High paying jobs in Charleston, WV

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Charleston, WV. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

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

1Surgeons, All Other$619,320
Doctoral or professional degree
$124,950 – $638,86060
2Radiologists$482,670
Doctoral or professional degree
$102,010 – $482,67060
3Family Medicine Physicians$344,250
Doctoral or professional degree
$181,670 – $423,27090
4Physicians, All Other$285,470
Doctoral or professional degree
$153,960 – $328,330180
5Nurse Anesthetists$280,250
Master's degree
$231,640 – $290,670220
6Architectural and Engineering Managers$165,690
Bachelor's degree
$103,690 – $226,41070
7Chief Executives$161,540
Bachelor's degree
$67,320 – $368,000240
8Dentists, General$152,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$128,770 – $302,07070
9Industrial Engineers$143,860
Bachelor's degree
$87,010 – $171,210160
10Pharmacists$131,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,400 – $167,800340
11Computer Network Architects$131,210
Bachelor's degree
$81,300 – $131,21070
12Nurse Practitioners$129,260
Master's degree
$101,220 – $158,830370
13Electrical Engineers$129,250
Bachelor's degree
$89,680 – $159,28060
14Physician Assistants$126,620
Master's degree
$88,160 – $164,450190
15Medical and Health Services Managers$125,470
Bachelor's degree
$79,990 – $275,590280
16Software Developers$122,980
Bachelor's degree
$72,380 – $168,620350
17Engineers, All Other$119,900
Bachelor's degree
$57,190 – $154,140130
18Financial Managers$116,300
Bachelor's degree
$76,740 – $179,430450
19Veterinarians$112,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,630 – $189,16050
20Industrial Production Managers$107,960
Bachelor's degree
$63,480 – $159,380110
21Human Resources Managers$105,920
Bachelor's degree
$77,690 – $176,59080
22Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates$103,940
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,240 – $149,59040
23Physical Therapists$103,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,180 – $139,050140
24Computer and Information Systems Managers$101,560
Bachelor's degree
$71,960 – $169,130170
25Lawyers$101,150
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,170 – $202,040880
26Labor Relations Specialists$98,380
Bachelor's degree
$79,460 – $125,360140
27Mechanical Engineers$98,050
Bachelor's degree
$62,780 – $155,88060
28Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$96,990
Bachelor's degree
$52,580 – $129,470150
29Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$96,510
Associate's degree
$67,200 – $127,85090
30Personal Financial Advisors$96,050
Bachelor's degree
$45,020 – $675,730140
31Civil Engineers$94,810
Bachelor's degree
$51,640 – $136,990280
32Management Analysts$94,210
Bachelor's degree
$63,130 – $156,240230
33Detectives and Criminal Investigators$92,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,270 – $166,86080
34Dietitians and Nutritionists$92,390
Bachelor's degree
$63,110 – $92,40090
35Sales Managers$91,920
Bachelor's degree
$56,290 – $196,010170
36Occupational Therapists$91,520
Master's degree
$60,180 – $116,58080
37Project Management Specialists$89,600
Bachelor's degree
$54,280 – $142,810390
38Petroleum Engineers$88,860
Bachelor's degree
$79,780 – $196,51080
39Education Administrators, All Other$88,250
Bachelor's degree
$48,840 – $116,08050
40Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$86,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,090 – $140,410130
41Gas Plant Operators$85,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,520 – $118,690100
42Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$85,510
Associate's degree
$57,710 – $104,05040
43Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$85,240
Bachelor's degree
$65,670 – $153,410130
44Business Teachers, Postsecondary$84,770
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,060 – $188,83040
45Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers$84,450
Bachelor's degree
$59,990 – $134,75070
46Facilities Managers$84,240
Bachelor's degree
$53,200 – $152,86090
47General and Operations Managers$83,190
Bachelor's degree
$47,150 – $167,8202,160
48Health Education Specialists$80,850
Bachelor's degree
$46,310 – $118,24050
49Registered Nurses$80,230
Bachelor's degree
$51,110 – $138,8504,320
50Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$80,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,850 – $93,33080

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	Surgeons, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$619,320	$124,950 – $638,860	60
2	RadiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$482,670	$102,010 – $482,670	60
3	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$344,250	$181,670 – $423,270	90
4	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$285,470	$153,960 – $328,330	180
5	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$280,250	$231,640 – $290,670	220
6	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$165,690	$103,690 – $226,410	70
7	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$161,540	$67,320 – $368,000	240
8	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$152,980	$128,770 – $302,070	70
9	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$143,860	$87,010 – $171,210	160
10	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$131,660	$80,400 – $167,800	340
11	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$131,210	$81,300 – $131,210	70
12	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$129,260	$101,220 – $158,830	370
13	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$129,250	$89,680 – $159,280	60
14	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$126,620	$88,160 – $164,450	190
15	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$125,470	$79,990 – $275,590	280
16	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$122,980	$72,380 – $168,620	350
17	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$119,900	$57,190 – $154,140	130
18	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$116,300	$76,740 – $179,430	450
19	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$112,140	$59,630 – $189,160	50
20	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$107,960	$63,480 – $159,380	110
21	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$105,920	$77,690 – $176,590	80
22	Judges, Magistrate Judges, and MagistratesDoctoral or professional degree	$103,940	$63,240 – $149,590	40
23	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$103,760	$75,180 – $139,050	140
24	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$101,560	$71,960 – $169,130	170
25	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$101,150	$67,170 – $202,040	880
26	Labor Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$98,380	$79,460 – $125,360	140
27	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,050	$62,780 – $155,880	60
28	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$96,990	$52,580 – $129,470	150
29	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$96,510	$67,200 – $127,850	90
30	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$96,050	$45,020 – $675,730	140
31	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,810	$51,640 – $136,990	280
32	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$94,210	$63,130 – $156,240	230
33	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,410	$50,270 – $166,860	80
34	Dietitians and NutritionistsBachelor's degree	$92,390	$63,110 – $92,400	90
35	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$91,920	$56,290 – $196,010	170
36	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$91,520	$60,180 – $116,580	80
37	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$89,600	$54,280 – $142,810	390
38	Petroleum EngineersBachelor's degree	$88,860	$79,780 – $196,510	80
39	Education Administrators, All OtherBachelor's degree	$88,250	$48,840 – $116,080	50
40	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$86,060	$47,090 – $140,410	130
41	Gas Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,790	$60,520 – $118,690	100
42	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$85,510	$57,710 – $104,050	40
43	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$85,240	$65,670 – $153,410	130
44	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$84,770	$49,060 – $188,830	40
45	Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety EngineersBachelor's degree	$84,450	$59,990 – $134,750	70
46	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$84,240	$53,200 – $152,860	90
47	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$83,190	$47,150 – $167,820	2,160
48	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$80,850	$46,310 – $118,240	50
49	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$80,230	$51,110 – $138,850	4,320
50	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,130	$45,850 – $93,330	80

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 jobs in Charleston, WV

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