SalaryExplorer

SOC 25-2022 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS

Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationMerced

Merced, CA · 10 metro areas compared

$101,770 /year
180jobs in area
+58.1%vs US median

The median wage for Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education in Merced, CA is $101,770 per year, well above the national median of $64,370.

Wage distribution · annual

Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners

US MEDIAN $64,37010TH$67,39025TH$77,570MEDIAN$101,77075TH$111,82090TH$120,810

Salary overview

The median wage for Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education in Merced, CA is $101,770 per year, well above the national median of $64,370. The gap of 58.1% is among the widest recorded for this occupation. Pay ranges from under $67,390 at the tenth percentile to more than $120,810 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $77,570 to $111,820.

Employment stands at 180, or 2.2 jobs per thousand held locally. San Jose leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $105,030. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 37th of 272 by median pay.

Percentile breakdown

Annual wages by percentile · Merced, CA · May 2025
PercentileAnnualvs US median
10th$67,390+4.7%
25th$77,570+20.5%
Median (50th)$101,770+58.1%
75th$111,820+73.7%
90th$120,810+87.7%
Mean$94,430+46.7%

Other metro areas in California

Median annual wage for Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education, by metro area
#Metro areaMedianJobsRelative
1San Jose$105,0303,330
2Fresno$104,250850
3El Centro$104,140250
4Oxnard$103,880530
5Modesto$101,250740
6Riverside$100,8104,860
7Sacramento$99,3601,570
8Los Angeles$98,37012,780
9Santa Rosa$98,020380
10Napa$95,590130

What the pay is worth locally

Prices in Merced run 10.7% above the national average, so the median of $101,770 buys what $91,933 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 42.8% above the national median in real terms.

Published median

$101,770as reported by BLS

Local price level

110.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Adjusted for local prices

$91,933US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Key takeaways

  • Median pay is $101,770 a year, 58.1% above the national median.
  • Published pay spans $67,390 to $120,810 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
  • The area has 180 jobs in this occupation.
  • The highest-paying metro area covered is San Jose, at $105,030.

Frequently asked questions

What is the median wage for Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education in Merced, CA?

The median annual wage is $101,770, 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 $64,370, so pay in Merced, CA is 58.1% 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 $120,810 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.

What is the starting range?

The tenth percentile wage is $67,390 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 $105,030 per year.

How many jobs are there in this occupation here?

The survey estimates 180 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.

Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education in Merced, CA Earn $101,770 — 58.1% Above Average (2025) | Salary Explorer