StateRates

Merced salaries

The median worker in the Merced, CA metro area earned $45,930 a year in 2024, about $22.08 an hour. That ranks #224 of the 391 metro areas published here, 7.2% below the national median.

California

Median pay $45,930 $22.08 per hour
Vs national -7.2% U.S. $49,500
Workers 78,910 wage and salary
Metro rank #224 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Merced pays 19.3% less than California as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.

Unusually concentrated here

Occupations against their national share, 2024
Occupation Concentration Employed Median
Slaughterers and Meat Packers 30.64× 1,060 $38,660
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse 28.57× 3,830 $35,410
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term 6.65× 1,640 $51,560
Packers and Packagers, Hand 3.86× 1,190 $33,280
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders 3.31× 650 $45,050
Cooks, Fast Food 2.43× 830 $35,960
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 2.32× 1,630 $37,930
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 2.19× 4,460 $33,530
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators 1.86× 770 $44,490
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 1.69× 930 $97,470
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 1.67× 1,190 $97,400
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 1.64× 1,740 $54,930

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Merced
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $152,950 n/a 270
Financial Managers $129,110 $62.07 210
Registered Nurses $126,880 $61.00 930
Medical and Health Services Managers $105,870 $50.90 230
Teachers and Instructors, All Other $100,390 n/a 370
General and Operations Managers $98,990 $47.59 1,010
Correctional Officers and Jailers $98,550 $47.38 240
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $97,470 n/a 930
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $97,400 n/a 1,190
Sales Managers $90,400 $43.46 270
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $86,470 $41.57 260
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $82,900 $39.86 440
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $79,860 $38.39 260
Accountants and Auditors $78,670 $37.82 340
Management Analysts $77,610 $37.31 260
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $76,730 $36.89 430
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors $76,060 $36.57 350
Industrial Machinery Mechanics $75,420 $36.26 290
Business Operations Specialists, All Other $74,630 $35.88 310
Human Resources Specialists $74,570 $35.85 290
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $71,430 $34.34 270
Carpenters $64,140 $30.84 460
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $63,940 $30.74 620
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $63,660 $30.61 350
Production Workers, All Other $60,550 $29.11 200
Child, Family, and School Social Workers $59,860 $28.78 480
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors $59,840 $28.77 300
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders $59,570 $28.64 240
Food Science Technicians $58,880 $28.31 220
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $58,580 $28.16 360
Bus Drivers, School $58,270 $28.01 260
First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers $58,070 $27.92 270
Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks $57,600 $27.69 200
Training and Development Specialists $56,500 $27.16 210
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General $55,860 $26.85 820
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $55,380 $26.63 340
Construction Laborers $55,330 $26.60 400
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $54,930 $26.41 1,740
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term $51,560 $24.79 1,640
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $49,850 $23.97 620
Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other $49,090 $23.60 270
Social and Human Service Assistants $48,840 $23.48 280
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers $48,710 $23.42 260
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel $48,660 $23.39 330
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers $48,600 $23.37 650
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive $48,340 $23.24 640
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers $48,060 $23.11 330
Billing and Posting Clerks $47,420 $22.80 220
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $46,110 $22.17 290
Pharmacy Technicians $45,720 $21.98 210
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education $45,320 $21.79 200
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $45,280 $21.77 640
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders $45,050 $21.66 650
Office Clerks, General $45,020 $21.64 1,250
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators $44,490 $21.39 770
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks $44,410 $21.35 390
Customer Service Representatives $44,210 $21.26 520
Nursing Assistants $44,040 $21.17 400
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $43,190 $20.77 250
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners $43,050 $20.70 1,250

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Merced by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 4,460 $33,530 $16.12
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse 3,830 $35,410 $17.02
Fast Food and Counter Workers 2,540 $36,440 $17.52
Cashiers 2,340 $34,640 $16.66
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 1,740 $54,930 $26.41
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term 1,640 $51,560 $24.79
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 1,630 $37,930 n/a
Stockers and Order Fillers 1,610 $38,680 $18.60
Retail Salespersons 1,490 $35,030 $16.84
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1,250 $43,050 $20.70
Office Clerks, General 1,250 $45,020 $21.64
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 1,190 $97,400 n/a
Packers and Packagers, Hand 1,190 $33,280 $16.00
Slaughterers and Meat Packers 1,060 $38,660 $18.59
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 1,040 $37,300 $17.93
General and Operations Managers 1,010 $98,990 $47.59
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 930 $97,470 n/a
Registered Nurses 930 $126,880 $61.00
Cooks, Fast Food 830 $35,960 $17.29
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 820 $55,860 $26.85

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.

Other California metro areas

Merced pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Merced?

The median across all occupations is $45,930, or $22.08 an hour, covering 78,910 wage and salary workers. The mean is $59,270, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Merced pay more than the rest of California?

No. The metro median of $45,930 is 19.3% below the California median of $56,940. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.

Which jobs pay best in Merced?

Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary ($152,950), Financial Managers ($129,110), Registered Nurses ($126,880). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Merced unusually full of?

Slaughterers and Meat Packers, at 30.64× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.