School Psychologists Salary
The median pay for a school psychologists in Merced, CA is $133,230/year ($64.06/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $105K at the entry level to $150K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.28), that's roughly $135,562 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,503/month, or 19.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $133K 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 school psychologists
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What this looks like in Merced
Merced sits well above the national pay line for school psychologists, local pay runs about 39% higher than the U.S. median of $96K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,503/month, 19.3% 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 school psychologistss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for school psychologists in metros near Merced, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $122K | $108K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $131K | $117K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $139K | $131K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $131K | $113K |
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 school psychologists (10th percentile) start around $105K. Mid-career wages sit at $133K. Top earners bring in $150K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
School Psychologists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View School Psychologists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $128K | +33% | 8,340 |
| Colorado | $125K | +30% | 1,380 |
| New Mexico | $110K | +15% | 630 |
| Maryland | $110K | +14% | 1,520 |
| Washington | $109K | +13% | 1,420 |
| District of Columbia | $108K | +12% | 250 |
| New York | $107K | +11% | 9,070 |
| Oregon | $106K | +11% | 570 |
| Connecticut | $101K | +5% | 1,140 |
| Georgia | $99K | +3% | 1,650 |
| Massachusetts | $99K | +3% | 3,300 |
| Delaware | $96K | +0% | 280 |
| New Jersey | $95K | -1% | 2,130 |
| Rhode Island | $95K | -1% | 210 |
| Alaska | $94K | -2% | 120 |
| Nevada | $94K | -2% | 290 |
| Arizona | $92K | -4% | 1,100 |
| Ohio | $91K | -5% | 2,050 |
| Nebraska | $89K | -7% | 440 |
| Virginia | $86K | -11% | 1,200 |
| Minnesota | $85K | -11% | 1,060 |
| Florida | $85K | -12% | 2,020 |
| Illinois | $85K | -12% | 3,590 |
| Michigan | $84K | -13% | 1,480 |
| Wyoming | $84K | -13% | 120 |
| Texas | $84K | -13% | 4,250 |
| Wisconsin | $83K | -13% | 1,180 |
| Vermont | $83K | -14% | 180 |
| Pennsylvania | $82K | -14% | 2,600 |
| Hawaii | $82K | -14% | 90 |
| Maine | $82K | -15% | 120 |
| Montana | $80K | -17% | 170 |
| South Dakota | $78K | -18% | 110 |
| Utah | $78K | -19% | 490 |
| Indiana | $78K | -19% | 710 |
| Tennessee | $77K | -20% | 900 |
| South Carolina | $77K | -20% | 720 |
| Kentucky | $75K | -21% | 590 |
| West Virginia | $75K | -22% | 250 |
| Alabama | $75K | -22% | 370 |
| Iowa | $74K | -22% | 400 |
| New Hampshire | $73K | -23% | 360 |
| North Carolina | $73K | -24% | 1,540 |
| Kansas | $73K | -24% | 630 |
| Idaho | $72K | -25% | 310 |
| Missouri | $70K | -27% | 520 |
| Louisiana | $69K | -28% | 670 |
| North Dakota | $69K | -28% | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $65K | -32% | 510 |
| Arkansas | $64K | -33% | 440 |
| Mississippi | $61K | -36% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track school psychologists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Merced numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a school psychologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Merced?
Yes — at the median salary of $133K, rent takes 19.3% 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 school psychologists in Merced?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new school psychologists typically earn — is $105K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,280/month. At HUD’s $1,503/month FMR, rent would take 24% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is school psychologist a high-paying job in Merced?
Local pay is 39% above the national median — $133K here vs. $96K nationally.
How does Merced compare to the national average for school psychologists?
Merced pays $133K median vs. the U.S. average of $96K — that’s +39%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $136K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do school psychologists make in Merced, CA?
The median is $133,230 a year, that works out to about $64 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $104,670, and experienced school psychologists can clear $150,460. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $133K enough to live in Merced?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,774/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,503/month, which eats 19.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a school psychologists 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 school psychologists salary is worth about $135,562 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do school psychologists 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.