West Virginia Q4, 2019 Employment Statistics- 51,183 employers, down 0.3% from 51,332
- 693,028 employees, down 2.1% from 677,982
- The average weekly wage is 23.7% below the national average
- The cost of living is 8.9% below the national average
Employer & Employee Growth
In the last year, the number of employers in the state declined by 149, which is a decrease of 0.3%. The number of employees in West Virginia declined by 15,046, a decline of 2.1%. During this same period, the average weekly declined by $13, a decline of 1.4%.
The number of private employers decreased since last years' Q1. The number of private businesses declined by 185 or 0.4%. Growth in private businesses in West Virginia grew slower than the national average of 2.5%. The number of employees in these businesses decreased since last years' Q1, declining by 16,368 or 2.9%. The growth in employees of private businesses in West Virginia was slower than the national average of 1.2%.
The average weekly wage of employees of private businesses decreased since last years' Q1. The averge weekly wage declined by $24 or 2.6%. Growth in average weekly wage of employees of private businesses in West Virginia grew slower than the national average of 3.8%.
Leading Sectors
Businesses by Sector
The sector with the greatest number of businesses in the state is Retail trade with 12.1% of the businesses in the state. The number of businesses in this sector declined by 1.9%. Other services (11.5%), which increased by 4.0% and Healthcare (10.4%), which decreased by 0.6%, round out the 3 largest sectors.
Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Business Change %
| Sector | Change Biz | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Other services | 226 | 4.0% |
| Educational services | 15 | 3.6% |
| Information | 17 | 2.1% |
| Professional services | 75 | 1.5% |
| Utilities | 3 | 1.3% |
| Waste services | 9 | 0.3% |
| Company management | 1 | 0.2% |
| Real estate and rental | -8 | -0.5% |
| Healthcare | -33 | -0.6% |
| Manufacturing | -9 | -0.7% |
| Wholesale trade | -25 | -0.9% |
| Accommodation and food services | -54 | -1.5% |
| Finance and insurance | -41 | -1.6% |
| Retail trade | -117 | -1.9% |
| Construction | -116 | -2.6% |
| Arts and entertainment | -28 | -2.8% |
| Agriculture and forestry | -12 | -2.8% |
| Mining and oil extraction | -25 | -3.3% |
| Transport and warehousing | -56 | -3.5% |
Employees by Sector
The sector with the greatest number of employees in the state is Healthcare with 17.3% of the employees in the state, had an increase in employees of 0.9% in the last year. Retail trade (11.8%), decreased by 2.6% and Accommodation and food services (9.6%), increased by 0.2%, round out the top 3 sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Employee Change %
| Sector | Employee Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Arts and entertainment | 286 | 4.0% |
| Agriculture and forestry | 37 | 2.1% |
| Other services | 321 | 1.6% |
| Company management | 106 | 1.5% |
| Healthcare | 1,062 | 0.9% |
| Real estate and rental | 39 | 0.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 31 | 0.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 128 | 0.2% |
| Manufacturing | -621 | -1.3% |
| Transport and warehousing | -336 | -1.5% |
| Waste services | -576 | -1.6% |
| Educational services | -133 | -2.0% |
| Information | -174 | -2.1% |
| Professional services | -668 | -2.5% |
| Utilities | -134 | -2.5% |
| Wholesale trade | -530 | -2.6% |
| Retail trade | -2,205 | -2.6% |
| Mining and oil extraction | -1,430 | -6.6% |
| Construction | -11,586 | -25.9% |
Average Weekly Wage by Sector
The sector that pays their employees the highest is Utilities paying $1,710per week compared with the state average of $896. Weekly wages in this sector rose by $22 or 1.3%. Company management ($1,702), rose by $143 or 9.2% and Mining and oil extraction ($1,594) declined by $21 or 1.3% round out the 3 largest sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Weekly Wage Change %
| Sector | Wage Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|
| Company management | $143 | 9.2% |
| Agriculture and forestry | $41 | 6.4% |
| Wholesale trade | $58 | 4.8% |
| Healthcare | $37 | 4.1% |
| Educational services | $27 | 4.1% |
| Finance and insurance | $41 | 3.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | $10 | 2.8% |
| Arts and entertainment | $7 | 1.9% |
| Retail trade | $9 | 1.6% |
| Utilities | $22 | 1.3% |
| Other services | $4 | 0.6% |
| Manufacturing | $4 | 0.3% |
| Waste services | $-1 | -0.1% |
| Information | $-4 | -0.4% |
| Mining and oil extraction | $-21 | -1.3% |
| Transport and warehousing | $-22 | -2.5% |
| Real estate and rental | $-34 | -3.7% |
| Professional services | $-75 | -5.4% |
| Construction | $-331 | -21.0% |
Leading Industries
Businesses by Industry
Each broad sector is made up of specific industries. In West Virginia. the industry with the most businesses is Private households with 5.8% of the businesses in the state (with 2,954 employing 3,076 workers). The Private households industry had 266 more businesses, an increase of 9.9% in the last year. Restaurants and other eating places (5.5% of businesses) had 48 fewer businesses, a decline of 1.7% and Offices of physicians (2.6% of businesses) had 45 fewer businesses, a decline of 3.2% round out the 3 industries with the most businesses.Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change %
| Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Management training | 8 | 133.3% |
| Metal tank heavy gauge manufacturing | 1 | 50.0% |
| Convention and trade show organizers | 3 | 42.9% |
| Breweries | 6 | 42.9% |
| Landscape architectural services | 2 | 40.0% |
| Other electronic parts merchant wholesalers | 7 | 35.0% |
| Mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers | 10 | 34.5% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change #
| Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Private households | 266 | 9.9% |
| Management consulting services | 43 | 7.5% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 43 | 4.0% |
| Temporary help services | 36 | 5.9% |
| Pharmacies and drug stores | 34 | 7.1% |
| All other ambulatory health care services | 18 | 27.7% |
| All other miscellaneous store retailers | 16 | 7.3% |
Employees by Industry
Restaurants and other eating places (5.5% of employees) had 48 fewer employees, a decline of 1.7% and Offices of physicians (2.6% ofemployees) had 45 fewer employees, a decline of 3.2% round out the 3 industries with the most employees.Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change %
| Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Financial transaction processing and clearing | 95 | 140.5% |
| Freight transportation arrangement | 128 | 96.9% |
| Breweries | 64 | 65.4% |
| Paint and supplies merchant wholesalers | 8 | 51.1% |
| Crude petroleum extraction | 68 | 45.0% |
| Translation and interpretation services | 17 | 33.4% |
| Plastics bottle manufacturing | 110 | 32.0% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change #
| Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Offices of physicians | 417 | 2.7% |
| Services for the elderly and disabled | 367 | 4.8% |
| Private households | 366 | 13.5% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 217 | 5.2% |
| Food service contractors | 186 | 12.4% |
| Other gambling industries | 172 | 6.5% |
| Nursing care facilities skilled nursing | 162 | 1.7% |
Average Weekly Wage by Industry
The industry that pays their employees the most is Investment banking and securities dealing, paying $3,099 compared with the state average of $896. Employees in the Investment banking and securities dealing industry were paid $0 more per week, an increase of 0.0% in the last year. Securities brokerage ($3,098) and Coal and other mineral merchant wholesalers ($3,058) round out the top 3 industries. Employees in the Securities brokerage ($3,098 per week) were paid $91 more per week, an increase of 3.0% and Coal and other mineral merchant wholesalers ($3,058 per week) were paid $371 more per week, an increase of 13.8% round out the 3 industries that pay their employees the most.Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change %
| Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Political organizations | $478 | 87.1% |
| Public relations agencies | $777 | 72.8% |
| Hunting and trapping | $330 | 53.0% |
| New motor vehicle parts merchant wholesalers | $380 | 44.5% |
| Dairy cattle and milk production | $234 | 39.8% |
| Architectural services | $532 | 37.7% |
| Mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers | $505 | 35.2% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change $
| Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Public relations agencies | $777 | 72.8% |
| Architectural services | $532 | 37.7% |
| Mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers | $505 | 35.2% |
| Political organizations | $478 | 87.1% |
| New motor vehicle parts merchant wholesalers | $380 | 44.5% |
| Coal and other mineral merchant wholesalers | $371 | 13.8% |
| Druggists' goods merchant wholesalers | $355 | 16.1% |
Company Size
West Virginia Businesses by Size
The solopreneur company, has the most businesses in West Virginia by far. 57.5% of all businesses in the state have fewer than 5 employees. The 45,410 small businesses in the state represent 96.1% of all private businesses. The national average is 91.2%. (Small businesses have fewer than 50 employees, Solopreneurs employ fewer than 5.) West Virginia added 408 businesses in the last year, an increase of 0.9% as compared to the national average of 3.0%.Small businesses are defined as companies with fewer than 50 employees. These small businesses added 375 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 0.8% as compared to the national average of 3.1%.
Mid-sized businesses are defined as companies with between 50 and 499 employees. These mid-sized businesses added 35 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 2.0% as compared to the national average of 1.3%.
Large businesses are defined as companies with more than 500 employees. These large businesses declined 2 businesses in the last year, which is a decrease of 3.6% as compared to the national average of 2.1%.
West Virginia Employees by Business Size
West Virginia added 13,650 employees in the last year, an increase of 2.6% as compared to the national average of 5.2%. Small businesses are defined as companies with fewer than 50 employees. These small businesses added 226 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 0.5% as compared to the national average of 4.2%.Mid-sized businesses are defined as companies with between 50 and 499 employees. Mid-sized businesses added 13,055 employees in the last year, which is an increase of 7.0% as compared to the national average of 4.7%.
Large businesses are defined as companies with more than 500 employees. Large businesses added 369 employees in the last year, which is an increase of 0.6% as compared to the national average of 9.2%.
West Virginia Avg Weekly Wages by Business Size
West Virginia workers in every size business are paid less than the national average. The smallest companies in West Virginia (those with fewer than 5 employees) pay workers 19.5% less than the national average ($841 per week as compared to the national average of $1,005 per week). The largest companies in West Virginia (those with more than 1,000 employees) pay 61.3% workers below the national average ($1,186 per week as compared to the national average of $1,913 per week).Average weekly wages in small businesses added $122 per week in the last year, which is an increase of 4.1% as compared to the national average of 3.1%. Employees of mid-sized businesses added $114 in wages per week in the last year, which is an increase of 4.0% as compared to the national average of 1.3%.
Employees of large businesses added $23 of weekly wages in the last year, which is an increase of 0.9% as compared to the national average of 2.1%.
Top Industries for Business and Employment
The table below illustrates the largest industries in the state, by number of businesses:Table: Top 10 Industries by # of Businesses
| Industry | # Businesses | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Private households | 2,954 | 9.9% |
| Restaurants and other eating places | 2,804 | -1.7% |
| Offices of physicians | 1,350 | -3.2% |
| Residential building construction | 1,139 | -4.4% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 1,124 | 4.0% |
| Gasoline stations with convenience stores | 971 | 1.4% |
| Offices of lawyers | 903 | -2.9% |
| Insurance agencies and brokerages | 802 | -2.8% |
| Accounting and bookkeeping services | 751 | 1.3% |
| Wholesale trade agents and brokers | 728 | -10.1% |
The table below illustrates the largest industries in the state, by number of employees:
Table: Top 10 Industries by # of Employees
| Industry | # Employees | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurants and other eating places | 50,780 | 0.0% |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 39,417 | -0.3% |
| Offices of physicians | 16,045 | 2.7% |
| General merchandise stores including warehouse clubs and supercenters | 13,588 | -3.0% |
| Coal mining | 12,820 | -4.7% |
| Supermarkets and other grocery stores | 9,978 | -3.5% |
| Nursing care facilities skilled nursing | 9,462 | 1.7% |
| Gasoline stations with convenience stores | 9,009 | -1.9% |
| Temporary help services | 8,221 | -5.0% |
| Services for the elderly and disabled | 8,078 | 4.8% |
The table below illustrates the largest industries in the state, by highest wages:
Table: Top 10 Industries by Weekly Wage
| Industry | Wkly Wages | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Investment banking and securities dealing | $3,099 | 0.0% |
| Securities brokerage | $3,098 | 3.0% |
| Coal and other mineral merchant wholesalers | $3,058 | 13.8% |
| Satellite telecommunications | $2,574 | 15.7% |
| Druggists' goods merchant wholesalers | $2,563 | 16.1% |
| Nonscheduled air transportation | $2,305 | 13.5% |
| Oil and gas pipeline construction | $2,016 | -19.1% |
| Other basic inorganic chemical manufacturing | $1,946 | 7.0% |
| Architectural services | $1,944 | 37.7% |
| Mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers | $1,941 | 35.2% |
Data Sources
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