In 2023, the median state and local government worker in West Virginia earned $26.86 an hour against $25.79 in the private sector, a gap of +4%. At the 90th percentile the government wage was $53.72 against $53.72 privately (0%). Both figures are real hourly wages from the same-state ACS sample, unadjusted for education and experience.
The gap is widest in Management (+1%) and Admin and clerical (+11%), and government pay holds up best in Admin and clerical (+11%) and Management (+1%). That is the national pattern too: a high floor, a low ceiling.
Public vs private pay in West Virginia by occupation, 2023
| Occupation domain | Government median $/hr | Private median $/hr | Gap at median | Government 90th pct | Private 90th pct | Gap at 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All occupations | $26.86 | $25.79 | +4% | $53.72 | $53.72 | 0% |
| Admin and clerical | $22.71 | $20.45 | +11% | $41.12 | $35.46 | +16% |
| Education * | $25.79 | $22.18 | +16% | $42.98 | $38.33 | +12% |
| Engineering * | $39.97 | $48.17 | -17% | $59.04 | $75.21 | -21% |
| Finance * | $29.74 | $33.30 | -11% | $63.08 | $51.01 | +24% |
| Healthcare * | $35.65 | $37.61 | -5% | $74.91 | $83.27 | -10% |
| Legal * | $24.15 | $35.82 | -33% | $54.42 | $102.94 | -47% |
| Management | $36.60 | $36.23 | +1% | $63.72 | $80.59 | -21% |
| Protective service * | $32.23 | $24.83 | +30% | $50.02 | $36.36 | +38% |
| Skilled trades * | $24.18 | $30.62 | -21% | $40.29 | $52.38 | -23% |
| Software and IT * | $50.14 | $49.24 | +2% | $76.75 | $88.65 | -13% |
How to read this
Raw medians compare different people: government employs more teachers, nurses, and degree-holders than the private sector does. The parent piece adjusts for education and experience nationally (federal pay 7% above comparable private workers, state pay 17% below, local pay 17% below) and shows the gap opening at the top of the ladder, where private pay in software, law, finance, and engineering has pulled away. This state table is the unadjusted view; the methodology appendix explains both.