Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Salary
The median pay for a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive in West Virginia is $40,370/year ($19.41/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.03), which stretches that salary to about $45,344 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,008/month, about 36.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across West Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $40K get you in West Virginia?
About secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives
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What this looks like in West Virginia
Pay for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive in West Virginia runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $48K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,008/month, which is 36.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.03 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, West Virginia
Entry-level secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $29K spread from bottom to top.
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary by metro in West Virginia
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | $44K | +8% | 1,630 |
| Wheeling | $42K | +5% | 770 |
| Morgantown | $42K | +4% | 790 |
| Weirton-Steubenville | $41K | +1% | 430 |
| Beckley | $39K | -3% | 490 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna | $39K | -3% | 410 |
| Huntington-Ashland | $38K | -5% | 1,510 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when West Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive afford a 2BR apartment alone in West Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 36.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,008/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives in West Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,729/month. At HUD’s $1,008/month FMR, rent would take 58% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive a high-paying job in West Virginia?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $40K here vs. $48K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does West Virginia compare to the national average for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives?
West Virginia pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.03), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives make in West Virginia?
The median is $40,370 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,820, and experienced secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives can clear $57,970. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in West Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,768/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,008/month, which eats 36.4% 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 secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary go in West Virginia?
West Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 89.03 (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 secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary is worth about $45,344 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executives 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.