Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers Salary
In Morgantown, WV, title examiners, abstractors, and searchers earn $79,030 at the median, or about $37.99 an hour. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $99K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.32), which stretches that salary to about $84,687 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,099/month, or 21.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $79K get you in Morgantown?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Morgantown’s Regional Price Parity (93.32). 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 title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
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What this looks like in Morgantown
Morgantown sits well above the national pay line for title examiners, abstractors, and searchers, local pay runs about 35% higher than the U.S. median of $59K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,099/month, 21.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.32 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Morgantown offers a genuinely strong financial position for title examiners, abstractors, and searcherss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for title examiners, abstractors, and searchers in metros near Morgantown, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston | $79K | $89K |
| Huntington-Ashland | $60K | $68K |
| Wheeling | $68K | $77K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $56K | $55K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Morgantown, WV
Entry-level title examiners, abstractors, and searchers (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $99K or more, a $40K spread from bottom to top.
Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $78K | +32% | 1,400 |
| West Virginia | $77K | +32% | 350 |
| Oregon | $77K | +31% | 640 |
| Alaska | $76K | +30% | 100 |
| Nevada | $71K | +21% | 620 |
| Massachusetts | $69K | +18% | N/A |
| California | $67K | +15% | N/A |
| Washington | $66K | +13% | 930 |
| Delaware | $65K | +11% | 140 |
| Rhode Island | $63K | +8% | 120 |
| Connecticut | $63K | +7% | 90 |
| Utah | $62K | +6% | 1,160 |
| New Hampshire | $62K | +6% | N/A |
| New Jersey | $62K | +6% | 550 |
| Idaho | $62K | +5% | 640 |
| New York | $61K | +5% | 2,130 |
| Alabama | $61K | +5% | N/A |
| Texas | $60K | +3% | 6,770 |
| North Dakota | $60K | +2% | 140 |
| South Dakota | $59K | +1% | 180 |
| Florida | $58K | -0% | 4,800 |
| Minnesota | $58K | -1% | 560 |
| New Mexico | $58K | -1% | 480 |
| Ohio | $57K | -3% | 1,860 |
| Maryland | $55K | -5% | 420 |
| Kansas | $55K | -7% | 710 |
| Virginia | $54K | -8% | 1,340 |
| Kentucky | $53K | -10% | 270 |
| Pennsylvania | $52K | -11% | 2,220 |
| North Carolina | $51K | -14% | 400 |
| Oklahoma | $50K | -14% | 1,500 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -14% | 1,160 |
| Illinois | $50K | -15% | 1,290 |
| Arizona | $50K | -15% | 1,210 |
| Michigan | $50K | -16% | N/A |
| Maine | $49K | -17% | 70 |
| Nebraska | $49K | -17% | 360 |
| Wyoming | $49K | -17% | 200 |
| Georgia | $48K | -18% | 660 |
| Missouri | $48K | -18% | 1,470 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | -18% | 700 |
| Arkansas | $48K | -19% | 650 |
| Mississippi | $47K | -20% | 150 |
| South Carolina | $47K | -20% | N/A |
| Iowa | $46K | -21% | 400 |
| Indiana | $46K | -21% | N/A |
| Louisiana | $38K | -34% | 390 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track title examiners, abstractors, and searchers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Morgantown numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a title examiners, abstractors, and searcher afford a 2BR apartment alone in Morgantown?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 21.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,099/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for title examiners, abstractors, and searchers in Morgantown?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new title examiners, abstractors, and searchers typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,533/month. At HUD’s $1,099/month FMR, rent would take 31% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is title examiners, abstractors, and searcher a high-paying job in Morgantown?
Local pay is 35% above the national median — $79K here vs. $59K nationally.
How does Morgantown compare to the national average for title examiners, abstractors, and searchers?
Morgantown pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +35%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.32), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do title examiners, abstractors, and searchers make in Morgantown, WV?
The median is $79,030 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,880, and experienced title examiners, abstractors, and searchers can clear $99,070. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Morgantown?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,069/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,099/month, which eats 21.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a title examiners, abstractors, and searchers salary go in Morgantown?
Morgantown has a Regional Price Parity of 93.32 (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 title examiners, abstractors, and searchers salary is worth about $84,687 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do title examiners, abstractors, and searchers 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.