Insights / Healthcare pay below the U.S. median / West Virginia
5 healthcare jobs where pay in West Virginia lags the U.S. median
West Virginia midpoint copies will miss, and West Virginia dental hygienists show the widest gap.
West Virginia copied midpoints look generous while West Virginia candidates still walk away.
West Virginia dental hygienists earn about $73.8K, 25% under the national median of about $98.1K.
West Virginia dental assistants stay short at about $38.0K, 21% under the national median of about $48.1K.
Each occupation
1Dental Hygienists
- State median
- $73,840
- U.S. median
- $98,100
- State vs U.S.
- 0.75
2Psychiatric Technicians
- State median
- $34,100
- U.S. median
- $45,130
- State vs U.S.
- 0.76
3Emergency Medical Technicians
- State median
- $34,360
- U.S. median
- $44,470
- State vs U.S.
- 0.77
4Home Health and Personal Care Aides
- State median
- $28,010
- U.S. median
- $35,800
- State vs U.S.
- 0.78
5Dental Assistants
- State median
- $37,960
- U.S. median
- $48,070
- State vs U.S.
- 0.79
Ranked table
Swipe the table sideways. The same figures are in the blocks above.
| Rank | Occupation | State median | U.S. median | State vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dental Hygienists | $73,840 | $98,100 | 0.75 |
| 2 | Psychiatric Technicians | $34,100 | $45,130 | 0.76 |
| 3 | Emergency Medical Technicians | $34,360 | $44,470 | 0.77 |
| 4 | Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $28,010 | $35,800 | 0.78 |
| 5 | Dental Assistants | $37,960 | $48,070 | 0.79 |
Takeaways
- West Virginia psychiatric technicians earn about $34.1K, 24% under the national median, and West Virginia still needs them.
- West Virginia emergency technicians earn about $34.4K, 23% under the national median.
- West Virginia aides earn about $28.0K, 22% under the national median, and West Virginia still must fill shifts.
- Rebuild West Virginia offers from the West Virginia median before anyone calls them competitive.
For recruiters
- Skip West Virginia national midpoints, because West Virginia candidates already know the local gap.
- Keep West Virginia dental assistants on the lag list so West Virginia doesn't stop at hygienists.
- Post the Virginia wage in the Hiring Pack.
FAQ
- Are these posted wages or open jobs?
- No. The table is a government survey or a designation file.
- What should a recruiter do first?
- Follow the recruiter note on this page.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Related hiring pages
Methodology
An occupation is included only when the West Virginia OEWS median is at most 0.97 times the U.S. median for the same occupation. The 5 lowest comparisons are shown. States with fewer than 5 such occupations are omitted, rather than filled with occupations at or above the U.S. median. OEWS May 2025. Sorted by the lowest comparison, West Virginia is 8 of 31. A row links to the West Virginia metro page with the highest public market difficulty score for that occupation when one is published, and otherwise to the occupation page on the hiring grid. An unpublished percentile or employment count is shown as unpublished rather than replaced with a zero. The wages are annual OEWS figures. They are not job listings and they are not an employer's current offer. Read the comparison beside the dollar figures: a high state wage can still sit under the national median for that occupation, and a lower state wage can still sit above it. Rounded figures in the prose: $73,840 is stated as about $73.8K. $98,100 is stated as about $98.1K. a comparison of 0.75 is stated as 25 percent. $37,960 is stated as about $38.0K. $48,070 is stated as about $48.1K. a comparison of 0.79 is stated as 21 percent. Rounded figures in the prose: $34,100 is stated as about $34.1K. a comparison of 0.76 is stated as 24 percent. $34,360 is stated as about $34.4K. a comparison of 0.77 is stated as 23 percent. $28,010 is stated as about $28.0K. a comparison of 0.78 is stated as 22 percent.
Sources
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