Fastest declining jobs in West Virginia, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in West Virginia, most negative first. A declining projection does not mean a job is disappearing — most of these still hire steadily to replace people who leave.

State projections are produced by West Virginia's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in West Virginia run 10.5% below the national average (2024), so a West Virginia salary is worth about 1.12× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in West Virginia.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in West Virginia

OccupationMedian, West Virginia · Growth 2024–34

1Roof Bolters, Mining$79,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,820 – $90,720-40.8%
2Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining$74,950
No formal educational credential
$64,120 – $81,100-31.4%
3Conveyor Operators and Tenders$62,830
No formal educational credential
$39,400 – $74,810-23.6%
4Data Entry Keyers$35,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,250 – $47,740-22.3%
5Tellers$34,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,680 – $39,350-16.4%
6Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$47,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,990 – $63,390-13.0%
7Butchers and Meat Cutters$33,570
No formal educational credential
$23,240 – $44,550-11.9%
8Gambling Change Persons and Booth Cashiers$22,080
No formal educational credential
$19,880 – $37,080-10.6%
9Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$89,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,640 – $93,340-9.2%
10Graphic Designers$40,350
Bachelor's degree
$29,530 – $61,640-8.8%
11Extraction Workers, All Other$63,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,750 – $72,350-8.6%
12Cooks, Fast Food$23,120
No formal educational credential
$21,600 – $28,300-8.2%
13Continuous Mining Machine Operators$77,570
No formal educational credential
$59,840 – $90,690-8.1%
14Cashiers$26,370
No formal educational credential
$21,350 – $33,990-7.7%
15Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$26,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$21,450 – $59,050-7.7%
16Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$39,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,330 – $67,760-7.0%
17Helpers--Production Workers$39,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,670 – $55,860-6.9%
18Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining$61,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,030 – $79,320-6.9%
19Packers and Packagers, Hand$28,740
No formal educational credential
$21,970 – $44,480-6.5%
20Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$47,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,360 – $75,240-6.0%
21Procurement Clerks$48,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,110 – $63,840-5.9%
22First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$62,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,890 – $115,870-5.9%
23First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$39,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,870 – $66,210-5.6%
24Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$34,480
Postsecondary nondegree award
$23,580 – $60,300-4.8%
25Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$63,560
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,970 – $96,960-4.3%
26Food Preparation Workers$28,360
No formal educational credential
$21,570 – $35,890-4.2%
27Postal Service Mail Carriers$57,700
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040-3.9%
28Postal Service Clerks$61,050
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030-3.9%
29Office Clerks, General$35,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$24,160 – $51,010-3.9%
30Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$56,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,790 – $87,500-3.8%
31Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$67,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,650 – $106,330-3.7%
32Customer Service Representatives$38,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,590 – $56,970-3.5%
33Special Education Teachers, Middle School$56,440
Bachelor's degree
$45,380 – $63,710-3.5%
34Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$55,630
Bachelor's degree
$48,080 – $60,790-3.5%
35Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$57,210
Bachelor's degree
$45,540 – $63,130-3.5%
36Correctional Officers and Jailers$52,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,390 – $75,610-3.5%
37Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$57,760
Bachelor's degree
$50,490 – $69,390-3.4%
38Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$50,380
Bachelor's degree
$42,890 – $63,460-3.4%
39Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$55,390
Bachelor's degree
$47,650 – $69,270-3.3%
40Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$42,890
Some college, no degree
$30,890 – $58,560-3.3%
41Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$56,610
Bachelor's degree
$48,450 – $64,040-3.2%
42Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$58,790
Bachelor's degree
$47,630 – $72,210-3.2%
43Loan Interviewers and Clerks$42,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,460 – $50,690-3.1%
44Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$80,650
Master's degree
$57,740 – $97,350-3.0%
45Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$44,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,840 – $59,980-3.0%
46Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$41,670
No formal educational credential
$28,700 – $54,920-2.9%
47Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan$36,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,730 – $44,030-2.8%
48Childcare Workers$27,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$22,170 – $35,890-2.6%
49Retail Salespersons$28,950
No formal educational credential
$22,260 – $39,520-2.6%
50Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$29,800
Some college, no degree
$27,400 – $36,750-2.4%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianWest Virginia	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Roof Bolters, MiningHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,400	$63,820 – $90,720	-40.8%
2	Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground MiningNo formal educational credential	$74,950	$64,120 – $81,100	-31.4%
3	Conveyor Operators and TendersNo formal educational credential	$62,830	$39,400 – $74,810	-23.6%
4	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,900	$27,250 – $47,740	-22.3%
5	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34,560	$28,680 – $39,350	-16.4%
6	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,460	$30,990 – $63,390	-13.0%
7	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$33,570	$23,240 – $44,550	-11.9%
8	Gambling Change Persons and Booth CashiersNo formal educational credential	$22,080	$19,880 – $37,080	-10.6%
9	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$89,690	$60,640 – $93,340	-9.2%
10	Graphic DesignersBachelor's degree	$40,350	$29,530 – $61,640	-8.8%
11	Extraction Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,550	$60,750 – $72,350	-8.6%
12	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$23,120	$21,600 – $28,300	-8.2%
13	Continuous Mining Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$77,570	$59,840 – $90,690	-8.1%
14	CashiersNo formal educational credential	$26,370	$21,350 – $33,990	-7.7%
15	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$26,580	$21,450 – $59,050	-7.7%
16	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,940	$30,330 – $67,760	-7.0%
17	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,190	$31,670 – $55,860	-6.9%
18	Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface MiningHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,330	$46,030 – $79,320	-6.9%
19	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$28,740	$21,970 – $44,480	-6.5%
20	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,560	$35,360 – $75,240	-6.0%
21	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,050	$36,110 – $63,840	-5.9%
22	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,970	$37,890 – $115,870	-5.9%
23	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,740	$27,870 – $66,210	-5.6%
24	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$34,480	$23,580 – $60,300	-4.8%
25	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,560	$41,970 – $96,960	-4.3%
26	Food Preparation WorkersNo formal educational credential	$28,360	$21,570 – $35,890	-4.2%
27	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$57,700	$42,390 – $81,040	-3.9%
28	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$61,050	$42,600 – $75,030	-3.9%
29	Office Clerks, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,020	$24,160 – $51,010	-3.9%
30	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,290	$39,790 – $87,500	-3.8%
31	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,290	$45,650 – $106,330	-3.7%
32	Customer Service RepresentativesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,430	$29,590 – $56,970	-3.5%
33	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$56,440	$45,380 – $63,710	-3.5%
34	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$55,630	$48,080 – $60,790	-3.5%
35	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$57,210	$45,540 – $63,130	-3.5%
36	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,890	$45,390 – $75,610	-3.5%
37	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$57,760	$50,490 – $69,390	-3.4%
38	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$50,380	$42,890 – $63,460	-3.4%
39	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$55,390	$47,650 – $69,270	-3.3%
40	Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksSome college, no degree	$42,890	$30,890 – $58,560	-3.3%
41	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$56,610	$48,450 – $64,040	-3.2%
42	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$58,790	$47,630 – $72,210	-3.2%
43	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,490	$35,460 – $50,690	-3.1%
44	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$80,650	$57,740 – $97,350	-3.0%
45	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,740	$34,840 – $59,980	-3.0%
46	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$41,670	$28,700 – $54,920	-2.9%
47	Interviewers, Except Eligibility and LoanHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,480	$29,730 – $44,030	-2.8%
48	Childcare WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$27,710	$22,170 – $35,890	-2.6%
49	Retail SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$28,950	$22,260 – $39,520	-2.6%
50	Teaching Assistants, Except PostsecondarySome college, no degree	$29,800	$27,400 – $36,750	-2.4%

More for West Virginia

Metro areas in West Virginia

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in West Virginia

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in West Virginia to rank honestly.

Fastest declining jobs in West Virginia, 2024–34

More for West Virginia

Metro areas in West Virginia

By field in West Virginia

Without a degree

Fastest declining jobs in each state, 2024–34