Average Salaries in West Virginia
Explore salaries across 642 occupations in West Virginia. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $57.7K, -6.2% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates. Coverage: 642 occupations and 694,810 total jobs in West Virginia.
How the state compares
West Virginia pays modestly below the national average. That can be partly offset by a lower cost of living compared with higher-paying markets.
West Virginia has a smaller labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand or a narrower range of employers.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is General Internal Medicine Physicians. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in West Virginia
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Top wages
Highest-paid occupations in West Virginia
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $235.0K | 540 |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | $231.9K | 40 |
| Physicians, All Other | $228.7K | 2,300 |
| Dermatologists | $215.7K | 60 |
| Chief Executives | $181.9K | 1,390 |
| Pediatricians, General | $181.4K | 70 |
| Computer And Information Research Scientists | $170.8K | 50 |
| Anesthesiologists | $168.4K | 160 |
| Database Architects | $157.6K | 270 |
| Dentists, General | $147.4K | 400 |
Most jobs
Largest occupations in West Virginia
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 21,740 | $80.0K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 18,730 | $26.6K |
| Retail Salespersons | 18,290 | $27.9K |
| Cashiers | 16,730 | $23.5K |
| General And Operations Managers | 16,070 | $80.5K |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 15,590 | $22.8K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 12,580 | $34.1K |
| Heavy And Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 11,560 | $49.0K |
| Office Clerks, General | 10,950 | $34.2K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 10,400 | $36.0K |
What West Virginia specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in West Virginia than in the country as a whole, which signals what this state is known for.
Location quotient
Most concentrated occupations in West Virginia
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Roof Bolters, Mining | 102.11 | $79.0K |
| Loading And Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining | 57.62 | $73.3K |
| Extraction Workers, All Other | 24.53 | $65.4K |
| Rail Transportation Workers, All Other | 13.75 | $44.2K |
| Mining And Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers | 13.01 | $84.0K |
| Continuous Mining Machine Operators | 12.99 | $75.7K |
| Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other | 12.76 | $78.2K |
| Log Graders And Scalers | 12.34 | $47.6K |
| Gambling Change Persons And Booth Cashiers | 12.01 | $21.2K |
| Helpers--Extraction Workers | 11.53 | $75.3K |
Peer markets
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $86.2K | Obstetricians And Gynecologists |
| California | $77.6K | Chief Executives |
| Washington | $77.0K | Podiatrists |
| New York | $76.7K | Physicians, All Other |
| Massachusetts | $75.6K | Dentists, All Other Specialists |
| New Jersey | $73.7K | Physicians, All Other |
| Alaska | $73.0K | Dentists, General |
| Connecticut | $72.7K | Nurse Anesthetists |
Metros inside West Virginia
Salaries can vary a lot within a single state. Urban metro areas typically pay more than rural regions, and specific industries cluster in particular cities. Drill into any metro below for its own full salary breakdown.
Inside this state
Major metros in West Virginia
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $54.2K | 132,980 |
| Charleston, WV | $57.1K | 98,620 |
| Morgantown, WV | $59.0K | 59,550 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $56.1K | 53,280 |
| Beckley, WV | $51.3K | 37,680 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $54.3K | 31,400 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $55.0K | 30,530 |
Common salary questions for West Virginia
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other states with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.