Accountant salary in Wheeling, WV-OH
Wheeling is a lower-cost market for accountants: the median of $72,110 a year1 is 1.7% below the West Virginia statewide median of $73,320, and 13.8% below the US median of $83,680. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#403 of 521). BLS counts about 380 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Wheeling, WV-OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Wheeling against West Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $48,880 | $72,110 | $107,060 | |
| West Virginia | $49,240 | $73,320 | $115,210 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Wheeling earns $59,380–$82,300. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $107,060, 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 $22,920 wide, against $32,400 across West Virginia and $42,790 nationally: employers in Wheeling 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 | $48,880 | $4,073 | $23.50 | $63,071 |
| 25th percentile | $59,380 | $4,948 | $28.55 | $76,619 |
| Median | $72,110 | $6,009 | $34.67 | $93,045 |
| 75th percentile | $82,300 | $6,858 | $39.57 | $106,194 |
| 90th percentile | $107,060 | $8,922 | $51.47 | $138,142 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $12,730 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $10,190, or about $13,148 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 Wheeling, 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 Wheeling
At the $72,110 median, a local hire costs about $93,045 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $20,935 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 Wheeling
Of the 16 roles we track in Wheeling, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($94,070); executive assistants come next at $66,930.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +30.5% | 210 | |
| Accountant | this role | 380 | |
| Executive Assistant | -7.2% | 70 | |
| Recruiter | -13.4% | 220 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -23.0% | 140 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #6 of the 16 roles we track in Wheeling (-13.8%), between executive assistants (-12.6%) and customer support specialists (-14.1%). The typical role here is at -15.6%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 7.9% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Wheeling, 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. Of the 5 areas in West Virginia with more accountants than Wheeling, 4 pay less, the largest of them Charleston, WV ($66,560), Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY ($70,840) and the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area ($71,160).
| Area | Median | vs Wheeling | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | +39.3% | 550 | |
| Beckley, WV | +0.0% | 220 | |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | this area | 380 | |
| Morgantown, WV | -0.5% | 490 | |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | -0.9% | 200 | |
| Northern West Virginia (Nonmetro) | -1.3% | 690 | |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY | -1.8% | 850 |
Wheeling against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Wheeling is #419 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, Mobile and Canton-Massillon pay just above Wheeling and Gettysburg and Florence just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Wheeling. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Wheeling | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flagstaff, AZ | +8.1% | 380 | jobs | |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | +0.1% | 1,100 | pay | |
| Mobile, AL | +0.0% | 2,010 | pay | |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | this area | 380 | ||
| Gettysburg, PA | -0.0% | 230 | pay | |
| Florence, SC | -0.1% | 470 | pay | |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | -1.2% | 380 | jobs | |
| Johnstown, PA | -3.1% | 380 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Wheeling, WV-OH?
About $93,045 a year at the median, or $7,754 a month: $72,110 in pay plus about $20,935 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in Wheeling?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $72,110 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $48,880, the 90th $107,060, and the middle half earned $59,380 to $82,300.
Is Wheeling cheaper than the rest of West Virginia for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $72,110 against $73,320 statewide. The next area up in West Virginia is Beckley at $72,120, the next down Morgantown at $71,740.
How many accountants work in Wheeling?
BLS counts about 380 in the May 2025 survey. 5 areas in West Virginia have more; the closest in size is Morgantown, with about 490.
Does an accountant cost more than an executive assistant in Wheeling?
Yes: $5,180 a year more at the median. The medians are $72,110 and $66,930.
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.