Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education Salary
In Merced, CA, kindergarten teachers, except special educations earn $96,430 at the median. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $130K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.28), that's roughly $98,118 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,503/month, or 24.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $96K 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 kindergarten teachers, except special educations
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What this looks like in Merced
Merced sits well above the national pay line for kindergarten teachers, except special education, local pay runs about 54% higher than the U.S. median of $63K. Rent runs $1,503/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.4% 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 kindergarten teachers, except special educations in metros near Merced, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $78K | $69K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $83K | $78K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $106K | $99K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $75K | $65K |
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 kindergarten teachers, except special educations (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $96K. Top earners bring in $130K or more, a $68K spread from bottom to top.
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $100K | +59% | 5,270 |
| Connecticut | $90K | +44% | 1,420 |
| Rhode Island | $85K | +36% | 360 |
| Massachusetts | $84K | +34% | 1,980 |
| California | $83K | +32% | 7,430 |
| District of Columbia | $82K | +30% | 180 |
| New York | $78K | +24% | 6,950 |
| Maryland | $76K | +21% | 1,560 |
| Minnesota | $76K | +20% | 2,840 |
| New Mexico | $74K | +19% | 950 |
| New Jersey | $74K | +18% | 5,370 |
| Delaware | $74K | +18% | 70 |
| Ohio | $73K | +16% | 3,290 |
| Oregon | $69K | +9% | 1,330 |
| Georgia | $66K | +5% | 4,530 |
| Nevada | $65K | +4% | 1,400 |
| Pennsylvania | $64K | +3% | 2,510 |
| Illinois | $64K | +2% | 4,660 |
| Virginia | $64K | +2% | 3,740 |
| Texas | $64K | +2% | 3,820 |
| Michigan | $63K | +1% | 1,890 |
| Vermont | $63K | +1% | 250 |
| Utah | $63K | +1% | 530 |
| Colorado | $63K | +0% | 3,260 |
| Idaho | $62K | -1% | 460 |
| Nebraska | $62K | -1% | 1,120 |
| Wyoming | $61K | -3% | 360 |
| South Carolina | $61K | -3% | 1,540 |
| Kentucky | $60K | -4% | 2,450 |
| New Hampshire | $60K | -4% | 520 |
| North Dakota | $59K | -5% | 600 |
| Wisconsin | $59K | -5% | 1,510 |
| West Virginia | $59K | -6% | 730 |
| Iowa | $58K | -7% | 1,160 |
| Indiana | $58K | -7% | 2,120 |
| Florida | $58K | -7% | 8,810 |
| Tennessee | $58K | -7% | 2,740 |
| Kansas | $57K | -10% | 1,300 |
| Missouri | $57K | -10% | 2,300 |
| North Carolina | $53K | -15% | 2,250 |
| Hawaii | $53K | -15% | 90 |
| Louisiana | $53K | -15% | 3,730 |
| Arizona | $53K | -16% | 3,020 |
| Maine | $53K | -16% | 570 |
| Arkansas | $52K | -17% | 1,490 |
| Alabama | $51K | -19% | 310 |
| South Dakota | $49K | -21% | 610 |
| Mississippi | $49K | -22% | 1,350 |
| Oklahoma | $48K | -24% | 1,690 |
| Montana | $48K | -24% | 400 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track kindergarten teachers, except special education salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Merced numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a kindergarten teachers, except special education afford a 2BR apartment alone in Merced?
Yes — at the median salary of $96K, rent takes 25.4% 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 kindergarten teachers, except special educations in Merced?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new kindergarten teachers, except special educations typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,698/month. At HUD’s $1,503/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is kindergarten teachers, except special education a high-paying job in Merced?
Local pay is 54% above the national median — $96K here vs. $63K nationally.
How does Merced compare to the national average for kindergarten teachers, except special educations?
Merced pays $96K median vs. the U.S. average of $63K — that’s +54%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $98K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do kindergarten teachers, except special educations make in Merced, CA?
The median is $96,430 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,640, and experienced kindergarten teachers, except special educations can clear $130,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $96K enough to live in Merced?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,927/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,503/month, which eats 25.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a kindergarten teachers, except special education 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 kindergarten teachers, except special education salary is worth about $98,118 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do kindergarten teachers, except special educations 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.