Charleston, WV metro area
Highest-Paying Occupations in Charleston Metro
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Charleston, WV metro area
Figures describe the Charleston, WV metropolitan statistical area as defined by BLS/OMB — the whole multi-county metro region, not Charleston city limits. Occupations are ranked by published median annual wage; occupations where BLS suppressed the annual median or publishes only hourly wages are not ranked (5 such occupations here).
Top 25 of 341 occupations
| # | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Surgeons, All Other | $619,320 | $297.75 | 60 |
| 2 | Radiologists | $482,670 | $232.05 | 60 |
| 3 | Family Medicine Physicians | $344,250 | $165.50 | 90 |
| 4 | Physicians, All Other | $285,470 | $137.24 | 180 |
| 5 | Nurse Anesthetists | $280,250 | $134.74 | 220 |
| 6 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $165,690 | $79.66 | 70 |
| 7 | Chief Executives | $161,540 | $77.66 | 240 |
| 8 | Dentists, General | $152,980 | $73.55 | 70 |
| 9 | Industrial Engineers | $143,860 | $69.16 | 160 |
| 10 | Pharmacists | $131,660 | $63.30 | 340 |
| 11 | Computer Network Architects | $131,210 | $63.08 | 70 |
| 12 | Nurse Practitioners | $129,260 | $62.14 | 370 |
| 13 | Electrical Engineers | $129,250 | $62.14 | 60 |
| 14 | Physician Assistants | $126,620 | $60.87 | 190 |
| 15 | Medical and Health Services Managers | $125,470 | $60.32 | 280 |
| 16 | Software Developers | $122,980 | $59.13 | 350 |
| 17 | Engineers, All Other | $119,900 | $57.64 | 130 |
| 18 | Financial Managers | $116,300 | $55.91 | 450 |
| 19 | Veterinarians | $112,140 | $53.91 | 50 |
| 20 | Industrial Production Managers | $107,960 | $51.90 | 110 |
| 21 | Managers, All Other | $107,490 | $51.68 | Not published |
| 22 | Human Resources Managers | $105,920 | $50.93 | 80 |
| 23 | Database Architects | $104,570 | $50.27 | 30 |
| 24 | Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | $103,940 | $49.97 | 40 |
| 25 | Physical Therapists | $103,760 | $49.89 | 140 |
The full list of every published occupation here is on the Charleston metro area overview.
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.