High paying entry level jobs in Merced, CA

These occupations in Merced, CA ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in Merced, CA run 1.7% below the national average (2024), so a Merced, CA salary is worth about 1.02× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Merced, CA

OccupationMedian, Merced, CA · Employed

1Dentists, General$170,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$100,330 – $274,06040
2Physician Assistants$164,080
Master's degree
$86,070 – $199,14050
3Nurse Practitioners$158,750
Master's degree
$129,590 – $195,700100
4Pharmacists$154,870
Doctoral or professional degree
$125,530 – $197,190120
5Lawyers$139,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,290 – $271,980120
6Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$138,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,400 – $207,51050
7Software Developers$132,120
Bachelor's degree
$79,210 – $201,85080
8Registered Nurses$131,620
Bachelor's degree
$95,070 – $165,5801,050
9Physical Therapists$126,000
Doctoral or professional degree
$89,730 – $203,82060
10Occupational Therapists$117,970
Master's degree
$71,530 – $149,21030
11Dental Hygienists$117,400
Associate's degree
$102,760 – $130,100100
12Project Management Specialists$103,850
Bachelor's degree
$63,990 – $154,940190
13Civil Engineers$102,930
Bachelor's degree
$66,470 – $153,88050
14Respiratory Therapists$101,810
Associate's degree
$77,670 – $137,40040
15Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$101,770
Bachelor's degree
$67,390 – $120,810180
16Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$101,400
Associate's degree
$57,070 – $159,20080
17Computer Programmers$100,410
Bachelor's degree
$69,700 – $130,74030
18Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$100,120
Bachelor's degree
$74,520 – $129,4101,560
19Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$99,600
Bachelor's degree
$63,910 – $123,9601,020
20Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$98,630
Master's degree
$52,820 – $172,06050
21Network and Computer Systems Administrators$98,060
Bachelor's degree
$64,430 – $138,13050
22Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$98,040
Bachelor's degree
$61,990 – $124,760120
23Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$97,340
Bachelor's degree
$61,600 – $123,710160
24Special Education Teachers, All Other$96,560
Bachelor's degree
$61,660 – $117,77070
25Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$96,430
Bachelor's degree
$61,640 – $130,090140
26Food Scientists and Technologists$96,430
Bachelor's degree
$61,760 – $149,56040
27Computer Systems Analysts$95,390
Bachelor's degree
$63,180 – $132,260110
28Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$94,470
Bachelor's degree
$51,240 – $131,42050
29Teachers and Instructors, All Other$93,400
Bachelor's degree
$48,290 – $120,140140
30Industrial Engineers$91,490
Bachelor's degree
$60,010 – $157,62040
31Engineers, All Other$90,450
Bachelor's degree
$61,350 – $155,63030
32Fundraisers$84,570
Bachelor's degree
$50,640 – $130,90040
33Financial and Investment Analysts$84,440
Bachelor's degree
$65,590 – $139,19070
34Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$83,020
Master's degree
$54,670 – $130,640350
35Accountants and Auditors$80,420
Bachelor's degree
$53,800 – $130,930360
36Health Education Specialists$79,830
Bachelor's degree
$42,470 – $102,01040
37Mechanical Engineers$79,600
Bachelor's degree
$59,990 – $149,12040
38Computer Occupations, All Other$78,840
Bachelor's degree
$47,870 – $148,68070
39Public Relations Specialists$77,380
Bachelor's degree
$52,900 – $140,82040
40Business Operations Specialists, All Other$77,330
Bachelor's degree
$43,450 – $142,720300
41Human Resources Specialists$76,820
Bachelor's degree
$49,610 – $118,050280
42Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$75,890
Postsecondary nondegree award
$61,840 – $83,200300
43Logisticians$74,820
Bachelor's degree
$54,400 – $131,44070
44Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$74,620
Associate's degree
$60,320 – $95,72030
45Financial Specialists, All Other$72,840
Bachelor's degree
$34,320 – $101,86030
46Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners$67,350
Bachelor's degree
$49,090 – $102,39030
47Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$65,640
Bachelor's degree
$39,990 – $125,110170
48Graphic Designers$63,340
Bachelor's degree
$40,240 – $93,37030
49Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$63,220
Bachelor's degree
$44,600 – $74,600100
50Paralegals and Legal Assistants$61,320
Associate's degree
$40,480 – $83,02090

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianMerced, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$170,200	$100,330 – $274,060	40
2	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$164,080	$86,070 – $199,140	50
3	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$158,750	$129,590 – $195,700	100
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$154,870	$125,530 – $197,190	120
5	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$139,010	$82,290 – $271,980	120
6	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$138,890	$71,400 – $207,510	50
7	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$132,120	$79,210 – $201,850	80
8	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$131,620	$95,070 – $165,580	1,050
9	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$126,000	$89,730 – $203,820	60
10	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$117,970	$71,530 – $149,210	30
11	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$117,400	$102,760 – $130,100	100
12	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$103,850	$63,990 – $154,940	190
13	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,930	$66,470 – $153,880	50
14	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$101,810	$77,670 – $137,400	40
15	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$101,770	$67,390 – $120,810	180
16	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$101,400	$57,070 – $159,200	80
17	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$100,410	$69,700 – $130,740	30
18	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$100,120	$74,520 – $129,410	1,560
19	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$99,600	$63,910 – $123,960	1,020
20	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$98,630	$52,820 – $172,060	50
21	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$98,060	$64,430 – $138,130	50
22	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$98,040	$61,990 – $124,760	120
23	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$97,340	$61,600 – $123,710	160
24	Special Education Teachers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$96,560	$61,660 – $117,770	70
25	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$96,430	$61,640 – $130,090	140
26	Food Scientists and TechnologistsBachelor's degree	$96,430	$61,760 – $149,560	40
27	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$95,390	$63,180 – $132,260	110
28	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$94,470	$51,240 – $131,420	50
29	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$93,400	$48,290 – $120,140	140
30	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$91,490	$60,010 – $157,620	40
31	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$90,450	$61,350 – $155,630	30
32	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$84,570	$50,640 – $130,900	40
33	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,440	$65,590 – $139,190	70
34	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$83,020	$54,670 – $130,640	350
35	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$80,420	$53,800 – $130,930	360
36	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$79,830	$42,470 – $102,010	40
37	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$79,600	$59,990 – $149,120	40
38	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$78,840	$47,870 – $148,680	70
39	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$77,380	$52,900 – $140,820	40
40	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$77,330	$43,450 – $142,720	300
41	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$76,820	$49,610 – $118,050	280
42	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,890	$61,840 – $83,200	300
43	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$74,820	$54,400 – $131,440	70
44	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,620	$60,320 – $95,720	30
45	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$72,840	$34,320 – $101,860	30
46	Meeting, Convention, and Event PlannersBachelor's degree	$67,350	$49,090 – $102,390	30
47	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$65,640	$39,990 – $125,110	170
48	Graphic DesignersBachelor's degree	$63,340	$40,240 – $93,370	30
49	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$63,220	$44,600 – $74,600	100
50	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$61,320	$40,480 – $83,020	90

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Merced, CA. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

More for Merced, CA

By field in Merced, CA

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Merced, CA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Merced, CA

More for Merced, CA

Other metro areas in CA

By field in Merced, CA

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state