SalaryExplorer

SOC 13-1131 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS

Fundraisers — Merced

Merced, CA · 10 metro areas compared

$84,570 /year
$40.66per hour
40jobs in area
+16.6%vs US median

In Merced, CA the median wage for Fundraisers is $84,570 a year, which is 16.6% higher than the national figure of $72,550.

Wage distribution · annual

Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners

US MEDIAN $72,55010TH$50,640MEDIAN$84,57075TH$91,74090TH$130,900

The next ten years

Projected to grow about as fast as average

Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
+4.3%
Openings per year
10,200
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree

Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.

Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Merced, CA.

Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.

Salary overview

In Merced, CA the median wage for Fundraisers is $84,570 a year, which is 16.6% higher than the national figure of $72,550. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $55,270 and $91,740. The lowest tenth earn under $50,640, while the highest tenth earn more than $130,900.

The area has 40 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 0.5 of every thousand jobs. Within the state, San Jose records the highest median at $106,760. Of the 272 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 60th.

Percentile breakdown

Annual wages by percentile · Merced, CA · May 2025
PercentileAnnualvs US median
10th$50,640−30.2%
25th$55,270−23.8%
Median (50th)$84,570+16.6%
75th$91,740+26.5%
90th$130,900+80.4%
Mean$85,160+17.4%

Why the average earner is usually not a typical earner

Other metro areas in California

Median annual wage for Fundraisers, by metro area
#Metro areaMedianJobsRelative
1San Jose$106,7601,060
2San Francisco$82,9303,020
3Santa Cruz$82,310130
4Santa Maria$81,910200
5Napa$78,98050
6Santa Rosa$78,720160
7San Luis Obispo$77,73060
8Los Angeles$77,5504,230
9Sacramento$76,860620
10San Diego$76,3001,060

What the pay is worth locally

Prices in Merced sit close to the national average, so $84,570 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.

Published median

$84,570as reported by BLS

Local price level

98.3US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Adjusted for local prices

$86,033US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest

Key takeaways

  • Median pay is $84,570 a year, 16.6% above the national median.
  • Published pay spans $50,640 to $130,900 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
  • The area has 40 jobs in this occupation.
  • The highest-paying metro area covered is San Jose, at $106,760.

Frequently asked questions

What is the median wage for Fundraisers in Merced, CA?

The median annual wage is $84,570, or $40.66 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.

Is that higher than the national average?

The national median for this occupation is $72,550, so pay in Merced, CA is 16.6% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.

What do the top earners make?

The top tenth of this occupation in Merced, CA earns more than $130,900 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.

What is the starting range?

The tenth percentile wage is $50,640 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.

Which area nearby pays the most?

The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in San Jose, at $106,760 per year.

How many jobs are there in this occupation here?

The survey estimates 40 jobs in this occupation in Merced, CA. Self-employed workers are not included.

Source and methodology

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.