Software Developers Salary
The median pay for a software developers in Merced, CA is $132,120/year ($63.52/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $79K at the entry level to $202K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.28), that's roughly $134,432 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,503/month, or 19.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $132K 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 software developers
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What this looks like in Merced
Software developers pay in Merced tracks closely to the national median, $132K locally vs. $136K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,503/month, 19.5% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for software developers in metros near Merced, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $213K | $193K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $187K | $161K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $161K | $142K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $163K | $146K |
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 software developers (10th percentile) start around $79K. Mid-career wages sit at $132K. Top earners bring in $202K or more, a $123K spread from bottom to top.
Software Developers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Software Developers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $174K | +28% | 284,390 |
| Washington | $167K | +22% | 107,030 |
| New York | $166K | +22% | 113,510 |
| Massachusetts | $165K | +21% | 48,190 |
| Oregon | $143K | +5% | 21,830 |
| New Hampshire | $140K | +3% | 10,840 |
| Maryland | $139K | +2% | 31,350 |
| Colorado | $138K | +2% | 43,320 |
| District of Columbia | $137K | +1% | 6,120 |
| Virginia | $136K | +0% | 88,280 |
| New Jersey | $136K | -0% | 51,570 |
| North Carolina | $135K | -1% | 58,470 |
| Connecticut | $134K | -1% | 13,660 |
| Delaware | $133K | -2% | 3,380 |
| Texas | $132K | -3% | 163,880 |
| Illinois | $132K | -3% | 56,310 |
| Idaho | $132K | -3% | 5,750 |
| Georgia | $131K | -4% | 49,700 |
| Florida | $131K | -4% | 87,890 |
| Rhode Island | $131K | -4% | 5,070 |
| Minnesota | $130K | -4% | 35,890 |
| Arizona | $130K | -5% | 38,050 |
| South Carolina | $129K | -5% | 13,230 |
| Nevada | $129K | -5% | 4,520 |
| Utah | $129K | -5% | 31,940 |
| Pennsylvania | $127K | -7% | 55,920 |
| Missouri | $126K | -7% | 20,020 |
| Michigan | $126K | -8% | 43,460 |
| Vermont | $125K | -8% | 1,740 |
| New Mexico | $125K | -8% | 3,960 |
| Hawaii | $124K | -9% | 1,600 |
| Maine | $123K | -9% | 2,790 |
| Wisconsin | $123K | -10% | 21,730 |
| Alabama | $123K | -10% | 17,450 |
| Tennessee | $122K | -10% | 19,030 |
| Montana | $122K | -10% | 2,160 |
| West Virginia | $121K | -11% | 2,650 |
| Oklahoma | $118K | -13% | 6,880 |
| Wyoming | $115K | -15% | 1,510 |
| Iowa | $115K | -16% | 9,040 |
| Ohio | $114K | -16% | 44,790 |
| Kansas | $113K | -17% | 13,580 |
| Nebraska | $111K | -18% | 7,260 |
| Kentucky | $109K | -20% | 7,660 |
| Indiana | $106K | -22% | 14,130 |
| North Dakota | $106K | -22% | 1,450 |
| Arkansas | $104K | -23% | 6,050 |
| Louisiana | $103K | -24% | 4,080 |
| South Dakota | $96K | -29% | 2,380 |
| Mississippi | $95K | -30% | 1,880 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track software developers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Merced numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a software developer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Merced?
Yes — at the median salary of $132K, rent takes 19.5% 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 software developers in Merced?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new software developers typically earn — is $79K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,753/month. At HUD’s $1,503/month FMR, rent would take 32% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is software developer a high-paying job in Merced?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $132K locally vs. $136K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Merced compare to the national average for software developers?
Merced pays $132K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $134K — below the national median.
How much do software developers make in Merced, CA?
The median is $132,120 a year, that works out to about $64 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $79,210, and experienced software developers can clear $201,850. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $132K enough to live in Merced?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,719/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,503/month, which eats 19.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a software developers 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 software developers salary is worth about $134,432 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do software developers 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.