Accountant salary in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area
The Northern West Virginia nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for accountants: the median of $71,160 a year1 is 2.9% below the West Virginia statewide median of $73,320, and 15.0% below the US median of $83,680. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#429 of 521). BLS counts about 690 people in this job here, 14% of the West Virginia total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area against West Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern West Virginia (Nonmetro) | $45,740 | $71,160 | $102,640 | |
| West Virginia | $49,240 | $73,320 | $115,210 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area earns $57,110–$83,320. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $102,640, only 2.2 times the bottom tenth, against 2.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $26,210 wide, against $32,400 across West Virginia and $42,790 nationally: employers in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an accountant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $45,740 | $3,812 | $21.99 | $59,019 |
| 25th percentile | $57,110 | $4,759 | $27.46 | $73,690 |
| Median | $71,160 | $5,930 | $34.21 | $91,819 |
| 75th percentile | $83,320 | $6,943 | $40.06 | $107,510 |
| 90th percentile | $102,640 | $8,553 | $49.35 | $132,439 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $14,050 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $12,160, or about $15,690 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $83,680 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area, and the West Virginia statewide median of $73,320 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local accountants earn.
What a hire really costs in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area
At the $71,160 median, a local hire costs about $91,819 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $20,659 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for accountants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($97,940); recruiters come next at $62,290.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +37.6% | 500 | |
| Accountant | this role | 690 | |
| Recruiter | -12.5% | 480 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -18.4% | 170 | |
| Executive Assistant | -19.1% | 150 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area (-15.0%), between customer support specialists (-12.2%) and paralegals (-16.7%). The typical role here is at -18.0%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost more in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 6.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area, 8.3% across West Virginia and 9.1% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in West Virginia
Across the 9 areas of West Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $64,680 in the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area to $100,420 in Parkersburg-Vienna, a gap of $35,740 a year. All 2 areas in West Virginia with more accountants than the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area pay less, among them Charleston, WV ($66,560) and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY ($70,840).
| Area | Median | vs the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeling, WV-OH | +1.3% | 380 | |
| Morgantown, WV | +0.8% | 490 | |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | +0.5% | 200 | |
| Northern West Virginia (Nonmetro) | this area | 690 | |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY | -0.4% | 850 | |
| Charleston, WV | -6.5% | 890 | |
| Southern West Virginia (Nonmetro) | -9.1% | 330 |
the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area is #283 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside West Virginia, Daphne-Fairhope and Coeur d'Alene pay just above the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area and Jackson and St. George just below. All four are within $630 a year of the median in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | +9.0% | 690 | jobs | |
| Longview, TX | +5.5% | 690 | jobs | |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | +0.1% | 380 | pay | |
| Daphne-Fairhope, AL | +0.1% | 820 | pay | |
| Northern West Virginia (Nonmetro) | this area | 690 | ||
| Jackson, MS | -0.6% | 2,590 | pay | |
| St. George, UT | -0.9% | 530 | pay | |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | -6.6% | 690 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Northern West Virginia (Nonmetro)?
About $91,819 a year at the median, or $7,652 a month: $71,160 in pay plus about $20,659 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $71,160 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $45,740, the 90th $102,640, and the middle half earned $57,110 to $83,320.
Is the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of West Virginia for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $71,160 against $73,320 statewide. The next area up in West Virginia is Weirton-Steubenville at $71,490, the next down Huntington-Ashland at $70,840.
How many accountants work in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 690 in the May 2025 survey. That is 14% of the West Virginia total of 4,900. Only Charleston and Huntington-Ashland have more in West Virginia.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area?
Yes: $8,870 a year more at the median. The medians are $71,160 and $62,290.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-2011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.