Cost of hiring in Merced, CA
BLS counts about 4,770 people in these 16 roles in Merced1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($103,850 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($38,890), and Bookkeeper is the largest job, with about 680 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Merced
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +8.8% | 620 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +8.0% | 40 | |
| Executive Assistant | +5.3% | 150 | |
| HR Assistant | +3.9% | 60 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +3.6% | 100 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | +2.3% | 290 | |
| Bookkeeper | +2.1% | 680 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +2.0% | 500 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +1.6% | 350 | |
| Project Coordinator | +1.5% | 190 | |
| Recruiter | +1.2% | 280 | |
| Office Manager | -2.1% | 560 | |
| Paralegal | -2.5% | 90 | |
| Accountant | -3.9% | 360 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -16.7% | 170 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -30.0% | 330 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $51,740 median for bookkeepers, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $66,761 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Merced against the US
Merced pays above the US median for 11 of the 16 roles, most of all for administrative assistants (+8.8%) and data entry specialists (+8.0%), and below it for 5, furthest for sales development representatives (-30.0%). The middle gap across all 16 is +1.8%: for most of these roles, hiring costs more here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for executive assistants, #23 of 509 areas by median pay; its lowest is for sales development representatives, #444 of 520.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Merced has more HR assistants (1.3% of these jobs here, against 0.6% nationally) and payroll specialists (2.1% against 1.0%), and fewer project coordinators (4.0% against 6.8%) and marketing specialists (3.6% against 5.7%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Fairbanks-College, AK is nearest, at +1.8%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsfield, MA | +2.0% | 15 | 5,230 |
| Merced, CA | +1.8% (this area) | 16 | 4,770 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | +1.8% | 14 | 3,260 |
| Greeley, CO | +1.8% | 17 | 10,220 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | +1.6% | 17 | 31,880 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | +1.3% | 14 | 5,890 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Merced span $35,890–$131,480, the widest band (3.7×); virtual receptionists the narrowest, $34,850–$46,790. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 15 of 16 roles, virtual receptionists most ($28,760–$49,950 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, marketing specialists, accountants and 1 more role: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($66,830 against a $49,000 median for sales development representatives).
Merced against California
Against California as a whole, Merced pays less for every one of the 16 roles with a statewide figure. It comes closest for data entry specialists (-5.0%) and is furthest below for sales development representatives (-39.4%). It has the lowest median in California for virtual receptionists.
Other areas in California
By jobs in these roles, Merced is #24 of 28 areas in California. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Santa Cruz-Watsonville to Hanford-Corcoran.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 8,310 | 17 |
| North Coast Region of California (Nonmetro) | 7,960 | 16 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California (Nonmetro) | 7,880 | 17 |
| Chico, CA | 6,010 | 17 |
| Napa, CA | 5,760 | 17 |
| Redding, CA | 5,630 | 16 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California (Nonmetro) | 4,400 | 14 |
| El Centro, CA | 3,630 | 16 |
| Yuba City, CA | 3,570 | 15 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 2,580 | 15 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Merced?
Of the 16 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $103,850 a year, about $134,000 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $38,890.
Is hiring in Merced cheaper than the US median?
For 5 of the 16 roles, yes, most of all sales development representatives (-30.0%). 11 pay more than the US median, led by administrative assistants (+8.8%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.