West Virginia Q2, 2019 Employment Statistics- 51,466 employers, up 0.9% from 50,991
- 697,247 employees, down 0.1% from 696,330
- $889 average weekly wage, up 2.4% from $868
- The average weekly wage is 18.8% 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 increased by 475, which is an increase of 0.9%. The number of employees in West Virginia declined by 917, a decline of 0.1%. During this same period, the average weekly wage increased by $21, an increase of 2.4%.
The number of private employers increased since last years' Q1. The number of private businesses increased by 496 or 1.1%. Growth in private businesses in West Virginia grew slower than the national average of 2.9%. The number of employees in these businesses decreased since last years' Q1, declining by 785 or 0.1%. The growth in employees of private businesses in West Virginia was slower than the national average of 1.4%.
The average weekly wage of employees of private businesses increased since last years' Q1. The averge weekly wage increased by $16 or 1.9%. 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 1.7%. Other services (11.3%), which increased by 6.1% and Healthcare (10.5%), which increased by 0.7%, round out the 3 largest sectors.
Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Business Change %
| Sector | Change Biz | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Educational services | 25 | 6.3% |
| Information | 49 | 6.3% |
| Other services | 334 | 6.1% |
| Utilities | 6 | 2.6% |
| Real estate and rental | 38 | 2.5% |
| Company management | 12 | 2.4% |
| Transport and warehousing | 30 | 1.9% |
| Professional services | 92 | 1.9% |
| Waste services | 52 | 1.7% |
| Healthcare | 35 | 0.7% |
| Mining and oil extraction | 3 | 0.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 11 | 0.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | -5 | -0.1% |
| Arts and entertainment | -2 | -0.2% |
| Manufacturing | -2 | -0.2% |
| Finance and insurance | -18 | -0.7% |
| Construction | -29 | -0.7% |
| Retail trade | -105 | -1.7% |
| Agriculture and forestry | -14 | -3.2% |
Employees by Sector
The sector with the greatest number of employees in the state is Healthcare with 17.1% of the employees in the state, had an increase in employees of 0.8% in the last year. Retail trade (11.5%), decreased by 3.7% and Accommodation and food services (9.7%), increased by 1.2%, round out the top 3 sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Employee Change %
| Sector | Employee Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Arts and entertainment | 403 | 4.9% |
| Educational services | 289 | 4.7% |
| Other services | 438 | 2.2% |
| Transport and warehousing | 366 | 2.0% |
| Real estate and rental | 112 | 1.7% |
| Company management | 114 | 1.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 832 | 1.2% |
| Healthcare | 1,028 | 0.8% |
| Mining and oil extraction | 158 | 0.7% |
| Manufacturing | 306 | 0.7% |
| Professional services | 124 | 0.4% |
| Waste services | 46 | 0.1% |
| Wholesale trade | -23 | -0.1% |
| Finance and insurance | -37 | -0.2% |
| Utilities | -26 | -0.5% |
| Agriculture and forestry | -41 | -2.2% |
| Construction | -1,496 | -3.5% |
| Information | -304 | -3.6% |
| Retail trade | -3,071 | -3.7% |
Average Weekly Wage by Sector
The sector that pays their employees the highest is Utilities paying $1,719per week compared with the state average of $866. Weekly wages in this sector rose by $69 or 4.2%. Mining and oil extraction ($1,591), rose by $33 or 2.1% and Company management ($1,581) increased by $22 or 1.4% round out the 3 largest sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Weekly Wage Change %
| Sector | Wage Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture and forestry | $53 | 9.3% |
| Wholesale trade | $52 | 4.6% |
| Waste services | $31 | 4.5% |
| Retail trade | $24 | 4.5% |
| Utilities | $69 | 4.2% |
| Healthcare | $28 | 3.3% |
| Other services | $20 | 3.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | $9 | 2.7% |
| Real estate and rental | $20 | 2.5% |
| Manufacturing | $26 | 2.3% |
| Mining and oil extraction | $33 | 2.1% |
| Arts and entertainment | $5 | 1.5% |
| Company management | $22 | 1.4% |
| Educational services | $8 | 1.2% |
| Transport and warehousing | $11 | 1.1% |
| Finance and insurance | $3 | 0.3% |
| Information | $-5 | -0.5% |
| Professional services | $-12 | -1.0% |
| Construction | $-62 | -4.8% |
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 5.5% of the businesses in the state (with 2,839 employing 2,869 workers). The Private households industry had 341 more businesses, an increase of 13.7% in the last year. Restaurants and other eating places (5.5% of businesses) had 26 fewer businesses, a decline of 0.9% and Offices of physicians (2.7% of businesses) had 12 fewer businesses, a decline of 0.9% round out the 3 industries with the most businesses.Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change %
| Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Management training | 5 | 100.0% |
| Footwear merchant wholesalers | 3 | 100.0% |
| School and employee bus transportation | 1 | 50.0% |
| Fish and seafood markets | 2 | 50.0% |
| Luggage and leather goods stores | 1 | 50.0% |
| Breweries | 6 | 46.2% |
| All other financial investment activities | 10 | 45.5% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change #
| Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Private households | 341 | 13.7% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 48 | 4.5% |
| Management consulting services | 37 | 6.7% |
| All other professional and technical services | 26 | 35.1% |
| Data processing hosting and related services | 22 | 25.9% |
| Offices of specialty therapists | 20 | 7.3% |
| Medical equipment merchant wholesalers | 18 | 13.8% |
Employees by Industry
Restaurants and other eating places (5.5% of employees) had 26 fewer employees, a decline of 0.9% and Offices of physicians (2.7% ofemployees) had 12 fewer employees, a decline of 0.9% round out the 3 industries with the most employees.Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change %
| Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Other support activities for road transport. | 107 | 210.9% |
| Freight transportation arrangement | 103 | 120.5% |
| Educational support services | 391 | 93.3% |
| Breweries | 52 | 63.4% |
| Other ground passenger transportation | 111 | 53.9% |
| Other services related to advertising | 98 | 41.5% |
| All other financial investment activities | 28 | 39.1% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change #
| Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 973 | 2.5% |
| Restaurants and other eating places | 683 | 1.3% |
| Educational support services | 391 | 93.3% |
| Plumbing and hvac contractors | 301 | 9.1% |
| Landscaping services | 282 | 7.3% |
| Other gambling industries | 277 | 10.4% |
| Private households | 264 | 10.1% |
Average Weekly Wage by Industry
The industry that pays their employees the most is Investment banking and securities dealing, paying $3,944 compared with the state average of $866. 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 ($2,681) and Satellite telecommunications ($2,566) round out the top 3 industries. Employees in the Securities brokerage ($2,681 per week) were paid $207 less per week, a decline of 7.2% and Satellite telecommunications ($2,566 per week) were paid $964 more per week, an increase of 60.2% round out the 3 industries that pay their employees the most.Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change %
| Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Satellite telecommunications | $964 | 60.2% |
| Appliance and electronics merchant whls. | $366 | 45.0% |
| Jewelry merchant wholesalers | $115 | 31.2% |
| Tile and terrazzo contractors | $138 | 26.3% |
| Other ground passenger transportation | $88 | 25.7% |
| Vegetable and melon farming | $81 | 25.5% |
| New motor vehicle parts merchant wholesalers | $197 | 25.2% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change $
| Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Satellite telecommunications | $964 | 60.2% |
| Appliance and electronics merchant whls. | $366 | 45.0% |
| Other activities related to real estate | $332 | 21.7% |
| Footwear merchant wholesalers | $280 | 14.9% |
| Roofing and siding merchant wholesalers | $253 | 23.8% |
| Computer and software merchant wholesalers | $243 | 16.0% |
| Nonscheduled air transportation | $226 | 12.8% |
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 92.4%. (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 | 2,839 | 13.7% |
| Restaurants and other eating places | 2,818 | -0.9% |
| Offices of physicians | 1,386 | -0.9% |
| Residential building construction | 1,162 | -0.7% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 1,119 | 4.5% |
| Gasoline stations with convenience stores | 955 | -0.5% |
| Offices of lawyers | 910 | -2.8% |
| Insurance agencies and brokerages | 802 | -1.7% |
| Wholesale trade agents and brokers | 757 | -10.5% |
| Accounting and bookkeeping services | 751 | 0.4% |
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 | 52,134 | 1.3% |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 39,699 | 2.5% |
| Offices of physicians | 15,875 | 1.0% |
| Coal mining | 13,516 | 0.5% |
| General merchandise stores including warehouse clubs and supercenters | 13,118 | -4.7% |
| Supermarkets and other grocery stores | 10,005 | -3.5% |
| Nursing care facilities skilled nursing | 9,368 | 1.5% |
| Gasoline stations with convenience stores | 9,141 | -2.2% |
| Temporary help services | 8,279 | -2.8% |
| Services for the elderly and disabled | 7,924 | 1.9% |
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 | $3,944 | 0.0% |
| Securities brokerage | $2,681 | -7.2% |
| Satellite telecommunications | $2,566 | 60.2% |
| Coal and other mineral merchant wholesalers | $2,244 | 9.6% |
| Footwear merchant wholesalers | $2,154 | 14.9% |
| Druggists' goods merchant wholesalers | $2,109 | 6.9% |
| Nonscheduled air transportation | $1,987 | 12.8% |
| Electric power generation | $1,944 | 7.6% |
| Other basic inorganic chemical manufacturing | $1,927 | 3.7% |
| Oil and gas pipeline construction | $1,914 | -3.1% |
Data Sources
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