Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| West Virginia | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $37,350 | $62,011 | -40% |
| Median hourly wage | $17.96 | $29.81 | -40% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $41,732.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Firefighter in West Virginia is $37,350, or about $17.96 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Firefighters is $62,011. West Virginia is -40% below the national median.
Entry-level firefighters in West Virginia typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 900 firefighter jobs on record and a median salary of $37,350, West Virginia offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, firefighters rank 491 of the 618 occupations reported in West Virginia — higher than 21% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Detectives and Criminal Investigators at $92,410, First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives at $74,280, First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other at $73,280 — all figures are median annual wages for West Virginia.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. West Virginia levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 90.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, firefighters rank 491 of the 618 occupations reported in West Virginia — higher than 21% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in West Virginia | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $92,410 | $220 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $74,280 | $490 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other | $73,280 | $60 |
| Transportation Security Screeners | $63,130 | $90 |
| Fish and Game Wardens | $62,530 | $110 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $56,960 | $2,900 |
West Virginia levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 90.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 618 occupations in West Virginia.