Registered Nurses Salary in West Virginia
In West Virginia, registered nurses earn a median $80,130 a year, well below the national median of $97,550 (−18%); the state ranks 45th of 51 states by median. Registered Nurses earn 77% more than the median across all occupations in West Virginia ($45,300). Every neighbouring state pays more: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky range from $81,040 in Kentucky to $99,790 in Maryland. West Virginia employs 23,430 registered nurses, 33.4 per 1,000 jobs, the 37th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.54 means the occupation is more concentrated in West Virginia than nationally.
West Virginia vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| West Virginia | Hourly | $27.50 | $32.77 | $38.52 | $47.97 | $63.35 | $41.81 | 23,430 | 33.39 | 1.54 |
| Annual | $57,210 | $68,160 | $80,130 | $99,770 | $131,760 | $86,970 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $33.14 | $38.62 | $46.90 | $54.02 | $66.09 | $48.76 | 3,379,720 | – | – |
| Annual | $68,940 | $80,330 | $97,550 | $112,350 | $137,470 | $101,420 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 45th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 37th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.54
- Jobs per 1,000
- 33.39
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of West Virginia's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in West Virginia
10 metropolitan areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas touching West Virginia publish a row for registered nurses, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $49.38 | $102,710 | $80,750 | $132,900 | 46,830 | 14.93 | 0.69 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | $45.99 | $95,650 | $78,710 | $131,810 | 1,630 | 24.04 | 1.11 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $44.60 | $92,770 | $63,360 | $121,430 | 2,240 | 20.91 | 0.96 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $38.95 | $81,010 | $62,810 | $124,650 | 5,580 | 39.65 | 1.82 |
| Charleston, WV | $38.57 | $80,230 | $51,110 | $138,850 | 4,320 | 41.71 | 1.92 |
| Morgantown, WV | $38.52 | $80,130 | $61,150 | $135,790 | 4,510 | 67.00 | 3.08 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $37.98 | $79,000 | $53,570 | $114,600 | 910 | 24.99 | 1.15 |
| Beckley, WV | $37.83 | $78,680 | $63,820 | $110,140 | 1,320 | 30.54 | 1.41 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $37.63 | $78,280 | $60,260 | $107,410 | 1,680 | 28.82 | 1.33 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $37.21 | $77,400 | $62,070 | $91,170 | 1,190 | 32.88 | 1.51 |
| Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $38.06 | $79,150 | $56,310 | $115,880 | 3,230 | 22.16 | 1.02 |
| Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $36.82 | $76,580 | $51,020 | $99,160 | 1,580 | 20.82 | 0.96 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $38.52 | $80,130 | 23,430 | 1.54 |
| Kentucky | $38.96 | $81,040 | 50,300 | 1.16 |
| Maryland | $47.98 | $99,790 | 52,910 | 0.88 |
| Ohio | $39.67 | $82,510 | 143,730 | 1.19 |
| Pennsylvania | $46.36 | $96,430 | 146,520 | 1.11 |
| Virginia | $45.00 | $93,600 | 77,490 | 0.87 |
See the national page for Registered Nurses (every state ranked) and the West Virginia wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS West Virginia estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.