High paying jobs in West Virginia

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in West Virginia. 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 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 · Employed

1Emergency Medicine Physicians$491,230
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,830 – $556,710300
2Radiologists$471,650
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,010 – $734,750360
3Surgeons, All Other$468,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,650 – $638,860240
4Nurse Anesthetists$278,530
Master's degree
$226,300 – $380,340740
5Family Medicine Physicians$272,680
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,810 – $423,270320
6Physicians, All Other$258,020
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,160 – $374,9801,980
7Dentists, General$170,370
Doctoral or professional degree
$96,270 – $362,930420
8Chief Executives$151,950
Bachelor's degree
$72,160 – $403,0201,700
9Architectural and Engineering Managers$149,430
Bachelor's degree
$103,690 – $211,550420
10Computer and Information Systems Managers$139,820
Bachelor's degree
$78,440 – $205,0401,100
11Pharmacists$133,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,900 – $166,0202,260
12Veterinarians$128,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$54,830 – $201,910390
13Physician Assistants$128,610
Master's degree
$98,200 – $160,8901,080
14Nurse Practitioners$127,320
Master's degree
$100,220 – $155,5002,550
15Managers, All Other$124,940
Bachelor's degree
$61,760 – $200,1603,640
16Computer Network Architects$122,520
Bachelor's degree
$79,440 – $146,440360
17Software Developers$121,000
Bachelor's degree
$60,480 – $168,6202,650
18Human Resources Managers$120,020
Bachelor's degree
$76,720 – $214,920510
19Engineers, All Other$118,800
Bachelor's degree
$65,710 – $169,500660
20Electrical Engineers$113,420
Bachelor's degree
$76,830 – $156,250500
21Financial Managers$113,140
Bachelor's degree
$73,260 – $199,9202,610
22Medical and Health Services Managers$112,010
Bachelor's degree
$77,810 – $209,0902,080
23Industrial Production Managers$111,760
Bachelor's degree
$79,500 – $175,0701,000
24Industrial Engineers$108,360
Bachelor's degree
$76,180 – $163,090850
25Computer Occupations, All Other$107,140
Bachelor's degree
$51,090 – $172,4103,380
26Business Teachers, Postsecondary$104,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$56,670 – $206,080420
27Lawyers$102,420
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,950 – $206,3702,440
28Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$100,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,510 – $126,980240
29Marketing Managers$98,750
Bachelor's degree
$70,970 – $194,200300
30Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$98,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,970 – $157,540530
31Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers$97,960
Bachelor's degree
$64,010 – $136,650440
32Management Analysts$97,470
Bachelor's degree
$57,830 – $143,4201,740
33Mechanical Engineers$97,390
Bachelor's degree
$64,640 – $143,030760
34Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$97,230
Bachelor's degree
$42,220 – $156,140760
35Physical Therapists$96,600
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,130 – $126,3801,310
36Occupational Therapists$96,190
Master's degree
$60,870 – $129,460700
37Construction Managers$95,740
Bachelor's degree
$57,490 – $152,180600
38Facilities Managers$95,050
Bachelor's degree
$53,050 – $154,320610
39Sales Managers$94,830
Bachelor's degree
$57,150 – $188,1701,110
40Petroleum Engineers$93,360
Bachelor's degree
$79,860 – $220,130380
41Project Management Specialists$91,780
Bachelor's degree
$54,070 – $149,4602,520
42Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$89,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,640 – $93,3401,270
43Dietitians and Nutritionists$89,440
Bachelor's degree
$55,350 – $103,130520
44Labor Relations Specialists$88,020
Bachelor's degree
$65,500 – $135,250420
45Civil Engineers$86,930
Bachelor's degree
$51,640 – $132,9601,300
46Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$86,560
Bachelor's degree
$42,130 – $128,8501,020
47Financial Specialists, All Other$86,200
Bachelor's degree
$51,630 – $119,430920
48Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$85,440
Associate's degree
$61,210 – $111,690300
49Data Scientists$85,090
Bachelor's degree
$57,500 – $125,100390
50Administrative Services Managers$84,820
Bachelor's degree
$59,150 – $126,5501,890

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	Employed
1	Emergency Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$491,230	$62,830 – $556,710	300
2	RadiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$471,650	$65,010 – $734,750	360
3	Surgeons, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$468,210	$59,650 – $638,860	240
4	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$278,530	$226,300 – $380,340	740
5	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$272,680	$62,810 – $423,270	320
6	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$258,020	$59,160 – $374,980	1,980
7	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$170,370	$96,270 – $362,930	420
8	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$151,950	$72,160 – $403,020	1,700
9	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$149,430	$103,690 – $211,550	420
10	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$139,820	$78,440 – $205,040	1,100
11	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,430	$80,900 – $166,020	2,260
12	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$128,990	$54,830 – $201,910	390
13	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$128,610	$98,200 – $160,890	1,080
14	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$127,320	$100,220 – $155,500	2,550
15	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$124,940	$61,760 – $200,160	3,640
16	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$122,520	$79,440 – $146,440	360
17	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$121,000	$60,480 – $168,620	2,650
18	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$120,020	$76,720 – $214,920	510
19	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$118,800	$65,710 – $169,500	660
20	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$113,420	$76,830 – $156,250	500
21	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$113,140	$73,260 – $199,920	2,610
22	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$112,010	$77,810 – $209,090	2,080
23	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$111,760	$79,500 – $175,070	1,000
24	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$108,360	$76,180 – $163,090	850
25	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$107,140	$51,090 – $172,410	3,380
26	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$104,480	$56,670 – $206,080	420
27	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$102,420	$64,950 – $206,370	2,440
28	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$100,400	$60,510 – $126,980	240
29	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$98,750	$70,970 – $194,200	300
30	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,230	$56,970 – $157,540	530
31	Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,960	$64,010 – $136,650	440
32	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$97,470	$57,830 – $143,420	1,740
33	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,390	$64,640 – $143,030	760
34	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$97,230	$42,220 – $156,140	760
35	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$96,600	$73,130 – $126,380	1,310
36	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$96,190	$60,870 – $129,460	700
37	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$95,740	$57,490 – $152,180	600
38	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$95,050	$53,050 – $154,320	610
39	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$94,830	$57,150 – $188,170	1,110
40	Petroleum EngineersBachelor's degree	$93,360	$79,860 – $220,130	380
41	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$91,780	$54,070 – $149,460	2,520
42	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$89,690	$60,640 – $93,340	1,270
43	Dietitians and NutritionistsBachelor's degree	$89,440	$55,350 – $103,130	520
44	Labor Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$88,020	$65,500 – $135,250	420
45	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$86,930	$51,640 – $132,960	1,300
46	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$86,560	$42,130 – $128,850	1,020
47	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$86,200	$51,630 – $119,430	920
48	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$85,440	$61,210 – $111,690	300
49	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$85,090	$57,500 – $125,100	390
50	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$84,820	$59,150 – $126,550	1,890

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in West Virginia. 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.

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.

High paying jobs in West Virginia

More for West Virginia

Metro areas in West Virginia

By field in West Virginia

Without a degree

By state