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop $24,420
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers $24,670
Agricultural Workers, All Other $24,960
Gambling Dealers $25,100
Amusement and Recreation Attendants $25,230
Fast Food and Counter Workers $26,070
Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians $26,240
Cashiers $26,370
Dishwashers $26,460
Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other $26,580
Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers $26,690
Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks $26,830
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers $27,150
Broadcast Technicians $27,310
Cooks, Short Order $27,440
Childcare Workers $27,710
Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs $27,950
Home Health and Personal Care Aides $28,010

Fastest Growing Jobs

View all 50 →

See national growth projections alongside the published OEWS state employment estimates for each occupation in West Virginia. Based on BLS employment projections 2024-2034.

Metro and Nonmetropolitan Wage Areas in West Virginia

Beckley, WV Charleston, WV Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH Morgantown, WV Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area Parkersburg-Vienna, WV Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH Wheeling, WV-OH

Salary Guides

Best States for Salaries

Which states pay the most and why

Salary vs. Cost of Living

Compare local wage and price-level benchmarks

Fastest Growing Occupations

Where the job growth is heading

Nationwide states with similar All Occupations pay or employment scale

Two BLS OEWS peer sets outside West Virginia. Local metro cards below stay inside this state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors on published All Occupations mean wage ($56,470 here) and reported employment (701,610 jobs here).

Similar mean wage

Nearest other states by BLS All Occupations annual mean wage.

Similar employment scale

Nearest headcount peers (floor 250,000 All Occupations jobs), distinct from the mean-wage column.

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS All Occupations mean annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude states already listed in the mean-wage column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Local OEWS areas and related West Virginia pages

Published local OEWS areas include Beckley, WV, Charleston, WV, Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Morgantown, WV, Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, Parkersburg-Vienna, WV, then Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH, Wheeling, WV-OH.

Beckley, WV

Local OEWS wage area

Charleston, WV

Local OEWS wage area

Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH

Local OEWS wage area

Morgantown, WV

Local OEWS wage area

Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area

Local OEWS wage area

Parkersburg-Vienna, WV

Local OEWS wage area

Highest Paying in West Virginia

Top 100 by median salary

Fastest Growing in West Virginia

Projected 2024-2034 growth

Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric

National occupation profile

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average of the top 50 occupation medians in West Virginia? ▼
The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians is $172,682/year (BLS OEWS May 2025). It is not the statewide mean or median and does not describe the wage of a typical worker.
What is the average salary in West Virginia? ▼
BLS publishes an All Occupations annual mean wage of $56,470/year for West Virginia in the May 2025 OEWS release, which ranks 49th among the 54 states and territories with a published mean. Published local OEWS areas include Beckley, WV, Charleston, WV, Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Morgantown, WV, Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, Parkersburg-Vienna, WV, then Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH, Wheeling, WV-OH. This is an occupational wage estimate, not a household-income statistic or a prediction for one worker.
What is the highest paying job in West Virginia? ▼
The highest paying occupation in West Virginia is Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric with a median salary of $597,740/year according to BLS data. The second highest is Emergency Medicine Physicians at $491,230/year.
What jobs pay the least in West Virginia? ▼
The lowest published occupation median in this West Virginia ranking is Gambling Service Workers, All Other at $19,030/year. The table does not classify that occupation as entry-level or explain why its median is lowest.
How many local BLS wage areas are shown for West Virginia? ▼
WageDex has occupation-level wage rows for 7 metro areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to West Virginia. Published local OEWS areas include Beckley, WV, Charleston, WV, Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Morgantown, WV, Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, Parkersburg-Vienna, WV, then Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area, Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH, Wheeling, WV-OH. Nonmetropolitan reporting areas are not MSAs. Compare the same occupation and statistic across areas; published coverage can differ by occupation and geography.
How many occupations are shown for West Virginia? ▼
BLS publishes wage data for 618 distinct occupations in West Virginia. The 50 occupations in the displayed upper tier have a combined OEWS employment estimate of approximately 39,750 jobs in covered establishments.

Price-level sources for West Virginia

BLS OEWS state wage tables → BEA Regional Price Parities → BLS LAUS unemployment → BEA personal income by state →

What to do with this data

How to use West Virginia wage data in a real decision

  • West Virginia prices sit below the national BEA average (RPP 89.5), so the published $56,470 mean is closer to $63,095 nationally; still re-check Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric inside Beckley, WV and Charleston, WV before relocating. Compare states
  • Inside West Virginia, re-check Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric in Beckley, WV, Charleston, WV, Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Morgantown, WV or Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area before treating the statewide median as a metro offer. Beckley, WV
  • Open Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric for percentile bands and local-area rows; West Virginia's statewide median of $597,740 uses a different geography than any single metro estimate. Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric
  • The published West Virginia range runs from Gambling Service Workers, All Other at $19,030 to Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric at $597,740; an offer still depends on the exact role and employer. Salary calculator

BLS OEWS estimates reflect the May 2025 reference period and exclude self-employed workers; some small occupation-area cells are suppressed.

Last updated: May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

State-level employment totals and local-area breakouts from BLS OEWS State and Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2025. Local areas can be metropolitan or nonmetropolitan.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. State wage figures are computed directly from BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Statewide figures are estimates and may not reflect pay in your specific local wage area or employer.