Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Salary
The median pay for a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education in Merced, CA is $99,600/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $124K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.28), that's roughly $101,343 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,503/month, or 24% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $100K 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 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Merced
Merced sits well above the national pay line for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, local pay runs about 38% higher than the U.S. median of $72K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,503/month, 24.7% 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 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations in metros near Merced, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $101K | $89K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $100K | $94K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $103K | $89K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $103K | $92K |
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 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $100K. Top earners bring in $124K or more, a $60K spread from bottom to top.
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $103K | +43% | 14,880 |
| California | $101K | +41% | 99,230 |
| New York | $97K | +35% | 70,660 |
| Massachusetts | $95K | +32% | 28,460 |
| Rhode Island | $93K | +29% | 4,910 |
| District of Columbia | $83K | +15% | 2,800 |
| New Jersey | $82K | +14% | 38,140 |
| Connecticut | $81K | +12% | 14,800 |
| Illinois | $80K | +11% | 44,670 |
| Alaska | $80K | +11% | 2,790 |
| Oregon | $80K | +10% | 11,730 |
| Ohio | $79K | +9% | 49,540 |
| Pennsylvania | $79K | +9% | 52,240 |
| Maryland | $79K | +9% | 16,640 |
| Delaware | $78K | +8% | 5,360 |
| New Hampshire | $77K | +7% | 5,860 |
| Minnesota | $76K | +6% | 16,020 |
| Utah | $76K | +6% | 11,030 |
| Vermont | $76K | +6% | 2,450 |
| New Mexico | $76K | +5% | 8,120 |
| Georgia | $75K | +5% | 25,730 |
| Hawaii | $74K | +3% | 5,590 |
| Colorado | $73K | +1% | 18,310 |
| Virginia | $72K | +0% | 31,100 |
| Michigan | $66K | -8% | 25,540 |
| Nevada | $66K | -9% | 8,920 |
| Maine | $65K | -10% | 5,540 |
| Texas | $64K | -12% | 111,660 |
| Nebraska | $63K | -12% | 7,170 |
| Wisconsin | $63K | -13% | 15,910 |
| Wyoming | $63K | -13% | 1,600 |
| South Carolina | $63K | -13% | 16,080 |
| Alabama | $62K | -14% | 15,880 |
| Indiana | $62K | -14% | 20,430 |
| Tennessee | $62K | -14% | 21,230 |
| Idaho | $62K | -14% | 6,570 |
| Kentucky | $62K | -15% | 12,780 |
| North Dakota | $61K | -15% | 3,070 |
| Iowa | $61K | -15% | 12,310 |
| Montana | $61K | -15% | 3,670 |
| Florida | $60K | -16% | 49,810 |
| Kansas | $60K | -17% | 10,860 |
| Louisiana | $60K | -17% | 15,210 |
| Arkansas | $60K | -17% | 12,890 |
| Missouri | $59K | -18% | 24,380 |
| Arizona | $58K | -19% | 21,190 |
| North Carolina | $58K | -20% | 28,620 |
| West Virginia | $57K | -21% | 3,590 |
| South Dakota | $51K | -29% | 3,360 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -29% | 10,400 |
| Oklahoma | $49K | -32% | 15,480 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical 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 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education afford a 2BR apartment alone in Merced?
Yes — at the median salary of $100K, rent takes 24.7% 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 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations in Merced?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,835/month. At HUD’s $1,503/month FMR, rent would take 39% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education a high-paying job in Merced?
Local pay is 38% above the national median — $100K here vs. $72K nationally.
How does Merced compare to the national average for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations?
Merced pays $100K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s +38%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $101K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations make in Merced, CA?
The median is $99,600 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,910, and experienced secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations can clear $123,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $100K enough to live in Merced?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,088/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,503/month, which eats 24.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical 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 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary is worth about $101,343 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical 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.