Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in West Virginia is $61,520/year ($29.58/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.03), which stretches that salary to about $69,100 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,008/month, or 24.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across West Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $62K actually covers in West Virginia, month by month
About surveyors
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What this looks like in West Virginia
Pay for surveyors in West Virginia runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $75K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,008/month, 24.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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. Lower pay, lower costs, West Virginia can be a reasonable trade-off for surveyors who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, West Virginia
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $62K spread from bottom to top.
Surveyors salary by metro in West Virginia
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntington-Ashland | $64K | +4% | 70 |
| Charleston | $60K | -2% | 80 |
| Wheeling | $60K | -3% | 40 |
| Beckley | $58K | -5% | 40 |
| Morgantown | $50K | -18% | 40 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when West Virginia numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in West Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 24.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,008/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for surveyors in West Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,612/month. At HUD’s $1,008/month FMR, rent would take 39% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is surveyor a high-paying job in West Virginia?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $62K here vs. $75K 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 surveyors?
West Virginia pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.03), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — below the national median.
How much do surveyors make in West Virginia?
The median is $61,520 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,920, and experienced surveyors can clear $100,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in West Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,101/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,008/month, which eats 24.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a surveyors 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 surveyors salary is worth about $69,100 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do surveyors 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.