Machinists pay range in Charleston
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,780 a year or less, while the top 10% make $74,770 or more. The middle half of machinists in Charleston earn between $39,600 and $64,840.
- $36K10th
- $40K25th
- $48KMedian
- $65K75th
- $75K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $53,420 | $4,452 | $25.68 |
| Median | $48,110 | $4,009 | $23.13 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $39,600 | $3,300 | $19.04 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $64,840 | $5,403 | $31.17 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Machinists salary after taxes in Charleston
On the average salary of $53,420, a single filer in Charleston takes home about $43,515 a year, or $3,626 a month and $1,674 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Charleston a good place for machinists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Charleston area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.7), so the average $53,420 buys what about $60,214 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Charleston ($45,830). A typical home costs $148,817, or 2.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Machinists salary in other West Virginia cities
Charleston ranks 2nd of 6 West Virginia metro areas for this job; Wheeling pays the most ($56,200).
- Wheeling$56,200
- Charleston$53,420
- Beckley$52,170
- Morgantown$52,010
- Weirton$51,660
- Huntington$49,350
Highest-paying cities for machinists
Honolulu, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($81,140).
- Honolulu, HI$81,140
- Bremerton, WA$79,720
- Barnstable, MA$77,800
- Florence, AL$77,420
- San Francisco, CA$76,240
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Machinists salary in Charleston: questions
How much do machinists make an hour in Charleston?
$25.68 an hour on average, and $23.13 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level machinists salary in Charleston?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,780 a year and the 25th percentile is $39,600, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the machinists take-home pay in Charleston?
About $43,515 a year ($3,626 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $53,420.
Do machinists earn more in Charleston than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($59,811).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 51-4041; area Charleston, WV (16620). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.0%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.58, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.58).
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