Fastest-growing jobs in West Virginia
With the country eager to put the pandemic firmly in the rear-view mirror, the American economy continued to boom in 2023. The national unemployment rate remained around 3.6%, while the total number of people employed grew to roughly 152 million, up from 148 million in 2022.
The economy has seen several significant changes in recent years. Many people are leaving expensive coastal states such as California and New York and moving to more affordable places in the Mountain West region and the South, buoyed by companies that have embraced remote work. What's more, in a reversal of past trends, wages grew the fastest for lower-earning workers.
Stacker analyzed jobs data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine the fastest-growing jobs in West Virginia. Occupations were ranked by the percentage increase in employment between 2022 and 2023. Jobs were excluded from the ranking if they had fewer than 1,000 people working in them in the state.
Keep reading to learn which jobs are growing the fastest in West Virginia.
#50. Financial managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +6.8% (160 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,520
--- Employment in 2022: 2,360
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $96,630
#49. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +6.8% (470 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,340
--- Employment in 2022: 6,870
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $49,030
#48. Pharmacists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.2% (170 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,530
--- Employment in 2022: 2,360
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $130,150
#47. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.4% (380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,490
--- Employment in 2022: 5,110
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $77,150
#46. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.7% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,900
--- Employment in 2022: 4,550
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,190
#45. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +7.8% (250 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,440
--- Employment in 2022: 3,190
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,560
#44. Dishwashers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.0% (130 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,760
--- Employment in 2022: 1,630
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $25,230
#43. Software developers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.0% (140 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,890
--- Employment in 2022: 1,750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $81,380
#42. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +8.9% (110 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,350
--- Employment in 2022: 1,240
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,270
#41. Project management specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +9.2% (140 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,670
--- Employment in 2022: 1,530
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $81,320
#40. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +9.3% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,880
--- Employment in 2022: 3,550
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $66,020
#39. Medical assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +10.2% (380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,120
--- Employment in 2022: 3,740
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,340
#38. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +10.5% (130 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,370
--- Employment in 2022: 1,240
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $49,610
#37. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +10.8% (170 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,740
--- Employment in 2022: 1,570
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $22,880
#36. Billing and posting clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +11.4% (230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,250
--- Employment in 2022: 2,020
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,090
#35. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +11.4% (120 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,170
--- Employment in 2022: 1,050
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $43,260
#34. Food preparation workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +11.6% (310 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,980
--- Employment in 2022: 2,670
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,510
#33. Construction laborers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +12.5% (840 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,580
--- Employment in 2022: 6,740
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,140
#32. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +12.5% (210 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,890
--- Employment in 2022: 1,680
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $57,900
#31. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.0% (170 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,480
--- Employment in 2022: 1,310
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $43,360
#30. Nurse practitioners
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.4% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,860
--- Employment in 2022: 1,640
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $108,830
#29. Home health and personal care aides
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.1% (2,600 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 19,790
--- Employment in 2022: 17,190
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $25,660
#28. Animal caretakers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.2% (160 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,210
--- Employment in 2022: 1,050
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,400
#27. Computer and information systems managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.6% (150 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,110
--- Employment in 2022: 960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $145,420
#26. Loan officers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.5% (150 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,060
--- Employment in 2022: 910
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $51,920
#25. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.9% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,940
--- Employment in 2022: 1,660
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,080
#24. Managers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.9% (380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,630
--- Employment in 2022: 2,250
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $110,150
#23. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.5% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,220
--- Employment in 2022: 1,890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $53,310
#22. Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.0% (250 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,640
--- Employment in 2022: 1,390
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,140
#21. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.8% (740 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,670
--- Employment in 2022: 3,930
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,430
#20. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.1% (430 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,570
--- Employment in 2022: 2,140
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,160
#19. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.0% (240 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,330
--- Employment in 2022: 1,090
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,630
#18. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.1% (850 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,690
--- Employment in 2022: 3,840
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $57,770
#17. Training and development specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.7% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,460
--- Employment in 2022: 1,180
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $58,800
#16. Cooks, fast food
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.1% (3,060 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 14,770
--- Employment in 2022: 11,710
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $22,270
#15. Paramedics
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.0% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,270
--- Employment in 2022: 1,000
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,780
#14. Continuous mining machine operators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.6% (260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,170
--- Employment in 2022: 910
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $72,430
#13. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.8% (940 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,090
--- Employment in 2022: 3,150
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,010
#11. Extraction workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.9% (230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,000
--- Employment in 2022: 770
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,290
#11. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.9% (230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,000
--- Employment in 2022: 770
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $32,290
#10. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.0% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,300
--- Employment in 2022: 970
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $80,810
#9. Computer occupations, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.6% (890 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,390
--- Employment in 2022: 2,500
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $104,920
#8. Interviewers, except eligibility and loan
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.1% (540 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,920
--- Employment in 2022: 1,380
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $30,820
#7. Emergency medical technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.0% (420 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,470
--- Employment in 2022: 1,050
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $30,760
#6. Residential advisors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.3% (310 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,080
--- Employment in 2022: 770
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,640
#5. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +43.0% (460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,530
--- Employment in 2022: 1,070
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,070
#4. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +47.2% (500 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,560
--- Employment in 2022: 1,060
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,330
#3. Computer systems analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +63.0% (460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,190
--- Employment in 2022: 730
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $98,090
#2. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +139.3% (2,730 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,690
--- Employment in 2022: 1,960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,910
#1. Loading and moving machine operators, underground mining
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +144.4% (910 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,540
--- Employment in 2022: 630
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $64,970
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
