Public Health Salaries in West Virginia

West Virginia had the eighth highest level of per capita state funding for public health in the nation as of 2014. The state spent more than $111.7 million on public health initiatives that year, and also received significant levels of federal health funding. In fact, funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration for West Virginia in fiscal year 2013-14 represented the fourth highest level of per capita spending in the nation.

Such levels of funding help to provide salaries for the nearly 6,000 people that work for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHRR) and its branch agencies at the municipal level. Of course, this funding also supports the programs these professionals are responsible for managing.

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In one example, environmental health specialists with the Office of Environmental Health Services helped members of the public mitigate such health hazards as radon and asbestos in people’s homes.

In addition to state and local public health officials, West Virginia’s public health community is made up of professionals in academia and in non-governmental organizations. Together, their work has significantly contributed to improving public health in West Virginia.

A Look at Public Health Salaries in Charleston

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides salary information for public health professionals working in the Charleston metropolitan statistical area in 2014:

Public Health Profession
90th Percentile Annual Salary
Health Educators
$46820
Healthcare Social Workers
$61500
Rehabilitation Counselors
$55310
Substance Abuse & Behavioral Disorder Counselors
$44410
Mining & Geological Engineers
$105220
Occupational Health & Safety Specialists
$96460
Environmental Scientists & Specialists
$75420
Epidemiologists
$69370
Social Science Research Assistants
$60000
Social Scientists
$44860
Social & Community Service Managers
$76880

An Analysis of Public Health Salaries Statewide

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a detailed analysis of the hourly wages and annual salaries for public health professionals employed throughout West Virginia in 2014:

Occupation
Employment
Annual mean wage
Social and Community Service Managers
620
53260
Statisticians
130
60080
Mining and Geological Engineers Including Mining Safety Engineers
330
77310
Microbiologists
50
49540
Biological Scientists All Other
160
68440
Epidemiologists
40
48900
Environmental Scientists and Specialists Including Health
620
45540
Social Scientists and Related Workers All Other
530
46440
Social Science Research Assistants
210
45480
Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors
450
30500
Rehabilitation Counselors
560
35060
Healthcare Social Workers
700
43640
Health Educators
510
39660
Community Health Workers
300
25860
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
560
74780

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