High paying entry level jobs in Charleston, WV

These occupations in Charleston, WV ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in Charleston, WV run 11.3% below the national average (2024), so a Charleston, WV salary is worth about 1.13× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Charleston, WV

OccupationMedian, Charleston, WV · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$280,250
Master's degree
$231,640 – $290,670220
2Dentists, General$152,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$128,770 – $302,07070
3Industrial Engineers$143,860
Bachelor's degree
$87,010 – $171,210160
4Pharmacists$131,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,400 – $167,800340
5Nurse Practitioners$129,260
Master's degree
$101,220 – $158,830370
6Electrical Engineers$129,250
Bachelor's degree
$89,680 – $159,28060
7Physician Assistants$126,620
Master's degree
$88,160 – $164,450190
8Software Developers$122,980
Bachelor's degree
$72,380 – $168,620350
9Engineers, All Other$119,900
Bachelor's degree
$57,190 – $154,140130
10Veterinarians$112,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,630 – $189,16050
11Physical Therapists$103,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,180 – $139,050140
12Lawyers$101,150
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,170 – $202,040880
13Mechanical Engineers$98,050
Bachelor's degree
$62,780 – $155,88060
14Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$96,990
Bachelor's degree
$52,580 – $129,470150
15Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$96,510
Associate's degree
$67,200 – $127,85090
16Civil Engineers$94,810
Bachelor's degree
$51,640 – $136,990280
17Occupational Therapists$91,520
Master's degree
$60,180 – $116,58080
18Project Management Specialists$89,600
Bachelor's degree
$54,280 – $142,810390
19Petroleum Engineers$88,860
Bachelor's degree
$79,780 – $196,51080
20Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$85,510
Associate's degree
$57,710 – $104,05040
21Business Teachers, Postsecondary$84,770
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,060 – $188,83040
22Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers$84,450
Bachelor's degree
$59,990 – $134,75070
23Health Education Specialists$80,850
Bachelor's degree
$46,310 – $118,24050
24Registered Nurses$80,230
Bachelor's degree
$51,110 – $138,8504,320
25Data Scientists$79,860
Bachelor's degree
$63,490 – $125,110100
26Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$79,570
Associate's degree
$54,340 – $97,750320
27Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$75,900
Associate's degree
$64,820 – $97,300160
28Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$74,090
Bachelor's degree
$50,650 – $112,40060
29Network and Computer Systems Administrators$72,040
Bachelor's degree
$51,020 – $105,490280
30Database Administrators$70,280
Bachelor's degree
$53,230 – $111,75060
31Respiratory Therapists$68,670
Associate's degree
$62,480 – $101,230220
32Accountants and Auditors$66,560
Bachelor's degree
$47,090 – $103,430890
33Logisticians$66,300
Bachelor's degree
$54,660 – $102,000100
34Financial and Investment Analysts$66,230
Bachelor's degree
$44,410 – $90,240140
35Dental Hygienists$65,520
Associate's degree
$62,510 – $76,200260
36Operations Research Analysts$65,440
Bachelor's degree
$51,220 – $86,44080
37Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$65,260
Doctoral or professional degree
$43,840 – $105,11090
38Financial Specialists, All Other$63,130
Bachelor's degree
$45,190 – $108,890100
39Physical Therapist Assistants$63,020
Associate's degree
$44,920 – $86,14080
40Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$62,980
Bachelor's degree
$39,640 – $83,610310
41Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$61,650
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,000 – $86,04040
42Human Resources Specialists$61,500
Bachelor's degree
$41,590 – $102,330540
43Urban and Regional Planners$61,380
Master's degree
$47,190 – $90,170110
44Architectural and Civil Drafters$60,920
Associate's degree
$40,740 – $87,89070
45Business Operations Specialists, All Other$59,550
Bachelor's degree
$38,640 – $117,580710
46Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health$59,090
Associate's degree
$37,220 – $68,830170
47Occupational Therapy Assistants$57,520
Associate's degree
$52,560 – $74,90040
48Credit Analysts$57,320
Bachelor's degree
$46,890 – $96,89040
49Fundraisers$57,220
Bachelor's degree
$39,030 – $69,44050
50Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$57,020
Bachelor's degree
$48,780 – $59,440590

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

#	Occupation	MedianCharleston, WV	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$280,250	$231,640 – $290,670	220
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$152,980	$128,770 – $302,070	70
3	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$143,860	$87,010 – $171,210	160
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$131,660	$80,400 – $167,800	340
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$129,260	$101,220 – $158,830	370
6	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$129,250	$89,680 – $159,280	60
7	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$126,620	$88,160 – $164,450	190
8	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$122,980	$72,380 – $168,620	350
9	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$119,900	$57,190 – $154,140	130
10	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$112,140	$59,630 – $189,160	50
11	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$103,760	$75,180 – $139,050	140
12	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$101,150	$67,170 – $202,040	880
13	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,050	$62,780 – $155,880	60
14	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$96,990	$52,580 – $129,470	150
15	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$96,510	$67,200 – $127,850	90
16	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,810	$51,640 – $136,990	280
17	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$91,520	$60,180 – $116,580	80
18	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$89,600	$54,280 – $142,810	390
19	Petroleum EngineersBachelor's degree	$88,860	$79,780 – $196,510	80
20	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$85,510	$57,710 – $104,050	40
21	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$84,770	$49,060 – $188,830	40
22	Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety EngineersBachelor's degree	$84,450	$59,990 – $134,750	70
23	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$80,850	$46,310 – $118,240	50
24	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$80,230	$51,110 – $138,850	4,320
25	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$79,860	$63,490 – $125,110	100
26	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,570	$54,340 – $97,750	320
27	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$75,900	$64,820 – $97,300	160
28	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$74,090	$50,650 – $112,400	60
29	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$72,040	$51,020 – $105,490	280
30	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$70,280	$53,230 – $111,750	60
31	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$68,670	$62,480 – $101,230	220
32	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$66,560	$47,090 – $103,430	890
33	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$66,300	$54,660 – $102,000	100
34	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$66,230	$44,410 – $90,240	140
35	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$65,520	$62,510 – $76,200	260
36	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$65,440	$51,220 – $86,440	80
37	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$65,260	$43,840 – $105,110	90
38	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$63,130	$45,190 – $108,890	100
39	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$63,020	$44,920 – $86,140	80
40	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$62,980	$39,640 – $83,610	310
41	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,650	$34,000 – $86,040	40
42	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$61,500	$41,590 – $102,330	540
43	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$61,380	$47,190 – $90,170	110
44	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$60,920	$40,740 – $87,890	70
45	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$59,550	$38,640 – $117,580	710
46	Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthAssociate's degree	$59,090	$37,220 – $68,830	170
47	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$57,520	$52,560 – $74,900	40
48	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$57,320	$46,890 – $96,890	40
49	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$57,220	$39,030 – $69,440	50
50	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$57,020	$48,780 – $59,440	590

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Charleston, WV. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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Without a degree

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

High paying entry level jobs in Charleston, WV

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