Clergy Salary in Charleston, WV
Clergies in Charleston, WV make a median of $36,230 a year, or about $17.42 an hour. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $51K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.72), which stretches that salary to about $40,836 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,036/month — about 41.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $36K 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 clergies
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston, WV
Entry-level clergies (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $51K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Clergy pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $78K | +28% | 6,390 |
| Washington | $78K | +27% | 800 |
| Nevada | $70K | +15% | 260 |
| Massachusetts | $68K | +12% | 830 |
| Vermont | $67K | +10% | 40 |
| New Hampshire | $67K | +10% | 100 |
| Georgia | $66K | +8% | 1,280 |
| Minnesota | $65K | +7% | 960 |
| Connecticut | $65K | +7% | 830 |
| District of Columbia | $65K | +7% | 300 |
| Hawaii | $64K | +5% | 590 |
| Wyoming | $64K | +5% | 30 |
| New Jersey | $64K | +4% | 1,230 |
| Oregon | $63K | +4% | 4,340 |
| Maine | $63K | +4% | 120 |
| Wisconsin | $63K | +3% | 710 |
| Arizona | $62K | +3% | 1,380 |
| Rhode Island | $62K | +2% | 210 |
| Idaho | $61K | +1% | 140 |
| Delaware | $61K | +1% | 90 |
| Illinois | $60K | -1% | 2,620 |
| Missouri | $60K | -1% | 760 |
| Texas | $60K | -2% | 2,310 |
| North Carolina | $60K | -2% | 1,450 |
| Florida | $59K | -2% | 3,370 |
| Iowa | $59K | -3% | 360 |
| Ohio | $59K | -3% | 2,060 |
| South Carolina | $59K | -3% | 530 |
| New York | $59K | -3% | 9,210 |
| Montana | $59K | -3% | 790 |
| Kentucky | $59K | -4% | 520 |
| North Dakota | $58K | -4% | 140 |
| Maryland | $58K | -5% | 840 |
| Kansas | $58K | -5% | 330 |
| Indiana | $58K | -5% | 1,070 |
| New Mexico | $57K | -5% | 230 |
| Louisiana | $57K | -6% | 340 |
| Pennsylvania | $57K | -7% | 2,660 |
| Oklahoma | $56K | -7% | 500 |
| Virginia | $56K | -8% | 1,400 |
| South Dakota | $55K | -9% | 130 |
| Alaska | $55K | -10% | 140 |
| Michigan | $54K | -11% | 2,220 |
| Nebraska | $54K | -12% | 230 |
| Tennessee | $52K | -15% | 780 |
| Arkansas | $51K | -16% | 390 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -17% | 270 |
| Alabama | $50K | -18% | 720 |
| West Virginia | $37K | -40% | 310 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track clergy salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Charleston numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do clergies make in Charleston, WV?
The median is $36,230 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,910, and experienced clergies can clear $50,980. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,504/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,036/month, which eats 41.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a clergy 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 clergy salary is worth about $40,836 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do clergies 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.