Electrical Engineers Salary
In Charleston, WV, electrical engineers earn $129,250 at the median, or about $62.14 an hour. The range runs from $90K at the entry level to $159K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.72), which stretches that salary to about $145,683 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,036/month, or 13.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $129K 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 electrical engineers
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What this looks like in Charleston
Electrical engineers pay in Charleston tracks closely to the national median, $129K locally vs. $121K nationwide, a 7% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,036/month, 13.3% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for electrical engineers in metros near Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Huntington-Ashland | $107K | $121K |
| Weirton-Steubenville | $103K | $116K |
| Wheeling | $116K | $131K |
| Beckley | $123K | $140K |
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 electrical engineers (10th percentile) start around $90K. Mid-career wages sit at $129K. Top earners bring in $159K or more, a $70K spread from bottom to top.
Electrical Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Electrical Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $159K | +31% | 2,560 |
| California | $144K | +19% | 24,230 |
| District of Columbia | $143K | +19% | 330 |
| New Hampshire | $136K | +13% | 1,600 |
| Washington | $133K | +10% | 7,610 |
| Texas | $129K | +7% | 20,870 |
| Idaho | $129K | +7% | 1,000 |
| Massachusetts | $128K | +6% | 5,040 |
| Delaware | $127K | +5% | 660 |
| Alaska | $126K | +4% | 350 |
| Alabama | $126K | +4% | 4,600 |
| New Jersey | $125K | +4% | 2,940 |
| Oregon | $125K | +4% | 2,540 |
| Maryland | $125K | +4% | 4,650 |
| Louisiana | $124K | +3% | 990 |
| Colorado | $121K | +0% | 4,200 |
| Virginia | $119K | -1% | 7,260 |
| New York | $119K | -1% | 8,770 |
| Missouri | $119K | -2% | 2,410 |
| Maine | $115K | -5% | 1,150 |
| West Virginia | $113K | -6% | 500 |
| Wyoming | $112K | -7% | 280 |
| Vermont | $111K | -8% | 820 |
| Pennsylvania | $111K | -8% | 6,970 |
| North Dakota | $111K | -8% | 260 |
| North Carolina | $110K | -9% | 7,090 |
| Minnesota | $110K | -9% | 3,150 |
| Illinois | $108K | -11% | 5,460 |
| Oklahoma | $108K | -11% | 2,080 |
| Nevada | $107K | -11% | 1,100 |
| Nebraska | $107K | -11% | 1,060 |
| Hawaii | $106K | -12% | 1,080 |
| Michigan | $106K | -12% | 10,840 |
| Iowa | $106K | -12% | 1,280 |
| Utah | $106K | -12% | 1,680 |
| Mississippi | $105K | -13% | 1,130 |
| Florida | $105K | -13% | 9,220 |
| Tennessee | $104K | -13% | 2,830 |
| Connecticut | $104K | -14% | 2,930 |
| Indiana | $103K | -15% | 4,000 |
| Kansas | $103K | -15% | 2,100 |
| Ohio | $101K | -17% | 6,360 |
| Arizona | $101K | -17% | 5,370 |
| Wisconsin | $100K | -17% | 3,550 |
| South Dakota | $99K | -18% | 530 |
| Kentucky | $99K | -18% | 1,540 |
| South Carolina | $98K | -18% | 3,490 |
| Arkansas | $97K | -20% | 900 |
| Montana | $87K | -28% | 790 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track electrical engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Charleston numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a electrical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston?
Yes — at the median salary of $129K, rent takes 13.3% 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 electrical engineers in Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electrical engineers typically earn — is $90K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,381/month. At HUD’s $1,036/month FMR, rent would take 19% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is electrical engineer a high-paying job in Charleston?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $129K locally vs. $121K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Charleston compare to the national average for electrical engineers?
Charleston pays $129K median vs. the U.S. average of $121K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.72), the purchasing-power equivalent is $146K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do electrical engineers make in Charleston, WV?
The median is $129,250 a year, that works out to about $62 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $89,680, and experienced electrical engineers can clear $159,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $129K enough to live in Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,781/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,036/month, which eats 13.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a electrical engineers 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 electrical engineers salary is worth about $145,683 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do electrical engineers 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.