Average Salaries in West Virginia
Explore salaries across 629 occupations in West Virginia. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $62.2K, -5.4% 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 2025 estimates. Coverage: 629 occupations and 694,420 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 Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric. 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.
Highest-paid occupations in West Virginia
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $597.7K | 120 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $491.2K | 300 |
| Radiologists | $471.7K | 360 |
| Surgeons, All Other | $468.2K | 240 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $400.1K | 50 |
| Obstetricians And Gynecologists | $300.8K | 100 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $278.5K | 740 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $272.7K | 320 |
| Physicians, All Other | $258K | 1,980 |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | $235.4K | 40 |
Largest occupations in West Virginia
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 23,430 | $80.1K |
| Retail Salespersons | 19,050 | $29K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 18,890 | $28K |
| Cashiers | 17,360 | $26.4K |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 16,490 | $23.1K |
| General And Operations Managers | 15,300 | $82.5K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 12,520 | $34.5K |
| Heavy And Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 12,190 | $49.5K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 11,300 | $37K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 9,860 | $38.4K |
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.
Most concentrated occupations in West Virginia
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Roof Bolters, Mining | 99.77 | $79.4K |
| Loading And Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining | 46.62 | $75K |
| Extraction Workers, All Other | 18.70 | $63.6K |
| Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other | 17.06 | $65.6K |
| Mining And Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers | 16.20 | $98K |
| Gas Compressor And Gas Pumping Station Operators | 12.49 | $65.1K |
| Helpers--Extraction Workers | 11.89 | $77.2K |
| Continuous Mining Machine Operators | 11.45 | $77.6K |
| Agricultural Workers, All Other | 9.25 | $25K |
| Wellhead Pumpers | 8.17 | $52.2K |
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $89.7K | Neurologists |
| Washington | $86.5K | Cardiologists |
| New York | $83.2K | Cardiologists |
| California | $83.2K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Massachusetts | $81.2K | Radiologists |
| New Jersey | $80.4K | Radiologists |
| Minnesota | $79.9K | Radiologists |
| Alaska | $79.6K | Emergency Medicine Physicians |
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.
Major metros in West Virginia
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $62.7K | 133,610 |
| Charleston, WV | $61.9K | 95,790 |
| Morgantown, WV | $60.4K | 57,980 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $58.6K | 52,770 |
| Beckley, WV | $57K | 37,810 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $57.3K | 30,390 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $56K | 30,270 |
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.