High paying jobs in Charleston, WV that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Charleston, WV and typically require less than a bachelor's degree to enter — a high school diploma, a postsecondary certificate, or an associate's degree. Entry requirements come from the BLS Employment Projections program and describe what is typical, not mandatory.

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

1Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$96,510
Associate's degree
$67,200 – $127,85090
2Detectives and Criminal Investigators$92,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,270 – $166,86080
3Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$86,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,090 – $140,410130
4Gas Plant Operators$85,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,520 – $118,690100
5Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$85,510
Associate's degree
$57,710 – $104,05040
6Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$80,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,850 – $93,33080
7Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$79,570
Associate's degree
$54,340 – $97,750320
8First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$79,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,170 – $126,740570
9Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers$78,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,050 – $99,21060
10First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$77,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,020 – $95,18090
11Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$77,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,040 – $94,940280
12Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$75,900
Associate's degree
$64,820 – $97,300160
13First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$72,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,290 – $108,570640
14Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$71,640
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,990 – $85,87040
15Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$71,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,010 – $71,47090
16Respiratory Therapists$68,670
Associate's degree
$62,480 – $101,230220
17Sheet Metal Workers$68,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,250 – $75,08080
18Dental Hygienists$65,520
Associate's degree
$62,510 – $76,200260
19Continuous Mining Machine Operators$65,280
No formal educational credential
$49,070 – $83,88070
20Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$65,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,550 – $104,370330
21First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$64,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,110 – $95,77070
22Electricians$64,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,370 – $93,350480
23Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$64,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,770 – $107,680480
24Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$63,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,640 – $80,00080
25Construction and Building Inspectors$63,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,680 – $94,230100
26Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$63,560
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,730 – $88,990160
27Physical Therapist Assistants$63,020
Associate's degree
$44,920 – $86,14080
28Conveyor Operators and Tenders$62,820
No formal educational credential
$37,410 – $76,14070
29Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$62,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,740 – $95,440230
30Postal Service Mail Carriers$62,070
No formal educational credential
$43,120 – $81,040240
31Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$61,650
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,000 – $86,04040
32First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$61,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,110 – $117,860310
33Maintenance Workers, Machinery$60,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,460 – $91,600160
34Architectural and Civil Drafters$60,920
Associate's degree
$40,740 – $87,89070
35Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas$60,680
No formal educational credential
$46,210 – $83,24060
36Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$60,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,610 – $69,07080
37Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$59,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,570 – $79,610320
38Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$59,490
No formal educational credential
$47,440 – $75,280360
39Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$59,330
No formal educational credential
$39,240 – $66,03070
40Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health$59,090
Associate's degree
$37,220 – $68,830170
41Industrial Machinery Mechanics$59,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,200 – $89,270310
42Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$58,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,310 – $83,800260
43Postal Service Clerks$58,470
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $72,950110
44Insurance Sales Agents$57,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,850 – $124,990180
45First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$57,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,890 – $81,6001,070
46Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$57,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,440 – $77,490940
47Occupational Therapy Assistants$57,520
Associate's degree
$52,560 – $74,90040
48Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$57,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,950 – $70,980510
49Food Service Managers$56,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,500 – $71,030130
50Legal Support Workers, All Other$55,890
Associate's degree
$31,670 – $71,93060

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	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$96,510	$67,200 – $127,850	90
2	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,410	$50,270 – $166,860	80
3	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$86,060	$47,090 – $140,410	130
4	Gas Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,790	$60,520 – $118,690	100
5	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$85,510	$57,710 – $104,050	40
6	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,130	$45,850 – $93,330	80
7	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,570	$54,340 – $97,750	320
8	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,420	$51,170 – $126,740	570
9	Title Examiners, Abstractors, and SearchersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,530	$37,050 – $99,210	60
10	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,780	$54,020 – $95,180	90
11	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,670	$49,040 – $94,940	280
12	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$75,900	$64,820 – $97,300	160
13	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,190	$44,290 – $108,570	640
14	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$71,640	$47,990 – $85,870	40
15	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,470	$36,010 – $71,470	90
16	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$68,670	$62,480 – $101,230	220
17	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,000	$39,250 – $75,080	80
18	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$65,520	$62,510 – $76,200	260
19	Continuous Mining Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$65,280	$49,070 – $83,880	70
20	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,000	$42,550 – $104,370	330
21	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,990	$44,110 – $95,770	70
22	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,830	$44,370 – $93,350	480
23	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,620	$36,770 – $107,680	480
24	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,740	$45,640 – $80,000	80
25	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,720	$43,680 – $94,230	100
26	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,560	$44,730 – $88,990	160
27	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$63,020	$44,920 – $86,140	80
28	Conveyor Operators and TendersNo formal educational credential	$62,820	$37,410 – $76,140	70
29	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,270	$47,740 – $95,440	230
30	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$62,070	$43,120 – $81,040	240
31	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,650	$34,000 – $86,040	40
32	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,530	$48,110 – $117,860	310
33	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,920	$47,460 – $91,600	160
34	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$60,920	$40,740 – $87,890	70
35	Service Unit Operators, Oil and GasNo formal educational credential	$60,680	$46,210 – $83,240	60
36	Security and Fire Alarm Systems InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,440	$41,610 – $69,070	80
37	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,920	$39,570 – $79,610	320
38	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$59,490	$47,440 – $75,280	360
39	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$59,330	$39,240 – $66,030	70
40	Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthAssociate's degree	$59,090	$37,220 – $68,830	170
41	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,010	$45,200 – $89,270	310
42	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,940	$37,310 – $83,800	260
43	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$58,470	$42,600 – $72,950	110
44	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,710	$30,850 – $124,990	180
45	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,670	$39,890 – $81,600	1,070
46	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,640	$37,440 – $77,490	940
47	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$57,520	$52,560 – $74,900	40
48	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,460	$41,950 – $70,980	510
49	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,200	$39,500 – $71,030	130
50	Legal Support Workers, All OtherAssociate's degree	$55,890	$31,670 – $71,930	60

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 that need no degree

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Without a degree

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