High paying jobs in Merced, CA

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Merced, CA. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

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

1Physicians, All Other$273,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,190 – $548,18090
2Family Medicine Physicians$270,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$145,770 – $343,37040
3Chief Executives$181,660
Bachelor's degree
$76,410 – $414,320100
4Dentists, General$170,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$100,330 – $274,06040
5Computer and Information Systems Managers$167,150
Bachelor's degree
$120,270 – $275,17080
6Education Administrators, Postsecondary$165,620
Master's degree
$115,860 – $352,28050
7Physician Assistants$164,080
Master's degree
$86,070 – $199,14050
8Nurse Practitioners$158,750
Master's degree
$129,590 – $195,700100
9Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$157,180
Master's degree
$122,230 – $188,770260
10Pharmacists$154,870
Doctoral or professional degree
$125,530 – $197,190120
11Human Resources Managers$153,210
Bachelor's degree
$91,470 – $264,97070
12Marketing Managers$148,670
Bachelor's degree
$88,450 – $297,77050
13Lawyers$139,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,290 – $271,980120
14Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$138,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,400 – $207,51050
15Financial Managers$134,170
Bachelor's degree
$79,750 – $277,750210
16School Psychologists$133,230
Master's degree
$104,670 – $150,46090
17Software Developers$132,120
Bachelor's degree
$79,210 – $201,85080
18Registered Nurses$131,620
Bachelor's degree
$95,070 – $165,5801,050
19Education Administrators, All Other$128,210
Bachelor's degree
$57,990 – $174,40030
20Managers, All Other$128,190
Bachelor's degree
$84,500 – $210,810150
21Physical Therapists$126,000
Doctoral or professional degree
$89,730 – $203,82060
22Industrial Production Managers$123,590
Bachelor's degree
$84,050 – $181,310130
23Facilities Managers$121,730
Bachelor's degree
$65,500 – $169,38080
24First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$121,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$109,130 – $197,410100
25Construction Managers$119,150
Bachelor's degree
$83,070 – $167,980100
26Occupational Therapists$117,970
Master's degree
$71,530 – $149,21030
27Dental Hygienists$117,400
Associate's degree
$102,760 – $130,100100
28Medical and Health Services Managers$114,510
Bachelor's degree
$57,200 – $260,000290
29Speech-Language Pathologists$114,220
Master's degree
$79,400 – $163,880100
30Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$110,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,250 – $136,64040
31Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$108,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$70,030 – $160,42070
32Instructional Coordinators$106,710
Master's degree
$61,490 – $139,580120
33Project Management Specialists$103,850
Bachelor's degree
$63,990 – $154,940190
34Administrative Services Managers$103,840
Bachelor's degree
$61,330 – $182,760120
35Civil Engineers$102,930
Bachelor's degree
$66,470 – $153,88050
36Respiratory Therapists$101,810
Associate's degree
$77,670 – $137,40040
37Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$101,770
Bachelor's degree
$67,390 – $120,810180
38Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$101,400
Associate's degree
$57,070 – $159,20080
39Computer Programmers$100,410
Bachelor's degree
$69,700 – $130,74030
40Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$100,120
Bachelor's degree
$74,520 – $129,4101,560
41Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$99,600
Bachelor's degree
$63,910 – $123,9601,020
42Sales Managers$98,670
Bachelor's degree
$53,420 – $211,890280
43Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$98,630
Master's degree
$52,820 – $172,06050
44Network and Computer Systems Administrators$98,060
Bachelor's degree
$64,430 – $138,13050
45Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$98,040
Bachelor's degree
$61,990 – $124,760120
46Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$97,340
Bachelor's degree
$61,600 – $123,710160
47Special Education Teachers, All Other$96,560
Bachelor's degree
$61,660 – $117,77070
48Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$96,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,850 – $117,64040
49Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$96,430
Bachelor's degree
$61,640 – $130,090140
50Food Scientists and Technologists$96,430
Bachelor's degree
$61,760 – $149,56040

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	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$273,110	$80,190 – $548,180	90
2	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$270,880	$145,770 – $343,370	40
3	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$181,660	$76,410 – $414,320	100
4	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$170,200	$100,330 – $274,060	40
5	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$167,150	$120,270 – $275,170	80
6	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$165,620	$115,860 – $352,280	50
7	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$164,080	$86,070 – $199,140	50
8	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$158,750	$129,590 – $195,700	100
9	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$157,180	$122,230 – $188,770	260
10	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$154,870	$125,530 – $197,190	120
11	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$153,210	$91,470 – $264,970	70
12	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$148,670	$88,450 – $297,770	50
13	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$139,010	$82,290 – $271,980	120
14	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$138,890	$71,400 – $207,510	50
15	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$134,170	$79,750 – $277,750	210
16	School PsychologistsMaster's degree	$133,230	$104,670 – $150,460	90
17	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$132,120	$79,210 – $201,850	80
18	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$131,620	$95,070 – $165,580	1,050
19	Education Administrators, All OtherBachelor's degree	$128,210	$57,990 – $174,400	30
20	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$128,190	$84,500 – $210,810	150
21	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$126,000	$89,730 – $203,820	60
22	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$123,590	$84,050 – $181,310	130
23	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$121,730	$65,500 – $169,380	80
24	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$121,720	$109,130 – $197,410	100
25	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$119,150	$83,070 – $167,980	100
26	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$117,970	$71,530 – $149,210	30
27	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$117,400	$102,760 – $130,100	100
28	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$114,510	$57,200 – $260,000	290
29	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$114,220	$79,400 – $163,880	100
30	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$110,910	$62,250 – $136,640	40
31	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$108,040	$70,030 – $160,420	70
32	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$106,710	$61,490 – $139,580	120
33	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$103,850	$63,990 – $154,940	190
34	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$103,840	$61,330 – $182,760	120
35	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,930	$66,470 – $153,880	50
36	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$101,810	$77,670 – $137,400	40
37	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$101,770	$67,390 – $120,810	180
38	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$101,400	$57,070 – $159,200	80
39	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$100,410	$69,700 – $130,740	30
40	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$100,120	$74,520 – $129,410	1,560
41	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$99,600	$63,910 – $123,960	1,020
42	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$98,670	$53,420 – $211,890	280
43	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$98,630	$52,820 – $172,060	50
44	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$98,060	$64,430 – $138,130	50
45	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$98,040	$61,990 – $124,760	120
46	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$97,340	$61,600 – $123,710	160
47	Special Education Teachers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$96,560	$61,660 – $117,770	70
48	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,520	$60,850 – $117,640	40
49	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$96,430	$61,640 – $130,090	140
50	Food Scientists and TechnologistsBachelor's degree	$96,430	$61,760 – $149,560	40

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 jobs in Merced, CA

More for Merced, CA

Other metro areas in CA

By field in Merced, CA

Without a degree

By state