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Average Salary in West Virginia
This page shows what jobs actually pay in West Virginia, occupation by occupation, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2024. BLS publishes wage estimates for 628 occupations in West Virginia. For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage in May 2024 was $67,920, the median wage was $23.80 an hour, and total U.S. employment covered by the survey was 154,187,380 jobs. Use the tables below to see West Virginia's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which West Virginia jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in West Virginia
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for West Virginia is surgeons, all other, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 446.6% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 170 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), West Virginia pays 0.0% lower for this work. Next on the list are emergency medicine physicians at a mean of $239,200+ and cardiologists at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 450 people in West Virginia, so they describe the top of the West Virginia wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surgeons, All Other | 170 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 240 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Cardiologists | 40 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 790 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 540 | $112.96 | $234,960 | $239,200+ |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 230 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, All Other | 2,300 | $109.94 | $228,680 | $239,200+ |
| Chief Executives | 1,390 | $87.47 | $181,930 | $203,960 |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | 40 | $111.47 | $231,860 | $198,990 |
| Anesthesiologists | 160 | $80.96 | $168,390 | $193,830 |
| Dermatologists | 60 | $103.72 | $215,740 | $190,320 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | 50 | $82.09 | $170,750 | $187,000 |
| Pediatricians, General | 70 | $87.22 | $181,410 | $182,710 |
| Dentists, General | 400 | $70.88 | $147,440 | $171,380 |
| Podiatrists | 50 | $61.90 | $128,760 | $160,330 |
Largest occupations in West Virginia
The occupation with the most jobs in West Virginia is registered nurses, employing an estimated 21,740 people at a median annual wage of $79,990 and a mean of $80,650. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $93,600, so West Virginia's typical pay for this work runs 14.5% lower. The next-largest occupations are home health and personal care aides (18,730 jobs, median $26,560) and retail salespersons (18,290 jobs, median $27,910). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of West Virginia pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 21,740 | $79,990 | $80,650 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 18,730 | $26,560 | $26,730 |
| Retail Salespersons | 18,290 | $27,910 | $30,220 |
| Cashiers | 16,730 | $23,490 | $25,390 |
| General and Operations Managers | 16,070 | $80,490 | $100,160 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 15,590 | $22,800 | $24,330 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 12,580 | $34,060 | $34,340 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 11,560 | $49,040 | $51,920 |
| Office Clerks, General | 10,950 | $34,150 | $35,680 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 10,400 | $35,990 | $36,780 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 9,850 | $37,610 | $41,180 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 9,390 | $30,590 | $32,510 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 9,190 | $30,320 | $36,650 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 8,970 | $38,730 | $40,900 |
| Nursing Assistants | 8,860 | $36,340 | $36,320 |
Where West Virginia pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's West Virginia median with its own national median shows where West Virginia's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 West Virginia jobs, the largest premium is for substitute teachers, short-term: a median of $47,630 in West Virginia versus $38,470 nationally, 23.8% higher. The largest discount is for gambling change persons and booth cashiers, at $21,180 in West Virginia versus $34,810 nationally, 39.2% lower. In total, 11 of the 143 occupations with 1,000 or more West Virginia jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 157 of the 628 occupations published for West Virginia have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of West Virginia's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | West Virginia median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Substitute Teachers, Short-Term | $47,630 | $38,470 | +23.8% |
| Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers | $84,490 | $70,500 | +19.8% |
| Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | $63,980 | $57,090 | +12.1% |
| Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining | $73,260 | $68,860 | +6.4% |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $113,030 | $108,970 | +3.7% |
| Loan Officers | $49,550 | $74,180 | -33.2% |
| Financial Managers | $105,760 | $161,700 | -34.6% |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | $50,290 | $76,950 | -34.6% |
| Bus Drivers, School | $30,080 | $47,040 | -36.1% |
| Gambling Change Persons and Booth Cashiers | $21,180 | $34,810 | -39.2% |
West Virginia salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in West Virginia?
By average pay, surgeons, all other is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for West Virginia, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in West Virginia?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In West Virginia, the largest occupation, registered nurses, paid a median of $79,990 across 21,740 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 628 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in West Virginia have?
Registered Nurses is the largest occupation published for West Virginia, with an estimated 21,740 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $80,650.
Which occupations pay more in West Virginia than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 West Virginia jobs, substitute teachers, short-term shows the largest premium: a median of $47,630 in West Virginia versus $38,470 nationally, 23.8% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.