Paralegals and Legal Assistants pay range in Merced
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,480 a year or less, while the top 10% make $83,020 or more. The middle half of paralegals and legal assistants in Merced earn between $47,670 and $75,060.
- $40K10th
- $48K25th
- $61KMedian
- $75K75th
- $83K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $62,440 | $5,203 | $30.02 |
| Median | $61,320 | $5,110 | $29.48 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $47,670 | $3,972 | $22.92 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $75,060 | $6,255 | $36.09 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants pay in Merced vs. California and the U.S.
Paralegals and legal assistants in Merced earn 23% less than the California average ($81,320) and 10% less than the U.S. average ($69,700). At the median the gap is -2% against the U.S. median of $62,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merced | $62,440 | $61,320 | $40,480 | $83,020 | 90 |
| California | $81,320 | $77,390 | $50,460 | $119,580 | 47,130 |
| United States | $69,700 | $62,890 | $44,740 | $101,500 | 392,880 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary after taxes in Merced
On the average salary of $62,440, a single filer in Merced takes home about $50,412 a year, or $4,201 a month and $1,939 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% 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 paralegals and legal assistants? 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 $62,440 buys what about $63,536 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Merced ($47,220). A typical home costs $419,171, or 6.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary in other California cities
Merced ranks 24th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($103,080).
- San Jose$103,080
- San Francisco$92,830
- Sacramento$81,560
- Santa Maria$79,840
- Los Angeles$79,550
- San Diego$78,860
- Santa Rosa$77,820
- Vallejo$77,730
- Napa$77,240
- Merced$62,440
Highest-paying cities for paralegals and legal assistants
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($103,080).
- San Jose, CA$103,080
- San Francisco, CA$92,830
- Seattle, WA$92,230
- Washington, DC$87,900
- Denver, CO$85,240
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Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary in Merced: questions
How much do paralegals and legal assistants make an hour in Merced?
$30.02 an hour on average, and $29.48 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level paralegals and legal assistants salary in Merced?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,480 a year and the 25th percentile is $47,670, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the paralegals and legal assistants take-home pay in Merced?
About $50,412 a year ($4,201 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $62,440. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do paralegals and legal assistants earn more in Merced than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% less than the U.S. average for this job ($69,700).
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 23-2011; area Merced, CA (32900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.5%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- 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 0.43, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.43).
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