Highest-paying jobs in Merced
The rich are getting richer, and have been for some time.
Across the nation, wages have continued to rise this year despite the Federal Reserve's efforts to temper inflation. In June, average weekly earnings grew at a higher rate than the Consumer Price Index, the nation's primary inflation indicator.
While pay is increasing across income levels, the historical growth for high-income jobs has been most profound. High-income jobs have grown 69% over the past 50 years—more than both middle- and lower-income jobs, a Pew Trusts analysis shows.
The highest earners in the U.S. are what you'd expect: doctors and other medical professionals, engineers, tech workers, executives, and corporate leaders. Nationally, the 50 top-paying jobs all require at least a bachelor's degree, and many require a master's, doctorate, or another professional degree. Indeed, Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that higher degree holders earn more in a typical week and face lower rates of unemployment.
Still, the exact positions that pay the most vary depending on where in the country you are located. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Merced. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022, so jobs without annual compensation estimates available were excluded from this analysis.
#50. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $80,100
- Median hourly wage: $38.51
- Total employment: 60 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $80,190
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 990 people (13.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $80,340
- Median hourly wage: $38.63
- Total employment: 40 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $80,620
- Median hourly wage: $38.76
- Total employment: 100 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $80,830
- Median hourly wage: $38.86
- Total employment: 160 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $83,870
- Median hourly wage: $40.32
- Total employment: 40 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $84,220
- Median hourly wage: $40.49
- Total employment: 270 people (3.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $84,900
- Median hourly wage: $40.82
- Total employment: 330 people (4.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $85,680
- Median hourly wage: $41.19
- Total employment: 60 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Healthcare social workers
- Median annual wage: $87,100
- Median hourly wage: $41.87
- Total employment: 40 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $88,510
- Median hourly wage: $42.56
- Total employment: 70 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $90,990
- Median hourly wage: $43.75
- Total employment: 50 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $94,730
- Median hourly wage: $45.55
- Total employment: 90 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $95,760
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 250 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $96,490
- Median hourly wage: $46.39
- Total employment: 120 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $96,870
- Median hourly wage: $46.57
- Total employment: 880 people (11.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $96,980
- Median hourly wage: $46.63
- Total employment: 140 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $97,100
- Median hourly wage: $46.68
- Total employment: 60 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $97,800
- Median hourly wage: $47.02
- Total employment: 60 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
- Median annual wage: $97,870
- Median hourly wage: $47.05
- Total employment: 30 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $97,930
- Median hourly wage: $47.08
- Total employment: 70 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Teachers and instructors, all other
- Median annual wage: $99,090
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 290 people (3.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $100,780
- Median hourly wage: $48.45
- Total employment: 90 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $101,440
- Median hourly wage: $48.77
- Total employment: 40 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $101,920
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,150 people (15.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $103,930
- Median hourly wage: $49.97
- Total employment: 170 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $104,110
- Median hourly wage: $50.05
- Total employment: 40 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $104,960
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 130 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $105,120
- Median hourly wage: $50.54
- Total employment: 120 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $106,100
- Median hourly wage: $51.01
- Total employment: 30 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $109,850
- Median hourly wage: $52.81
- Total employment: 60 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Instructional coordinators
- Median annual wage: $110,450
- Median hourly wage: $53.10
- Total employment: 110 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $110,480
- Median hourly wage: $53.12
- Total employment: 40 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $112,570
- Median hourly wage: $54.12
- Total employment: 40 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $113,310
- Median hourly wage: $54.48
- Total employment: 110 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $114,110
- Median hourly wage: $54.86
- Total employment: 860 people (11.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $123,100
- Median hourly wage: $59.19
- Total employment: 140 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $123,180
- Median hourly wage: $59.22
- Total employment: 90 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $126,410
- Median hourly wage: $60.77
- Total employment: 210 people (2.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $127,550
- Median hourly wage: $61.32
- Total employment: 140 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $128,040
- Median hourly wage: $61.56
- Total employment: 60 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $129,980
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 200 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $130,600
- Median hourly wage: $62.79
- Total employment: 80 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $132,360
- Median hourly wage: $63.64
- Total employment: 120 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $132,630
- Median hourly wage: $63.76
- Total employment: 50 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $136,300
- Median hourly wage: $65.53
- Total employment: 60 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#4. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $137,280
- Median hourly wage: $66.00
- Total employment: 130 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#3. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $155,660
- Median hourly wage: $74.84
- Total employment: 60 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $179,520
- Median hourly wage: $86.31
- Total employment: 90 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $229,680
- Median hourly wage: $110.42
- Total employment: Not available
