Cost of hiring in the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area
Administrative Assistant is the largest of these 16 jobs in the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area, with about 970 people1. Medians run from $30,370 a year for virtual receptionists to $74,730 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | -13.5% | 30 | |
| Executive Assistant | -16.6% | 80 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -17.9% | 610 | |
| Recruiter | -18.9% | 190 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -20.1% | 620 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -20.8% | 130 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -22.6% | 970 | |
| Accountant | -22.7% | 330 | |
| Bookkeeper | -24.1% | 870 | |
| HR Assistant | -24.8% | 50 | |
| Project Coordinator | -27.0% | 150 | |
| Office Manager | -32.0% | 740 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -34.3% | 110 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -38.7% | 70 | |
| Paralegal | -40.8% | 70 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -47.6% | 130 |
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 $36,790 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $47,471 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area against the US
The Southern West Virginia nonmetro area pays below the US median for all 16 roles. The gap is smallest for data entry specialists (-13.5%) and executive assistants (-16.6%) and largest for marketing specialists (-47.6%). The middle gap across all 16 is -23.4%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for executive assistants, #244 of 509 areas by median pay; its lowest is for payroll specialists, #486 of 486.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area has more virtual receptionists (12.0% of these jobs here, against 5.8% nationally) and bookkeepers (16.9% against 8.7%), and fewer sales development representatives (2.1% against 8.0%) and medical administrative assistants (2.5% against 6.1%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Alexandria, LA is nearest, at -23.3%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valdosta, GA | -22.8% | 15 | 4,420 |
| Monroe, LA | -22.8% | 16 | 7,200 |
| Alexandria, LA | -23.3% | 14 | 4,980 |
| Southern West Virginia (Nonmetro) | -23.4% (this area) | 16 | 5,150 |
| Eagle Pass, TX | -23.6% | 11 | 1,250 |
| Laredo, TX | -24.2% | 17 | 10,520 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area span $26,060–$100,740, the widest band (3.9×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $28,700–$44,720. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 7 of 16 roles, marketing specialists most ($43,390–$155,480 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, paralegals, payroll specialists and 5 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($58,050 against a $45,990 median for sales development representatives).
the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area against West Virginia
Against West Virginia as a whole, the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area pays about the same or less for all 16 roles, and less for 14, most of all paralegals (-36.9%). It has the lowest median in West Virginia for project coordinators, accountants and marketing specialists and 5 more roles.
Other areas in West Virginia
By jobs in these roles, the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area is #5 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 |
| Northern West Virginia (Nonmetro) | 10,350 | 17 |
| Charleston, WV | 9,840 | 16 |
| Morgantown, WV | 5,530 | 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 Southern West Virginia nonmetro area?
Of the 16 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $74,730 a year, about $96,426 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $30,370.
Is hiring in the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 16 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for marketing specialists (-47.6%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.