SOC 47-2031 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Carpenters — West Virginia
West Virginia · 7 metro areas compared
In West Virginia the median wage is $48,710.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +4.5%
- Openings per year
- 74,100
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Apprenticeship
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
26.8% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for West Virginia.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In West Virginia the median wage is $48,710. That is 19.6% lower than the national median of $60,580. Pay ranges from under $35,900 at the tenth percentile to more than $70,060 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $38,180 to $60,190.
The area has 3,670 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 1.21 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. West Virginia ranks number 46th out of 51 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, Weirton records the highest median at $58,240. Of the 618 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 341st.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $35,900 | −40.7% |
| 25th | $38,180 | −37.0% |
| Median (50th) | $48,710 | −19.6% |
| 75th | $60,190 | −0.6% |
| 90th | $70,060 | +15.6% |
| Mean | $50,540 | −16.6% |
Highest-paying metro areas in West Virginia
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weirton | $58,240 | 160 | |
| 2 | Huntington | $52,000 | 780 | |
| 3 | Wheeling | $50,120 | 190 | |
| 4 | Morgantown | $49,160 | 450 | |
| 5 | Charleston | $49,060 | 370 | |
| 6 | Beckley | $48,000 | 250 | |
| 7 | Parkersburg | $47,090 | 170 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in West Virginia run 10.5% below the national average, so the median of $48,710 goes as far as $54,425 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 10.2% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$48,710as reported by BLSLocal price level
89.5US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$54,425US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $48,710 a year, 19.6% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $35,900 to $70,060 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 3,670 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 46th of 51 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Weirton, at $58,240.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Carpenters in West Virginia?
The median annual wage is $48,710, or $23.42 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $60,580, so pay in West Virginia is 19.6% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in West Virginia earns more than $70,060 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $35,900 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Weirton, at $58,240 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 3,670 jobs in this occupation in West Virginia. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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