Technology Charleston, WV Pop. 48,006

Data Engineer Salary in Charleston, West Virginia

The median data engineer salary in Charleston, WV is $100,000 per year, which is 20% below the national median and 5.3% above the West Virginia state average.

City Median
$100,000
vs State Avg
+$5,000
vs National
$-25,000
Cost of Living
88%

Data Engineer Pay in Charleston: What to Expect (2026)

Charleston offers a median data engineer salary of $100,000, which is $5,000 above the West Virginia state average of $95,000. Compared to the national median of $125,000, Charleston pays below the national benchmark for this role.

One of Charleston's biggest advantages is its low cost of living at 88% of the national average. This means the $100,000 salary stretches further here — equivalent to roughly $113,636 in an average-cost city. This makes Charleston an attractive option for data engineers seeking strong real-dollar compensation.

The salary range for data engineers in Charleston spans from $62,400 at the 10th percentile to $152,000 at the 90th percentile — a $89,600 spread. Entry-level professionals start around $64,000, while senior data engineers with 8+ years of experience can earn up to $144,000. Charleston is a smaller market (pop. 48,006), which may mean fewer openings but also less competition for available positions.

Data Engineer Salary in Charleston by Experience

In Charleston, an entry-level data engineer earns around $64,000, while experienced professionals earn up to $144,000 per year. The local cost of living index is 88% of the national average.

Entry Level (0-2 yrs)
$64,000
$-16,000 vs national
Mid Level (3-7 yrs)
$101,600
$-25,400 vs national
Senior Level (8+ yrs)
$144,000
$-36,000 vs national

Salary Percentiles in Charleston, WV

Percentile Charleston
10th Percentile $62,400
25th Percentile $80,000
Median (50th) $100,000
75th Percentile $126,400
90th Percentile $152,000

Data Engineer Salary in Other West Virginia Cities

Morgantown, WV
$102,500
Pop. 30,955
Huntington, WV
$92,500
Pop. 46,842
Parkersburg, WV
$90,000
Pop. 29,675
Wheeling, WV
$87,500
Pop. 26,711

How to Become a Data Engineer in Charleston

Education

Most data engineer positions require a bachelor's degree. Charleston and the surrounding West Virginia area have institutions offering relevant programs.

Key Skills

PythonSQLSparkAirflowAWS/GCPData Modeling

Job Outlook

Nationally, data engineer employment is projected to grow 28% over the next decade (much faster than average). Demand in Charleston may vary based on local industry and population growth.

Find Data Engineer Jobs in Charleston

Browse open data engineer positions in Charleston, WV:

Indeed → LinkedIn → ZipRecruiter → Glassdoor →

Frequently Asked Questions: Data Engineer Salary in Charleston

How much does a Data Engineer make in Charleston, WV? ▼
The median data engineer salary in Charleston, West Virginia is $100,000 per year, which is 20% below the national median of $125,000. Salaries range from $62,400 (10th percentile) to $152,000 (90th percentile).
How much does a Data Engineer make per hour in Charleston? ▼
Based on the median annual salary of $100,000, a data engineer in Charleston earns approximately $48 per hour assuming a standard 2,080-hour work year.
How does Charleston compare to the West Virginia state average for data engineer pay? ▼
Charleston's median data engineer salary of $100,000 is 5.3% above the West Virginia state average of $95,000. The local cost of living index is 88% of the national average.
What is the cost of living in Charleston, WV? ▼
Charleston has a cost of living index of 88% compared to the national average. This means a data engineer salary of $100,000 in Charleston has more purchasing power than the same salary in an average-cost city.
What qualifications do I need to become a data engineer in Charleston? ▼
Most data engineer positions in Charleston require a bachelor's degree. Key skills include Python, SQL, Spark, Airflow. The job market is projected to grow 28% nationally over the next decade.