Jobs that pay the biggest premium in West Virginia

Each occupation's median wage in West Virginia compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where West Virginia pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Helpers--Extraction Workers$77,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,970 – $77,230+61.7%
2Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$76,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,920 – $76,080+61.3%
3Conveyor Operators and Tenders$62,830
No formal educational credential
$39,400 – $74,810+48.1%
4Emergency Medicine Physicians$491,230
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,830 – $556,710+46.4%
5Occupational Health and Safety Technicians$81,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,040 – $91,190+32.3%
6Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers$77,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,620 – $98,530+31.7%
7Continuous Mining Machine Operators$77,570
No formal educational credential
$59,840 – $90,690+25.5%
8Meter Readers, Utilities$59,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,650 – $86,880+23.4%
9Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$89,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,640 – $93,340+20.7%
10Nurse Anesthetists$278,530
Master's degree
$226,300 – $380,340+17.7%
11Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$49,020
Bachelor's degree
$41,440 – $75,290+17.6%
12Sheet Metal Workers$72,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,170 – $76,020+17.1%
13Dietitians and Nutritionists$89,440
Bachelor's degree
$55,350 – $103,130+17.1%
14Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$66,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,000 – $93,130+13.8%
15Surgeons, All Other$468,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,650 – $638,860+13.1%
16Radiologists$471,650
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,010 – $734,750+12.1%
17Real Estate Sales Agents$59,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,180 – $97,470+11.8%
18Family Medicine Physicians$272,680
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,810 – $423,270+11.7%
19Extraction Workers, All Other$63,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,750 – $72,350+11.5%
20Information and Record Clerks, All Other$54,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,260 – $74,970+11.0%
21Coaches and Scouts$52,050
Bachelor's degree
$31,040 – $101,530+10.0%
22Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$85,440
Associate's degree
$61,210 – $111,690+9.3%
23Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$46,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,830 – $58,120+7.4%
24Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining$61,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,030 – $79,320+6.8%
25Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$79,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,350 – $93,400+6.3%
26Financial Specialists, All Other$86,200
Bachelor's degree
$51,630 – $119,430+6.3%
27Industrial Engineers$108,360
Bachelor's degree
$76,180 – $163,090+5.8%
28Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$65,050
Bachelor's degree
$47,840 – $70,790+5.7%
29Business Teachers, Postsecondary$104,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$56,670 – $206,080+5.5%
30Chemical Plant and System Operators$81,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,210 – $90,250+4.6%
31Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,460 – $66,420+4.1%
32Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$81,330
Associate's degree
$47,090 – $98,610+3.8%
33Rehabilitation Counselors$48,050
Master's degree
$28,810 – $64,240+2.6%
34Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$51,580
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,510 – $71,240+2.6%
35Electricians$64,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,620 – $95,140+2.6%
36Millwrights$67,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,120 – $82,910+2.4%
37Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$65,200
Bachelor's degree
$37,140 – $89,110+2.2%
38Tutors$44,070
Some college, no degree
$31,200 – $66,720+1.7%
39Roof Bolters, Mining$79,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,820 – $90,720+1.1%
40Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining$74,950
No formal educational credential
$64,120 – $81,100+0.6%
41Waiters and Waitresses$35,380
No formal educational credential
$20,230 – $60,560+0.4%
42Helpers--Production Workers$39,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,670 – $55,860+0.3%
43First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$80,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,220 – $127,180+0.2%
44Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$58,470
No formal educational credential
$45,530 – $75,2800.0%
45Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$82,100
Bachelor's degree
$51,520 – $119,020-0.1%
46Dentists, General$170,370
Doctoral or professional degree
$96,270 – $362,930-0.3%
47Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$63,560
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,970 – $96,960-0.5%
48Architectural and Civil Drafters$65,640
Associate's degree
$40,520 – $100,710-0.8%
49Veterinarians$128,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$54,830 – $201,910-0.9%
50Maintenance Workers, Machinery$60,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,370 – $88,750-1.4%

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	vs. national
1	Helpers--Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,180	$36,970 – $77,230	+61.7%
2	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,080	$39,920 – $76,080	+61.3%
3	Conveyor Operators and TendersNo formal educational credential	$62,830	$39,400 – $74,810	+48.1%
4	Emergency Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$491,230	$62,830 – $556,710	+46.4%
5	Occupational Health and Safety TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,470	$60,040 – $91,190	+32.3%
6	Title Examiners, Abstractors, and SearchersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,230	$50,620 – $98,530	+31.7%
7	Continuous Mining Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$77,570	$59,840 – $90,690	+25.5%
8	Meter Readers, UtilitiesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,430	$36,650 – $86,880	+23.4%
9	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$89,690	$60,640 – $93,340	+20.7%
10	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$278,530	$226,300 – $380,340	+17.7%
11	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$49,020	$41,440 – $75,290	+17.6%
12	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,390	$38,170 – $76,020	+17.1%
13	Dietitians and NutritionistsBachelor's degree	$89,440	$55,350 – $103,130	+17.1%
14	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,060	$44,000 – $93,130	+13.8%
15	Surgeons, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$468,210	$59,650 – $638,860	+13.1%
16	RadiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$471,650	$65,010 – $734,750	+12.1%
17	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,050	$32,180 – $97,470	+11.8%
18	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$272,680	$62,810 – $423,270	+11.7%
19	Extraction Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,550	$60,750 – $72,350	+11.5%
20	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,950	$36,260 – $74,970	+11.0%
21	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$52,050	$31,040 – $101,530	+10.0%
22	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$85,440	$61,210 – $111,690	+9.3%
23	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,410	$35,830 – $58,120	+7.4%
24	Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface MiningHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,330	$46,030 – $79,320	+6.8%
25	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,000	$46,350 – $93,400	+6.3%
26	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$86,200	$51,630 – $119,430	+6.3%
27	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$108,360	$76,180 – $163,090	+5.8%
28	Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsBachelor's degree	$65,050	$47,840 – $70,790	+5.7%
29	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$104,480	$56,670 – $206,080	+5.5%
30	Chemical Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,710	$44,210 – $90,250	+4.6%
31	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,020	$38,460 – $66,420	+4.1%
32	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$81,330	$47,090 – $98,610	+3.8%
33	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$48,050	$28,810 – $64,240	+2.6%
34	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$51,580	$34,510 – $71,240	+2.6%
35	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,810	$43,620 – $95,140	+2.6%
36	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,270	$49,120 – $82,910	+2.4%
37	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$65,200	$37,140 – $89,110	+2.2%
38	TutorsSome college, no degree	$44,070	$31,200 – $66,720	+1.7%
39	Roof Bolters, MiningHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,400	$63,820 – $90,720	+1.1%
40	Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground MiningNo formal educational credential	$74,950	$64,120 – $81,100	+0.6%
41	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$35,380	$20,230 – $60,560	+0.4%
42	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,190	$31,670 – $55,860	+0.3%
43	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,060	$51,220 – $127,180	+0.2%
44	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$58,470	$45,530 – $75,280	0.0%
45	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$82,100	$51,520 – $119,020	-0.1%
46	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$170,370	$96,270 – $362,930	-0.3%
47	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,560	$41,970 – $96,960	-0.5%
48	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$65,640	$40,520 – $100,710	-0.8%
49	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$128,990	$54,830 – $201,910	-0.9%
50	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,020	$38,370 – $88,750	-1.4%

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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in West Virginia

More for West Virginia

Metro areas in West Virginia

By field in West Virginia

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state