Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| West Virginia | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $48,810 | $53,934 | -10% |
| Median hourly wage | $23.47 | $25.93 | -10% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $54,536.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Welder in West Virginia is $48,810, or about $23.47 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Welders is $53,934. West Virginia is -10% below the national median.
Entry-level welders in West Virginia typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 2,100 welder jobs on record and a median salary of $48,810, West Virginia offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, welders rank 340 of the 618 occupations reported in West Virginia — higher than 45% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Power Distributors and Dispatchers at $101,960, Power Plant Operators at $97,210, Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers at $83,910 — 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, welders rank 340 of the 618 occupations reported in West Virginia — higher than 45% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in West Virginia | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Power Distributors and Dispatchers | $101,960 | $50 |
| Power Plant Operators | $97,210 | $170 |
| Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | $83,910 | $330 |
| Gas Plant Operators | $82,600 | $420 |
| Chemical Plant and System Operators | $81,710 | $380 |
| Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $76,080 | $1,920 |
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.