Accountant salary in the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area
Of the 9 areas in West Virginia with BLS pay data for this job, the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area has the lowest median: $64,680 a year1. That is 11.8% below the West Virginia statewide median of $73,320, and 22.7% below the US median of $83,680. Only 26 of 521 US areas pay less for this job. About 330 accountants work here, 7% of the West Virginia total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area against West Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern West Virginia (Nonmetro) | $44,410 | $64,680 | $96,530 | |
| West Virginia | $49,240 | $73,320 | $115,210 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area earns $52,520–$79,010. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $96,530, 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 $26,490 wide, against $32,400 across West Virginia and $42,790 nationally: employers in the Southern 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 | $44,410 | $3,701 | $21.35 | $57,303 |
| 25th percentile | $52,520 | $4,377 | $25.25 | $67,768 |
| Median | $64,680 | $5,390 | $31.10 | $83,458 |
| 75th percentile | $79,010 | $6,584 | $37.99 | $101,948 |
| 90th percentile | $96,530 | $8,044 | $46.41 | $124,555 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $14,330 a year in pay and about $18,490 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $12,160 in pay. 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 Southern 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 Southern West Virginia nonmetro area
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $18,778 to the $64,680 median and brings it to $83,458 a year. 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 Southern West Virginia nonmetro area
Of the 16 roles we track in the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($74,730); executive assistants come next at $63,910.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +15.5% | 150 | |
| Accountant | this role | 330 | |
| Executive Assistant | -1.2% | 80 | |
| Recruiter | -4.8% | 190 | |
| Office Manager | -26.9% | 740 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #8 of the 16 roles we track in the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area (-22.7%), between administrative assistants (-22.6%) and bookkeepers (-24.1%). The typical role here is at -23.4%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 6.4% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area, 8.3% across West Virginia and 9.2% 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 6 areas in West Virginia with more accountants than the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area also pay more, among them Charleston, WV ($66,560) and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY ($70,840).
| Area | Median | vs the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeling, WV-OH | +11.5% | 380 | |
| Morgantown, WV | +10.9% | 490 | |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | +10.5% | 200 | |
| Northern West Virginia (Nonmetro) | +10.0% | 690 | |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY | +9.5% | 850 | |
| Charleston, WV | +2.9% | 890 | |
| Southern West Virginia (Nonmetro) | this area | 330 |
the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area is #446 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a small market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside West Virginia, Johnson City and Lincoln pay just above the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area and Alexandria and McAllen-Edinburg just below. All four are within $490 a year of the median in the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, IN | +21.7% | 330 | jobs | |
| Fond du Lac, WI | +18.8% | 330 | jobs | |
| Lebanon, PA | +14.7% | 330 | jobs | |
| Lincoln, NE | +0.8% | 2,130 | pay | |
| Johnson City, TN | +0.0% | 510 | pay | |
| Southern West Virginia (Nonmetro) | this area | 330 | ||
| Alexandria, LA | -0.2% | 400 | pay | |
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | -0.3% | 1,430 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Southern West Virginia (Nonmetro)?
About $83,458 a year at the median, or $6,955 a month: $64,680 in pay plus about $18,778 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $64,680 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $44,410, the 90th $96,530, and the middle half earned $52,520 to $79,010.
Is the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area the cheapest area in West Virginia for accountants?
Yes. Its median of $64,680 is the lowest of 9 areas in West Virginia. Charleston is next at $66,560.
How many accountants work in the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 330 in the May 2025 survey. That is 7% of the West Virginia total of 4,900. 6 areas in West Virginia have more; the closest in size is Wheeling, with about 380.
Does an accountant cost more than an executive assistant in the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area?
Yes: $770 a year more at the median. The medians are $64,680 and $63,910.
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.