Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary pay range in Merced
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,780 a year or less, while the top 10% make $55,890 or more. The middle half of teaching assistants (except postsecondary) in Merced earn between $37,810 and $46,520.
- $37K10th
- $38K25th
- $45KMedian
- $47K75th
- $56K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $44,210 | $3,684 | — |
| Median | $44,680 | $3,723 | — |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $37,810 | $3,151 | — |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $46,520 | $3,877 | — |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year (BLS publishes this job's pay as annual only). Hourly to annual salary.
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary pay in Merced vs. California and the U.S.
Teaching assistants (except postsecondary) in Merced earn 7% less than the California average ($47,300) and 15% more than the U.S. average ($38,290). At the median the gap is +21% against the U.S. median of $36,780.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merced | $44,210 | $44,680 | $36,780 | $55,890 | 1,950 |
| California | $47,300 | $46,490 | $37,240 | $59,520 | 177,140 |
| United States | $38,290 | $36,780 | $27,150 | $50,040 | 1,420,350 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary salary after taxes in Merced
On the average salary of $44,210, a single filer in Merced takes home about $36,799 a year, or $3,067 a month and $1,415 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Merced a good place for teaching assistants (except postsecondary)? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Merced area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.3), so the average $44,210 buys what about $44,986 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Merced ($47,220). A typical home costs $419,171, or 9.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary salary in other California cities
Merced ranks 23rd of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($52,640).
- San Francisco$52,640
- San Jose$51,670
- Santa Rosa$50,180
- Napa$49,660
- Oxnard$49,370
- Salinas$49,070
- Vallejo$48,950
- Santa Cruz$48,890
- Modesto$47,890
- Merced$44,210
All Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary salaries in California
Highest-paying cities for teaching assistants (except postsecondary)
Seattle, WA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($54,720).
- Seattle, WA$54,720
- Mount Vernon, WA$54,130
- San Francisco, CA$52,640
- Bremerton, WA$51,970
- San Jose, CA$51,670
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Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary salary in Merced: questions
What is the entry-level teaching assistants (except postsecondary) salary in Merced?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,780 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,810, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the teaching assistants (except postsecondary) take-home pay in Merced?
About $36,799 a year ($3,067 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $44,210. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do teaching assistants (except postsecondary) earn more in Merced than elsewhere?
The average here is 15% more than the U.S. average for this job ($38,290).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 25-9045; area Merced, CA (32900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.0%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.69, this job is 2.7 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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