How Much Does an RN Make in West Virginia in 2026?

A typical registered nurse in West Virginia earns about $38.52 per hour ($80,130 per year), per the latest government wage data (May 2025). That works out to roughly $6,678 a month and $1,541 a week, both calculated from the annual figure. These numbers describe typical pay across the state, before accounting for city or setting. Individual paychecks vary with experience, employer, and location within West Virginia.

West Virginia's typical RN pay runs 18% below the national figure of $97,550, according to the same May 2025 data. That gap places the state 45th out of 51 ranked states and D.C., among the lower-paying states for this occupation. The gap tracks the state's lower cost of living relative to much of the country. West Virginia employs 23,430 registered nurses, a workforce large enough to shape pay data across the state's cities and hospitals.

Entry-level registered nurse positions in West Virginia typically offer around $27.50 an hour, or about $57,210 a year, according to May 2025 data. This range reflects pay for nurses who are new to the profession or new to the state. Pay tends to move toward the state's typical figure of $80,130 within the first few years on the job. New graduates should expect starting offers closer to this entry-level range rather than the typical figure.

Experienced registered nurses in West Virginia earn upwards of $63.35 an hour, and the top 10% of earners make over $131,760 a year. That leaves a spread of $74,550 between entry-level and top-earning RNs in the state. Setting plays a role in this gap, since hospital and specialty units tend to pay more than smaller clinics. Years of experience and the city where a nurse works also factor into where pay lands within that range.

West Virginia's typical RN pay rose from $56,710 in 2015 to $80,130 in 2025, according to a decade of government wage data. That is a gain of $23,420, or 41%, over ten years. The increase has been steady, with the sharpest jump between 2021 and 2022. Pay has climbed most years since 2015, with only one small dip along the way.

Nationally, RN pay rose 45% over the same decade, a slightly faster pace than West Virginia's climb. That puts the state's ten-year gain close to, but just behind, the national pace. For someone starting a nursing career in West Virginia now, pay has moved up consistently over the past decade. That trend describes what has happened so far, not a promise about future pay.

Martinsburg pays registered nurses the most in West Virginia, with typical pay of $92,770 a year ($44.60 an hour). That figure sits about 16% above the statewide figure of $80,130. Huntington and Charleston also pay above the state figure, at $81,010 and $80,230 a year. These figures reflect pay across each city's full metro area, not just the city center.

Steubenville pays the least among West Virginia's ranked cities, with typical RN pay of $77,400 a year. That leaves a spread of $15,370 between the state's highest- and lowest-paying cities. Huntington has the largest registered nurse workforce in the state, with 5,580 nurses, even though its pay sits below Martinsburg's. Higher pay in cities like Martinsburg tends to track higher living costs there relative to smaller West Virginia towns.

West Virginia RN pay trails every one of its neighboring states. Maryland pays the most nearby, at $99,790 a year, 25% above West Virginia's figure, followed by Pennsylvania at $96,430 (20% higher) and Virginia at $93,600 (17% higher). Ohio and Kentucky sit closer, at $82,510 and $81,040, just 3% and 1% above West Virginia's pay. Nursing licenses can often be transferred or endorsed between neighboring states, which can open up these higher-paying markets for West Virginia nurses willing to relocate.

Registered nurses in West Virginia typically earn $80,130 a year ($38.52 an hour), a figure that has risen 41% over the past decade. Pay varies by city and experience, with Martinsburg paying the most and entry-level nurses starting well below the typical figure. Readers can check West Virginia's nursing licensure requirements through the state board of nursing, and compare local figures further on the city-specific pages for Martinsburg, Huntington, and Charleston.