Cost of hiring in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area
BLS counts about 10,350 people in these 17 roles in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($97,940 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($30,790), and Administrative Assistant is the largest job, with about 1,730 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | -0.3% | 170 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -1.8% | 40 | |
| Project Coordinator | -4.3% | 500 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -12.2% | 1,450 | |
| Accountant | -15.0% | 690 | |
| Paralegal | -16.7% | 180 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -17.1% | 110 | |
| HR Assistant | -17.2% | 70 | |
| Recruiter | -18.0% | 480 | |
| Bookkeeper | -18.3% | 1,690 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -19.0% | 970 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -19.4% | 1,730 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -20.6% | 210 | |
| Executive Assistant | -24.8% | 150 | |
| Office Manager | -26.8% | 1,280 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -32.1% | 300 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -37.7% | 330 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $38,320 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $49,445 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area against the US
The Northern West Virginia nonmetro area pays below the US median for 16 of the 17 roles, furthest for marketing specialists (-37.7%). For payroll specialists it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 17 is -18.0%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for payroll specialists, #139 of 486 areas by median pay; its lowest is for office managers, #506 of 519.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area has more bookkeepers (16.3% of these jobs here, against 8.7% nationally) and payroll specialists (1.6% against 1.0%), and fewer medical administrative assistants (2.0% against 6.1%) and sales development representatives (2.9% against 7.9%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Pocatello, ID is nearest, at -18.0%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wichita Falls, TX | -17.9% | 16 | 4,930 |
| Pocatello, ID | -18.0% | 13 | 3,780 |
| Northern West Virginia (Nonmetro) | -18.0% (this area) | 17 | 10,350 |
| Rome, GA | -18.0% | 13 | 3,220 |
| Mansfield, OH | -18.0% | 15 | 3,440 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | -18.1% | 16 | 8,910 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area span $31,480–$136,980, the widest band (4.4×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $29,100–$49,630. Wider than nationally for e-commerce order specialists and executive assistants, narrower for recruiters and accountants. Budget from the median for sales development representatives, marketing specialists, paralegals and 3 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($64,920 against a $47,490 median for sales development representatives).
the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area against West Virginia
Against West Virginia as a whole, the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area pays more for 3 of 17 roles, led by payroll specialists (+22.4%) and project coordinators (+6.7%), and less for 13, most of all paralegals (-11.2%). It has the highest median in West Virginia for payroll specialists and customer support specialists.
Other areas in West Virginia
By jobs in these roles, the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area is #2 of 9 areas in West Virginia. The table shows the other 8.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY | 12,600 | 16 |
| Charleston, WV | 9,840 | 16 |
| Morgantown, WV | 5,530 | 16 |
| Southern West Virginia (Nonmetro) | 5,150 | 16 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | 4,830 | 16 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | 3,390 | 13 |
| Beckley, WV | 3,140 | 14 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | 2,520 | 14 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $97,940 a year, about $126,374 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $30,790.
Is hiring in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
Mostly: no role pays more than the US median, and 16 of 17 pay less.
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.