Bookkeeper salary in Merced, CA
Merced pays bookkeepers less than California as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $51,740 a year1: 12.6% below the California statewide median of $59,230 and 2.1% above the US median of $50,670. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#83 of 521). BLS counts about 680 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Merced, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Merced against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merced, CA | $39,360 | $51,740 | $77,040 | |
| California | $41,600 | $59,230 | $81,990 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Merced earns $45,240–$63,040. The top tenth earns $77,040 or more, 2.0 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.1 times. The mean ($56,260) is 9% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $17,800 wide, against $22,000 across California and $17,950 nationally: employers in Merced pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,360 | $3,280 | $18.92 | $50,787 |
| 25th percentile | $45,240 | $3,770 | $21.75 | $58,374 |
| Median | $51,740 | $4,312 | $24.88 | $66,761 |
| 75th percentile | $63,040 | $5,253 | $30.31 | $81,342 |
| 90th percentile | $77,040 | $6,420 | $37.04 | $99,406 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $11,300 over the median, the 25th only $6,500 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $14,581 a year in employer cost. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $50,670 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in Merced, and the California statewide median of $59,230 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Merced
At the $51,740 median, a local hire costs about $66,761 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $15,021 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for bookkeepers we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Merced
Of the 16 roles we track in Merced, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between HR assistants ($52,590) and administrative assistants ($51,710). Project Coordinator is the highest at $103,850.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +16.6% | 100 | |
| HR Assistant | +1.6% | 60 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 680 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -0.1% | 620 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -5.3% | 330 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #7 of the 16 roles we track in Merced (+2.1%), between virtual receptionists (+2.3%) and customer support specialists (+2.0%). The typical role here is at +1.8%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 14.3% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Merced, 9.2% across California and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $47,960 in El Centro to $66,130 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $18,170 a year. Of the 23 areas in California with more bookkeepers than Merced, 3 pay less: Visalia, CA ($51,200), Chico, CA ($50,710) and the Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetro area ($50,900).
| Area | Median | vs Merced | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | +2.8% | 2,580 | |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | +2.3% | 370 | |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California (Nonmetro) | +1.9% | 1,180 | |
| Merced, CA | this area | 680 | |
| Visalia, CA | -1.0% | 1,390 | |
| Redding, CA | -1.3% | 660 | |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California (Nonmetro) | -1.6% | 730 |
Merced against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Merced is #356 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside California, Phoenix-Mesa and Syracuse pay just above Merced and Vineland and Dallas-Fort Worth just below. All four are within $260 a year of the median in Merced. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Merced | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingston, NY | +5.4% | 670 | jobs | |
| Syracuse, NY | +0.5% | 2,980 | pay | |
| Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | +0.5% | 16,280 | pay | |
| Merced, CA | this area | 680 | ||
| Vineland, NJ | -0.0% | 450 | pay | |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | -0.0% | 34,930 | pay | |
| Bismarck, ND | -4.7% | 690 | jobs | |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | -8.4% | 690 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Merced, CA?
About $66,761 a year at the median, or $5,563 a month: $51,740 in pay plus about $15,021 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Merced?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $51,740 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $39,360, the 90th $77,040, and the middle half earned $45,240 to $63,040.
Is Merced cheaper than the rest of California for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $51,740 against $59,230 statewide. The next area up in California is the North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetro area at $52,740, the next down Visalia at $51,200.
How many bookkeepers work in Merced?
BLS counts about 680 in the May 2025 survey. 23 areas in California have more; the closest in size is Napa, with about 700.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Merced?
Yes: $30 a year more at the median. The medians are $51,740 and $51,710.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-3031: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.