Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators Salary
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators in Charleston, WV make a median of $65,000 a year, or about $31.25 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $104K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.72), which stretches that salary to about $73,264 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,036/month, or 24.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $65K get you in Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (88.72). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
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What this looks like in Charleston
Pay for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators in Charleston runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $78K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,036/month, 24.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.72 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Charleston can be a reasonable trade-off for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigatorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators in metros near Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Parkersburg-Vienna | $70K | $81K |
| Huntington-Ashland | $76K | $86K |
| Beckley | $63K | $71K |
| Wheeling | $64K | $72K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston, WV
Entry-level claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $104K or more, a $62K spread from bottom to top.
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $101K | +30% | 360 |
| New Jersey | $96K | +23% | 9,650 |
| Maryland | $96K | +23% | N/A |
| California | $92K | +18% | 24,290 |
| Connecticut | $88K | +13% | 3,190 |
| Alaska | $88K | +12% | 220 |
| New York | $87K | +12% | 17,330 |
| Rhode Island | $87K | +11% | 1,150 |
| Vermont | $84K | +8% | 280 |
| New Hampshire | $84K | +8% | 880 |
| Massachusetts | $84K | +7% | 5,070 |
| Oregon | $82K | +5% | 2,950 |
| Washington | $81K | +3% | 6,180 |
| Alabama | $80K | +2% | 4,040 |
| Hawaii | $79K | +1% | 900 |
| South Dakota | $79K | +1% | 1,030 |
| Michigan | $79K | +1% | 6,640 |
| Texas | $79K | +1% | 29,220 |
| Maine | $79K | +1% | 1,650 |
| Minnesota | $78K | +0% | 5,530 |
| Wisconsin | $78K | +0% | 8,760 |
| Tennessee | $78K | +0% | 6,390 |
| Colorado | $78K | -0% | 5,680 |
| Idaho | $77K | -1% | 1,320 |
| Kansas | $77K | -1% | 4,570 |
| Pennsylvania | $77K | -1% | 13,270 |
| Mississippi | $77K | -1% | N/A |
| Illinois | $77K | -1% | 14,210 |
| Florida | $77K | -1% | 28,100 |
| Wyoming | $76K | -2% | 180 |
| Missouri | $76K | -3% | 6,200 |
| Nebraska | $76K | -3% | 3,160 |
| South Carolina | $75K | -3% | 4,130 |
| North Carolina | $75K | -3% | 9,880 |
| Virginia | $74K | -5% | 7,860 |
| Arkansas | $74K | -5% | 2,660 |
| Kentucky | $74K | -5% | 3,670 |
| Indiana | $74K | -6% | 4,340 |
| Georgia | $73K | -6% | N/A |
| Iowa | $73K | -7% | 3,930 |
| Delaware | $72K | -7% | N/A |
| Oklahoma | $71K | -9% | 4,140 |
| Utah | $69K | -12% | 2,440 |
| Ohio | $68K | -13% | 13,650 |
| New Mexico | $68K | -13% | 1,280 |
| West Virginia | $67K | -14% | 1,340 |
| North Dakota | $65K | -16% | 750 |
| Louisiana | $65K | -16% | 3,340 |
| Arizona | $65K | -17% | 13,830 |
| Montana | $64K | -18% | 1,230 |
| Nevada | $63K | -20% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a claims adjusters, examiners, and investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston?
Yes — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 24.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,036/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators in Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,553/month. At HUD’s $1,036/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is claims adjusters, examiners, and investigator a high-paying job in Charleston?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $65K here vs. $78K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Charleston compare to the national average for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators?
Charleston pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.72), the purchasing-power equivalent is $73K — below the national median.
How much do claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators make in Charleston, WV?
The median is $65,000 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,550, and experienced claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators can clear $104,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,306/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,036/month, which eats 24.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators salary go in Charleston?
Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 88.72 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators salary is worth about $73,264 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.