Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other Salary
In Charleston, WV, engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others earn $96,510 at the median, or about $46.4 an hour. The range runs from $67K at the entry level to $128K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.72), which stretches that salary to about $108,780 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,036/month, or 17% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $97K 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 engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others
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What this looks like in Charleston
Charleston sits well above the national pay line for engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other, local pay runs about 23% higher than the U.S. median of $78K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,036/month, 17.2% 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. Combined with manageable housing costs, Charleston offers a genuinely strong financial position for engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others in metros near Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Huntington-Ashland | $84K | $95K |
| Morgantown | $59K | $63K |
| Wheeling | $91K | $104K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $107K | $103K |
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 engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others (10th percentile) start around $67K. Mid-career wages sit at $97K. Top earners bring in $128K or more, a $61K spread from bottom to top.
Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | $107K | +37% | 810 |
| New Mexico | $102K | +30% | 1,390 |
| Maryland | $100K | +28% | 2,630 |
| Washington | $100K | +27% | 2,310 |
| Virginia | $98K | +26% | 3,720 |
| Rhode Island | $95K | +21% | 380 |
| Nevada | $94K | +20% | 590 |
| Hawaii | $90K | +15% | 410 |
| Alaska | $90K | +15% | 380 |
| Indiana | $89K | +13% | 480 |
| New Jersey | $87K | +12% | 880 |
| Oklahoma | $81K | +4% | 870 |
| West Virginia | $81K | +4% | 450 |
| Minnesota | $81K | +4% | 670 |
| North Dakota | $81K | +3% | 100 |
| South Carolina | $81K | +3% | 620 |
| California | $80K | +3% | 7,330 |
| Illinois | $80K | +2% | 940 |
| Wyoming | $79K | +1% | 130 |
| Utah | $79K | +1% | 920 |
| Mississippi | $79K | +1% | 350 |
| Ohio | $78K | -1% | 1,340 |
| Oregon | $77K | -2% | 1,010 |
| New Hampshire | $77K | -2% | 340 |
| Colorado | $76K | -3% | 1,260 |
| Delaware | $76K | -3% | N/A |
| Wisconsin | $75K | -4% | 480 |
| Connecticut | $75K | -4% | 1,300 |
| Alabama | $75K | -5% | 690 |
| Michigan | $74K | -6% | 1,130 |
| Texas | $74K | -6% | 7,110 |
| Missouri | $72K | -8% | 590 |
| North Carolina | $72K | -8% | 1,530 |
| Florida | $71K | -10% | 2,820 |
| Pennsylvania | $69K | -12% | 1,610 |
| Georgia | $68K | -13% | 1,890 |
| Arkansas | $68K | -13% | 230 |
| Massachusetts | $67K | -14% | 990 |
| Nebraska | $67K | -14% | 260 |
| Idaho | $66K | -16% | 260 |
| Montana | $66K | -16% | 210 |
| Kentucky | $66K | -16% | 380 |
| New York | $66K | -16% | 2,000 |
| Iowa | $63K | -19% | 380 |
| Kansas | $62K | -21% | 920 |
| Arizona | $60K | -24% | 990 |
| Louisiana | $59K | -25% | 2,110 |
| Tennessee | $59K | -25% | 990 |
| Vermont | $53K | -33% | 130 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Charleston numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston?
Yes — at the median salary of $97K, rent takes 17.2% 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 engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others in Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others typically earn — is $67K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,032/month. At HUD’s $1,036/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other a high-paying job in Charleston?
Local pay is 23% above the national median — $97K here vs. $78K nationally.
How does Charleston compare to the national average for engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others?
Charleston pays $97K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s +23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.72), the purchasing-power equivalent is $109K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others make in Charleston, WV?
The median is $96,510 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,200, and experienced engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others can clear $127,850. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $97K enough to live in Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,019/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,036/month, which eats 17.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other 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 engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other salary is worth about $108,780 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others 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.