Machinists pay range in Merced
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,500 a year or less, while the top 10% make $69,150 or more. The middle half of machinists in Merced earn between $39,420 and $56,330.
- $38K10th
- $39K25th
- $47KMedian
- $56K75th
- $69K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $49,800 | $4,150 | $23.94 |
| Median | $47,130 | $3,928 | $22.66 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $39,420 | $3,285 | $18.95 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $56,330 | $4,694 | $27.08 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Machinists salary after taxes in Merced
On the average salary of $49,800, a single filer in Merced takes home about $41,014 a year, or $3,418 a month and $1,577 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% 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 machinists? 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 $49,800 buys what about $50,674 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Merced ($47,220). A typical home costs $419,171, or 8.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Machinists salary in other California cities
Merced ranks 22nd of 22 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($76,240).
- San Francisco$76,240
- San Jose$69,020
- Vallejo$67,080
- Yuba City$65,470
- Redding$64,700
- San Diego$64,530
- Santa Maria$62,340
- Salinas$62,140
- Sacramento$62,070
- Merced$49,800
Highest-paying cities for machinists
Honolulu, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($81,140).
- Honolulu, HI$81,140
- Bremerton, WA$79,720
- Barnstable, MA$77,800
- Florence, AL$77,420
- San Francisco, CA$76,240
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Machinists salary in Merced: questions
How much do machinists make an hour in Merced?
$23.94 an hour on average, and $22.66 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level machinists salary in Merced?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,500 a year and the 25th percentile is $39,420, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the machinists take-home pay in Merced?
About $41,014 a year ($3,418 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $49,800. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do machinists earn more in Merced than elsewhere?
The average here is 17% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($59,811).
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 51-4041; area Merced, CA (32900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.7%.
- 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 0.27, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.27).
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