Computer Programmers pay range in Merced
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $69,700 a year or less, while the top 10% make $130,740 or more. The middle half of computer programmers in Merced earn between $83,300 and $125,130.
- $70K10th
- $83K25th
- $100KMedian
- $125K75th
- $131K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $102,030 | $8,502 | $49.05 |
| Median | $100,410 | $8,368 | $48.27 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $83,300 | $6,942 | $40.05 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $125,130 | $10,428 | $60.16 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Computer Programmers salary after taxes in Merced
On the average salary of $102,030, a single filer in Merced takes home about $75,211 a year, or $6,268 a month and $2,893 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Merced a good place for computer programmers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Merced area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.3), so the average $102,030 buys what about $103,821 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Merced ($47,220). A typical home costs $419,171, or 4.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Computer Programmers salary in other California cities
Merced ranks 13th of 16 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($150,780).
- San Jose$150,780
- San Diego$129,530
- Santa Cruz$128,360
- San Francisco$127,030
- San Luis Obispo$113,250
- Sacramento$112,710
- Santa Rosa$112,410
- Santa Maria$108,440
- Los Angeles$108,020
- Merced$102,030
Highest-paying cities for computer programmers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($150,780).
- San Jose, CA$150,780
- Boulder, CO$139,840
- Portland, ME$138,860
- Fayetteville, AR$130,080
- San Diego, CA$129,530
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Computer Programmers salary in Merced: questions
How much do computer programmers make an hour in Merced?
$49.06 an hour on average, and $48.28 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level computer programmers salary in Merced?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $69,700 a year and the 25th percentile is $83,300, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the computer programmers take-home pay in Merced?
About $75,211 a year ($6,268 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $102,030. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do computer programmers earn more in Merced than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($107,279).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 15-1251; area Merced, CA (32900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.72, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.72).
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