StateRates

Wheeling salaries

The median worker in the Wheeling, WV-OH metro area earned $41,840 a year in 2024, about $20.12 an hour. That ranks #332 of the 391 metro areas published here, 15.5% below the national median.

West Virginia Ohio

Median pay $41,840 $20.12 per hour
Vs national -15.5% U.S. $49,500
Workers 58,940 wage and salary
Metro rank #332 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Wheeling pays 3.4% less than West Virginia as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.

Unusually concentrated here

Occupations against their national share, 2024
Occupation Concentration Employed Median
Cooks, Fast Food 3.53× 900 $23,210
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators 3.15× 560 $60,660
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers 1.94× 600 $90,760
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 1.58× 670 $38,440
Nursing Assistants 1.56× 830 $36,700
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 1.55× 910 $46,800
Cashiers 1.46× 1,760 $25,890
Receptionists and Information Clerks 1.45× 540 $33,220
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers 1.4× 630 $33,580
Retail Salespersons 1.39× 2,010 $27,950
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 1.38× 1,090 $51,010
Stockers and Order Fillers 1.31× 1,390 $35,640

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Wheeling
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Managers, All Other $126,250 $60.70 200
Lawyers $117,960 $56.71 220
Financial Managers $102,880 $49.46 250
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $90,760 $43.64 600
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $78,240 $37.62 390
Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining $77,450 $37.24 200
Registered Nurses $76,400 $36.73 1,460
General and Operations Managers $75,770 $36.43 1,430
Electricians $67,780 $32.59 350
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $66,110 $31.79 220
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines $66,020 $31.74 220
Industrial Machinery Mechanics $65,810 $31.64 260
47-5099 $65,350 $31.42 210
Accountants and Auditors $64,440 $30.98 330
Business Operations Specialists, All Other $63,820 $30.68 200
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $62,990 $30.28 280
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators $60,660 $29.17 560
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $59,820 n/a 330
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $59,020 n/a 570
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $58,920 n/a 460
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $57,600 $27.69 260
Correctional Officers and Jailers $55,270 $26.57 430
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $53,930 $25.93 460
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $53,850 $25.89 540
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $52,950 $25.46 360
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $51,010 $24.53 1,090
Firefighters $50,750 $24.40 220
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General $46,800 $22.50 910
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $45,170 $21.71 210
Billing and Posting Clerks $40,450 $19.45 220
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $40,170 $19.31 570
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive $39,830 $19.15 710
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks $39,020 $18.76 200
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators $38,680 $18.60 210
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers $38,440 $18.48 670
Customer Service Representatives $38,370 $18.45 970
Construction Laborers $38,220 $18.38 520
Pharmacy Technicians $38,140 $18.34 270
Light Truck Drivers $37,730 $18.14 350
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $37,490 $18.02 210
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $37,440 $18.00 370
Medical Assistants $37,240 $17.90 380
Nursing Assistants $36,700 $17.64 830
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand $35,990 $17.30 730
Social and Human Service Assistants $35,800 $17.21 210
Stockers and Order Fillers $35,640 $17.14 1,390
Office Clerks, General $35,210 $16.93 830
Tellers $34,650 $16.66 210
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $33,580 $16.15 630
Receptionists and Information Clerks $33,220 $15.97 540
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers $32,840 $15.79 400
Security Guards $31,270 $15.04 340
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists $30,350 $14.59 230
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners $29,710 $14.29 1,010
Cooks, Restaurant $29,420 $14.14 670
Waiters and Waitresses $29,170 $14.02 900
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria $29,110 $14.00 300
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary $28,760 n/a 360
Home Health and Personal Care Aides $28,330 $13.62 1,100
Driver/Sales Workers $28,250 $13.58 230

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Wheeling by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Retail Salespersons 2,010 $27,950 $13.44
Cashiers 1,760 $25,890 $12.45
Registered Nurses 1,460 $76,400 $36.73
Fast Food and Counter Workers 1,460 $24,090 $11.58
General and Operations Managers 1,430 $75,770 $36.43
Stockers and Order Fillers 1,390 $35,640 $17.14
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 1,100 $28,330 $13.62
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 1,090 $51,010 $24.53
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1,010 $29,710 $14.29
Customer Service Representatives 970 $38,370 $18.45
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 910 $46,800 $22.50
Cooks, Fast Food 900 $23,210 $11.16
Waiters and Waitresses 900 $29,170 $14.02
Nursing Assistants 830 $36,700 $17.64
Office Clerks, General 830 $35,210 $16.93
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 730 $35,990 $17.30
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 710 $39,830 $19.15
Cooks, Restaurant 670 $29,420 $14.14
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 670 $38,440 $18.48
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers 630 $33,580 $16.15

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.

Other West Virginia metro areas

Wheeling pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Wheeling?

The median across all occupations is $41,840, or $20.12 an hour, covering 58,940 wage and salary workers. The mean is $53,220, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Wheeling pay more than the rest of West Virginia?

No. The metro median of $41,840 is 3.4% below the West Virginia median of $43,320. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.

Which jobs pay best in Wheeling?

Managers, All Other ($126,250), Lawyers ($117,960), Financial Managers ($102,880). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Wheeling unusually full of?

Cooks, Fast Food, at 3.53× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.