SOC 35-9099 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other — West Virginia
West Virginia
Median pay in West Virginia is $21,640 a year, 39.6% under the national median of $35,840 for this occupation.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay in West Virginia is $21,640 a year, 39.6% under the national median of $35,840 for this occupation. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $21,230 and $40,250. The lowest tenth earn under $20,820, while the highest tenth earn more than $61,050.
The area has 70 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 0.19 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. West Virginia ranks number 44th out of 44 states by median pay for this occupation. Of the 618 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 616th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $20,820 | −41.9% |
| 25th | $21,230 | −40.8% |
| Median (50th) | $21,640 | −39.6% |
| 75th | $40,250 | +12.3% |
| 90th | $61,050 | +70.3% |
| Mean | $30,790 | −14.1% |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in West Virginia run 10.5% below the national average, so the median of $21,640 goes as far as $24,179 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 32.5% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$21,640as reported by BLSLocal price level
89.5US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$24,179US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $21,640 a year, 39.6% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $20,820 to $61,050 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 70 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 44th of 44 states for this occupation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other in West Virginia?
The median annual wage is $21,640, or $10.40 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 $35,840, so pay in West Virginia is 39.6% 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 $61,050 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $20,820 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.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 70 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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