Pharmacists pay range in Merced
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $125,530 a year or less, while the top 10% make $197,190 or more. The middle half of pharmacists in Merced earn between $129,810 and $168,560.
- $126K10th
- $130K25th
- $155KMedian
- $169K75th
- $197K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $155,620 | $12,968 | $74.82 |
| Median | $154,870 | $12,906 | $74.46 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $129,810 | $10,818 | $62.41 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $168,560 | $14,047 | $81.04 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Pharmacists salary after taxes in Merced
On the average salary of $155,620, a single filer in Merced takes home about $107,252 a year, or $8,938 a month and $4,125 every two weeks. Taxes take 31% 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 pharmacists? 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 $155,620 buys what about $158,352 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 3.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Merced ($47,220). A typical home costs $419,171, or 2.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Pharmacists salary in other California cities
Merced ranks 21st of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($190,370).
- San Jose$190,370
- Napa$186,750
- San Francisco$184,540
- Santa Rosa$175,910
- Sacramento$169,660
- Vallejo$169,600
- San Luis Obispo$168,490
- San Diego$167,490
- Salinas$164,590
- Merced$155,620
Highest-paying cities for pharmacists
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($190,370).
- San Jose, CA$190,370
- Napa, CA$186,750
- San Francisco, CA$184,540
- Florence, SC$184,250
- Santa Rosa, CA$175,910
Does this match what you are paid?
Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.
Share your pay anonymously
Pharmacists salary in Merced: questions
How much do pharmacists make an hour in Merced?
$74.82 an hour on average, and $74.46 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level pharmacists salary in Merced?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $125,530 a year and the 25th percentile is $129,810, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the pharmacists take-home pay in Merced?
About $107,252 a year ($8,938 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $155,620. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do pharmacists earn more in Merced than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($141,264).
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 29-1051; area Merced, CA (32900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.7%.
- 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 0.73, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.73).
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.