SOC 19-4043 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians — West Virginia
West Virginia
In West Virginia the median wage for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians reaches $69,350 a year.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow more slowly than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +1.5%
- Openings per year
- 1,300
- Typical entry-level education
- Associate's degree
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
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 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 for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians reaches $69,350 a year. That is 30.0% more than the national median of $53,350. Pay ranges from under $44,720 at the tenth percentile to more than $87,530 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $47,680 to $85,180.
Employment stands at 60, or 0.1 jobs per thousand held locally. West Virginia ranks number 6th out of 35 states by median pay for this occupation. Of the 618 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 161st.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $44,720 | −16.2% |
| 25th | $47,680 | −10.6% |
| Median (50th) | $69,350 | +30.0% |
| 75th | $85,180 | +59.7% |
| 90th | $87,530 | +64.1% |
| Mean | $67,590 | +26.7% |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in West Virginia run 10.5% below the national average, so the median of $69,350 goes as far as $77,486 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 45.2% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$69,350as reported by BLSLocal price level
89.5US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$77,486US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $69,350 a year, 30.0% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $44,720 to $87,530 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 60 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 6th of 35 states for this occupation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians in West Virginia?
The median annual wage is $69,350, or $33.34 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 $53,350, so pay in West Virginia is 30.0% higher. 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 $87,530 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $44,720 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 60 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.
Explore related data