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1 / 50#50. Career/technical education teachers, secondary school
- Median annual wage: $94,470
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Merced
Despite recession fears and falling consumer confidence, the job market in the United States has remained relatively stable in 2025 thus far. According to May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, around 177,000 new jobs were added in April, a slight decrease from the 185,000 new jobs added in the month before, but an extension of the country's 52-month streak of job growth. Unemployment rates also held relatively steady between April 2024 and April 2025, coming in at around 4%.
Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Americans have it easy in the workplace. A December 2024 Payscale report found that nearly half (47%) of business organizations struggle to balance fair pay practices with spend optimization, and 18% plan to reduce pay increases in 2025 as a result.
For context, median weekly earnings across all employees in the U.S. stood at $1,194 in the first quarter of 2025. This represents an increase of 4.8% from a year prior and exceeds the Consumer Price Index's 2.7% increase in the same time period. However, there's one caveat: Earnings go much further in some places than in others.
In fact, the very definition of a "high-paying" job varies by location, as well as other factors such as industry and benefits. Even a six-figure salary may be considered low-income in places with an unusually high cost of living. Meanwhile, technology, finance, and health care jobs lead in terms of salary, but benefits like remote work can make other lower-paying jobs more desirable.
Regardless, anyone seeking a high-paying job should start by looking at the numbers. Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Merced. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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2 / 50#49. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Median annual wage: $95,060
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $95,490
- Median hourly wage: $45.91
- Total employment: 190 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $95,840
- Median hourly wage: $46.08
- Total employment: 30 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ermolaev Alexander // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Special education teachers, all other
- Median annual wage: $96,970
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $97,400
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,190 people (15.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
B Brown // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $97,470
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 930 people (11.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $97,590
- Median hourly wage: $46.92
- Total employment: 30 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $97,750
- Median hourly wage: $47.00
- Total employment: 70 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photographee.eu // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Median annual wage: $97,970
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $98,150
- Median hourly wage: $47.19
- Total employment: 40 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $98,520
- Median hourly wage: $47.37
- Total employment: 60 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $98,550
- Median hourly wage: $47.38
- Total employment: 240 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $98,990
- Median hourly wage: $47.59
- Total employment: 1,010 people (12.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $99,040
- Median hourly wage: $47.62
- Total employment: 80 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $99,600
- Median hourly wage: $47.89
- Total employment: 50 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Teachers and instructors, all other
- Median annual wage: $100,390
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 370 people (4.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Instructional coordinators
- Median annual wage: $102,400
- Median hourly wage: $49.23
- Total employment: 120 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lopolo // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Median annual wage: $105,100
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $105,350
- Median hourly wage: $50.65
- Total employment: 50 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $105,870
- Median hourly wage: $50.90
- Total employment: 230 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Iam_Anupong // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $106,030
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 130 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Social scientists and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $108,410
- Median hourly wage: $52.12
- Total employment: 40 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $109,040
- Median hourly wage: $52.42
- Total employment: 30 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $114,550
- Median hourly wage: $55.07
- Total employment: 70 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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creativemarc // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $115,140
- Median hourly wage: $55.36
- Total employment: 110 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $117,220
- Median hourly wage: $56.36
- Total employment: 40 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $119,430
- Median hourly wage: $57.42
- Total employment: 80 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $120,200
- Median hourly wage: $57.79
- Total employment: 100 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $120,380
- Median hourly wage: $57.88
- Total employment: 100 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $121,340
- Median hourly wage: $58.34
- Total employment: 160 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Education administrators, all other
- Median annual wage: $124,030
- Median hourly wage: $59.63
- Total employment: 30 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $124,270
- Median hourly wage: $59.75
- Total employment: 50 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $125,170
- Median hourly wage: $60.18
- Total employment: 130 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $125,660
- Median hourly wage: $60.42
- Total employment: 80 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $126,880
- Median hourly wage: $61.00
- Total employment: 930 people (11.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $129,110
- Median hourly wage: $62.07
- Total employment: 210 people (2.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $130,730
- Median hourly wage: $62.85
- Total employment: 110 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $133,370
- Median hourly wage: $64.12
- Total employment: 60 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $136,130
- Median hourly wage: $65.45
- Total employment: 40 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $140,160
- Median hourly wage: $67.39
- Total employment: 50 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $146,530
- Median hourly wage: $70.45
- Total employment: 50 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $152,950
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 270 people (3.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $153,090
- Median hourly wage: $73.60
- Total employment: 100 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $153,100
- Median hourly wage: $73.61
- Total employment: 150 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $156,430
- Median hourly wage: $75.21
- Total employment: 60 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $158,700
- Median hourly wage: $76.30
- Total employment: 100 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $163,940
- Median hourly wage: $78.82
- Total employment: 60 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $197,530
- Median hourly wage: $94.97
- Total employment: 100 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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