Data Engineer Salary in Merced, CA (2026)
Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology
Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine
Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.
Merced, CA Data Engineer Wage Distribution
Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders
HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index
Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Merced, CA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.
Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix
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Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator
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Data Engineer in Merced, CA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)
Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and California tax codes.
Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways
Statutory Withholding Architecture
Frequently Asked Questions
Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.
- Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
- FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
- Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
- HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400
Data Engineer in Merced, CA: Market Snapshot
BLS publishes no Data Engineer wage estimate for Merced, CA, so this page uses the national median of $139,500 (10th to 90th percentile $86,240 to $204,000). HUD’s $1,262 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 10.9% of that national median. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $25.41 per hour.
Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Data Engineer
| Metropolitan area | Median annual wage | Vs national median |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $197,960 | +41.9% |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $175,860 | +26.1% |
| Reno, NV | $170,390 | +22.1% |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $169,310 | +21.4% |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $168,390 | +20.7% |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $163,590 | +17.3% |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $163,350 | +17.1% |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $162,870 | +16.8% |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $162,640 | +16.6% |
| Springfield, MA | $161,730 | +15.9% |
Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Merced, CA
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | $181,660 | $87.34/hr |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $167,150 | $80.36/hr |
| Education Administrators, Postsecondary | $165,620 | $79.62/hr |
| Physician Assistant | $164,080 | $78.88/hr |
| Nurse Practitioner | $158,750 | $76.32/hr |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $157,180 | $75.57/hr |
| Human Resources Managers | $153,210 | $73.66/hr |
| Marketing Managers | $148,670 | $71.48/hr |
| Financial Manager | $134,170 | $64.50/hr |
| Software Engineer | $132,120 | $63.52/hr |
Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 132 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .
Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network
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Related Technology Roles in Merced, CA
Roles in related occupations with transferable skills and overlapping employer demand.
Other Metros for Data Engineer
Regional metropolitan labor markets within commuter or relocation distance with local BLS wages and living costs.
Data Engineer median pay in Merced, CA is $139,500 a year ($67.07/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents and living wage.
Quick answers
The median annual wage is $139,500 ($67.07 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $86,240 and $204,000. Source: the national BLS OEWS distribution, because BLS does not publish this occupation for the metro.
On the median wage of $139,500, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $96,216 a year ($8,018 a month) after $43,284 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 31.03%, using 2026 tax rules.