Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians Salary
Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians in Merced, CA make a median of $74,620 a year, or about $35.87 an hour. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.28), that's roughly $75,926 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,503/month, about 30.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $75K get you in Merced?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Merced’s Regional Price Parity (98.28). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About civil engineering technologists and technicians
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What this looks like in Merced
Merced sits well above the national pay line for civil engineering technologists and technicians, local pay runs about 15% higher than the U.S. median of $65K. Rent runs $1,503/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.28) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for civil engineering technologists and technicians in metros near Merced, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $84K | $74K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $98K | $84K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $81K | $76K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $81K | $72K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Merced, CA
Entry-level civil engineering technologists and technicians (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $85K | +31% | 970 |
| California | $83K | +29% | 7,250 |
| Washington | $80K | +23% | 2,090 |
| Illinois | $79K | +22% | 4,190 |
| Minnesota | $79K | +21% | 2,030 |
| Nevada | $75K | +15% | 800 |
| Vermont | $74K | +14% | 200 |
| Wisconsin | $74K | +14% | 1,560 |
| New York | $74K | +14% | 1,710 |
| Connecticut | $73K | +13% | 330 |
| Iowa | $73K | +12% | 1,130 |
| Massachusetts | $71K | +10% | 680 |
| Alaska | $71K | +9% | 230 |
| New Jersey | $71K | +9% | 760 |
| Louisiana | $68K | +5% | 410 |
| Maine | $68K | +4% | 290 |
| Virginia | $67K | +3% | 1,480 |
| Nebraska | $67K | +3% | 370 |
| North Dakota | $65K | +0% | 400 |
| Ohio | $65K | -0% | 1,790 |
| Utah | $64K | -1% | 630 |
| New Hampshire | $64K | -1% | 300 |
| Hawaii | $64K | -1% | 120 |
| Indiana | $64K | -1% | 1,040 |
| Rhode Island | $64K | -2% | 140 |
| Pennsylvania | $64K | -2% | 2,290 |
| Arizona | $64K | -2% | 1,050 |
| Florida | $63K | -2% | 4,030 |
| Idaho | $63K | -3% | 440 |
| Maryland | $63K | -3% | 620 |
| New Mexico | $62K | -4% | 710 |
| Delaware | $62K | -4% | 350 |
| Montana | $61K | -5% | 310 |
| Missouri | $61K | -6% | 1,300 |
| South Dakota | $61K | -6% | 460 |
| Oklahoma | $60K | -8% | 400 |
| Kentucky | $60K | -8% | 1,860 |
| Kansas | $59K | -8% | 1,060 |
| Texas | $59K | -9% | 4,470 |
| Colorado | $59K | -9% | 1,820 |
| North Carolina | $59K | -10% | 2,760 |
| Michigan | $58K | -11% | 2,930 |
| Tennessee | $57K | -12% | 1,650 |
| Wyoming | $56K | -14% | 300 |
| South Carolina | $54K | -17% | 1,480 |
| West Virginia | $53K | -18% | 520 |
| Alabama | $53K | -19% | 1,800 |
| Arkansas | $52K | -20% | N/A |
| Georgia | $50K | -22% | 3,840 |
| Mississippi | $46K | -29% | 800 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track civil engineering technologists and technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Merced numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a civil engineering technologists and technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Merced?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $75K, rent takes 31.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,503/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for civil engineering technologists and technicians in Merced?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new civil engineering technologists and technicians typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,619/month. At HUD’s $1,503/month FMR, rent would take 42% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is civil engineering technologists and technician a high-paying job in Merced?
Local pay is 15% above the national median — $75K here vs. $65K nationally.
How does Merced compare to the national average for civil engineering technologists and technicians?
Merced pays $75K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s +15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do civil engineering technologists and technicians make in Merced, CA?
The median is $74,620 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,320, and experienced civil engineering technologists and technicians can clear $95,720. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in Merced?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,817/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,503/month, which eats 31.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a civil engineering technologists and technicians salary go in Merced?
Merced has a Regional Price Parity of 98.28 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median civil engineering technologists and technicians salary is worth about $75,926 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do civil engineering technologists and technicians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.