SOC 53-7073 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Wellhead Pumpers — West Virginia
West Virginia · 1 metro areas compared
Median pay in West Virginia is $52,170 a year, 25.4% under the national median of $69,960 for this occupation.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -4.7%
- Openings per year
- 2,000
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- Less than 5 years
- 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
Median pay in West Virginia is $52,170 a year, 25.4% under the national median of $69,960 for this occupation. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $43,620 and $53,660. The lowest tenth earn under $36,900, while the highest tenth earn more than $74,600.
The area has 660 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 0.9 of every thousand jobs. West Virginia ranks number 14th out of 19 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, Charleston records the highest median at $53,390. Of the 618 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 300th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $36,900 | −47.3% |
| 25th | $43,620 | −37.7% |
| Median (50th) | $52,170 | −25.4% |
| 75th | $53,660 | −23.3% |
| 90th | $74,600 | +6.6% |
| Mean | $51,210 | −26.8% |
Highest-paying metro areas in West Virginia
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charleston | $53,390 | 60 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in West Virginia run 10.5% below the national average, so the median of $52,170 goes as far as $58,291 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 16.7% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$52,170as reported by BLSLocal price level
89.5US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$58,291US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $52,170 a year, 25.4% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $36,900 to $74,600 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 660 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 14th of 19 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Charleston, at $53,390.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Wellhead Pumpers in West Virginia?
The median annual wage is $52,170, or $25.08 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 $69,960, so pay in West Virginia is 25.4% 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 $74,600 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $36,900 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 Charleston, at $53,390 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 660 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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