Education Administrators, Postsecondary Salary
In Merced, CA, education administrators, postsecondaries earn $165,620 at the median, or about $79.63 an hour. The range runs from $116K at the entry level to $352K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.28), that's roughly $168,519 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,503/month, or 15.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $166K 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 education administrators, postsecondaries
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What this looks like in Merced
Merced sits well above the national pay line for education administrators, postsecondary, local pay runs about 58% higher than the U.S. median of $105K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,503/month, 16% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 98.28) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Merced offers a genuinely strong financial position for education administrators, postsecondarys at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for education administrators, postsecondaries in metros near Merced, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $125K | $110K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $136K | $118K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $154K | $140K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $125K | $112K |
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 education administrators, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $116K. Mid-career wages sit at $166K. Top earners bring in $352K or more, a $236K spread from bottom to top.
Education Administrators, Postsecondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Education Administrators, Postsecondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $140K | +34% | 7,280 |
| New Jersey | $132K | +26% | 4,100 |
| Massachusetts | $129K | +23% | 9,120 |
| Delaware | $129K | +23% | 360 |
| Wyoming | $128K | +22% | 120 |
| Washington | $128K | +22% | 2,140 |
| South Dakota | $126K | +21% | 240 |
| California | $125K | +20% | 14,870 |
| Wisconsin | $125K | +19% | 1,190 |
| Connecticut | $123K | +18% | 2,100 |
| Virginia | $121K | +16% | N/A |
| Oregon | $120K | +15% | 2,790 |
| Maryland | $119K | +13% | N/A |
| Colorado | $118K | +13% | 1,770 |
| Kentucky | $114K | +9% | 890 |
| Georgia | $110K | +5% | 2,890 |
| Kansas | $110K | +5% | 1,760 |
| New Mexico | $109K | +5% | 1,160 |
| Michigan | $109K | +4% | 5,110 |
| District of Columbia | $107K | +3% | 1,880 |
| Rhode Island | $107K | +2% | 1,140 |
| Oklahoma | $106K | +1% | 1,700 |
| Minnesota | $105K | +0% | 2,110 |
| Missouri | $105K | -0% | 2,830 |
| Vermont | $104K | -0% | 550 |
| Texas | $104K | -0% | 16,660 |
| New Hampshire | $104K | -0% | 920 |
| Pennsylvania | $104K | -1% | 8,000 |
| Arizona | $103K | -1% | 5,140 |
| Alaska | $103K | -1% | 80 |
| Montana | $103K | -2% | 300 |
| North Dakota | $102K | -3% | 600 |
| Idaho | $101K | -3% | 870 |
| North Carolina | $101K | -3% | 7,390 |
| Tennessee | $101K | -4% | 2,680 |
| Utah | $100K | -4% | 2,320 |
| Alabama | $100K | -4% | 3,760 |
| Illinois | $100K | -5% | 9,530 |
| Louisiana | $99K | -5% | 3,670 |
| Indiana | $98K | -6% | 3,370 |
| Nebraska | $96K | -8% | 1,560 |
| South Carolina | $96K | -9% | 2,990 |
| Iowa | $89K | -15% | 2,510 |
| Nevada | $89K | -15% | 1,320 |
| Maine | $88K | -16% | 860 |
| Ohio | $87K | -16% | 6,880 |
| Mississippi | $87K | -17% | 2,230 |
| West Virginia | $85K | -19% | 1,520 |
| Florida | $84K | -20% | N/A |
| Hawaii | $81K | -23% | 570 |
| Arkansas | $78K | -25% | 1,970 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track education administrators, postsecondary salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a education administrators, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Merced?
Yes — at the median salary of $166K, rent takes 16% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,503/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for education administrators, postsecondaries in Merced?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new education administrators, postsecondaries typically earn — is $116K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,952/month. At HUD’s $1,503/month FMR, rent would take 22% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is education administrators, postsecondary a high-paying job in Merced?
Local pay is 58% above the national median — $166K here vs. $105K nationally.
How does Merced compare to the national average for education administrators, postsecondaries?
Merced pays $166K median vs. the U.S. average of $105K — that’s +58%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $169K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do education administrators, postsecondaries make in Merced, CA?
The median is $165,620 a year, that works out to about $80 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $115,860, and experienced education administrators, postsecondaries can clear $352,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $166K enough to live in Merced?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,368/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,503/month, which eats 16% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a education administrators, postsecondary 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 education administrators, postsecondary salary is worth about $168,519 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do education administrators, postsecondaries 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.