Financial and Investment Analysts Salary
Financial and Investment Analysts in Merced, CA make a median of $84,440 a year, or about $40.6 an hour. The range runs from $66K at the entry level to $139K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.28), that's roughly $85,918 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,503/month, or 28.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $84K 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 financial and investment analysts
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What this looks like in Merced
Pay for financial and investment analysts in Merced runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $103K. Rent runs $1,503/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.3% 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 financial and investment analysts in metros near Merced, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $102K | $90K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $131K | $113K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $145K | $131K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $106K | $95K |
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 financial and investment analysts (10th percentile) start around $66K. Mid-career wages sit at $84K. Top earners bring in $139K or more, a $74K spread from bottom to top.
Financial and Investment Analysts pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Financial and Investment Analysts salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $187K | +82% | 190 |
| New York | $128K | +25% | 52,380 |
| Oregon | $121K | +17% | 2,820 |
| Massachusetts | $111K | +8% | 14,790 |
| Connecticut | $110K | +7% | N/A |
| California | $109K | +6% | 45,380 |
| New Jersey | $109K | +6% | 10,380 |
| Washington | $107K | +4% | 8,820 |
| District of Columbia | $106K | +3% | 3,670 |
| Virginia | $105K | +3% | 10,410 |
| Colorado | $104K | +1% | 8,040 |
| Minnesota | $103K | +0% | 7,450 |
| North Carolina | $102K | -0% | 12,710 |
| Alaska | $102K | -0% | 190 |
| Delaware | $102K | -1% | 2,290 |
| Illinois | $101K | -2% | 20,520 |
| Idaho | $101K | -2% | 680 |
| Rhode Island | $101K | -2% | 1,790 |
| Maryland | $100K | -2% | 5,360 |
| Georgia | $99K | -3% | 9,780 |
| Montana | $99K | -3% | 440 |
| South Dakota | $99K | -3% | 820 |
| Texas | $99K | -3% | 28,820 |
| Vermont | $99K | -4% | 230 |
| Missouri | $98K | -4% | 4,430 |
| Wisconsin | $96K | -7% | 5,430 |
| Michigan | $95K | -7% | 7,400 |
| Hawaii | $95K | -8% | 600 |
| Florida | $94K | -8% | 23,900 |
| Ohio | $94K | -8% | 9,760 |
| South Carolina | $94K | -9% | 3,600 |
| Arizona | $94K | -9% | 5,940 |
| Tennessee | $93K | -9% | 4,910 |
| Iowa | $92K | -10% | 2,000 |
| Utah | $91K | -11% | 4,510 |
| Alabama | $91K | -11% | 3,410 |
| Maine | $88K | -14% | 710 |
| New Mexico | $88K | -15% | 930 |
| Nebraska | $85K | -17% | N/A |
| Kansas | $85K | -17% | 1,870 |
| Pennsylvania | $84K | -18% | 13,310 |
| Nevada | $83K | -19% | 1,830 |
| New Hampshire | $83K | -20% | 580 |
| Indiana | $82K | -20% | 3,680 |
| Kentucky | $82K | -21% | 2,460 |
| Arkansas | $81K | -21% | 1,390 |
| Oklahoma | $80K | -22% | 1,550 |
| Mississippi | $80K | -23% | 720 |
| North Dakota | $78K | -24% | 300 |
| Louisiana | $76K | -26% | 1,450 |
| West Virginia | $69K | -33% | 400 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track financial and investment analysts salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a financial and investment analyst afford a 2BR apartment alone in Merced?
Yes — at the median salary of $84K, rent takes 28.3% 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 financial and investment analysts in Merced?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new financial and investment analysts typically earn — is $66K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,935/month. At HUD’s $1,503/month FMR, rent would take 38% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is financial and investment analyst a high-paying job in Merced?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $84K here vs. $103K nationally.
How does Merced compare to the national average for financial and investment analysts?
Merced pays $84K median vs. the U.S. average of $103K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — below the national median.
How much do financial and investment analysts make in Merced, CA?
The median is $84,440 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $65,590, and experienced financial and investment analysts can clear $139,190. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $84K enough to live in Merced?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,317/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,503/month, which eats 28.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a financial and investment analysts 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 financial and investment analysts salary is worth about $85,918 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do financial and investment analysts 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.
