SOC 29-1292 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Dental Hygienists — Charleston
Charleston, WV · 6 metro areas compared
Median pay in Charleston, WV is $65,520 a year, 33.2% under the national median of $98,100 for this occupation.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow faster than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +7.0%
- Openings per year
- 15,300
- Typical entry-level education
- Associate's degree
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Charleston, WV.
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
Median pay in Charleston, WV is $65,520 a year, 33.2% under the national median of $98,100 for this occupation. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $64,730 and $75,190. The lowest tenth earn under $62,510, while the highest tenth earn more than $76,200.
The area has 260 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 2.5 of every thousand jobs. Within the state, Weirton records the highest median at $75,240. Of the 341 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 88th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $62,510 | −36.3% |
| 25th | $64,730 | −34.0% |
| Median (50th) | $65,520 | −33.2% |
| 75th | $75,190 | −23.4% |
| 90th | $76,200 | −22.3% |
| Mean | $70,400 | −28.2% |
Other metro areas in West Virginia
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weirton | $75,240 | 50 | |
| 2 | Parkersburg | $74,190 | 70 | |
| 3 | Morgantown | $73,840 | 120 | |
| 4 | Huntington | $73,470 | 180 | |
| 5 | Wheeling | $72,540 | 110 | |
| 6 | Beckley | $64,730 | 100 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Charleston run 11.3% below the national average, so the median of $65,520 goes as far as $73,867 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 24.7% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$65,520as reported by BLSLocal price level
88.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$73,867US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $65,520 a year, 33.2% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $62,510 to $76,200 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 260 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Weirton, at $75,240.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Dental Hygienists in Charleston, WV?
The median annual wage is $65,520, or $31.50 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 $98,100, so pay in Charleston, WV is 33.2% 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 Charleston, WV earns more than $76,200 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $62,510 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 $75,240 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 260 jobs in this occupation in Charleston, WV. 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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