SOC 43-6012 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants — Charleston
Charleston, WV · 4 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Charleston, WV is $49,130 a year, trailing the national median of $55,570 by 11.6%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Charleston, WV is $49,130 a year, trailing the national median of $55,570 by 11.6%. Half of workers earn between $38,100 and $57,480. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $29,080 and the ninetieth at $61,630.
The area has 260 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 2.50 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Parkersburg leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $48,900. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 190th of 341 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $29,080 | −47.7% |
| 25th | $38,100 | −31.4% |
| Median (50th) | $49,130 | −11.6% |
| 75th | $57,480 | +3.4% |
| 90th | $61,630 | +10.9% |
| Mean | $49,060 | −11.7% |
Other metro areas in West Virginia
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parkersburg | $48,900 | 40 | |
| 2 | Wheeling | $47,410 | 60 | |
| 3 | Huntington | $46,400 | 150 | |
| 4 | Weirton | $45,920 | 50 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Charleston run 10.5% below the national average, so the median of $49,130 goes as far as $54,894 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 1.2% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$49,130as reported by BLSLocal price level
89.5US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$54,894US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $49,130 a year, 11.6% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $29,080 to $61,630 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 260 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Parkersburg, at $48,900.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants in Charleston, WV?
The median annual wage is $49,130, or $23.62 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 $55,570, so pay in Charleston, WV is 11.6% 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 Charleston, WV earns more than $61,630 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $29,080 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 Parkersburg, at $48,900 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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