How much do Medical Assistants make in Merced, CA?

Percentile spread

For Medical Assistants, the published 10th percentile is $35,600 and the 90th percentile is $50,510. The difference is $14,910, which is 37.5% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $36,390 to the 75th at $46,820, covers $10,430.

The mean annual wage is $42,600, which sits above the median of $39,800. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Merced, CA median is 12.9% lower than the national median of $45,690 for Medical Assistants. In 2024 national prices the local median is $40,499, which is 11.4% lower than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 19.9% lower than the California median of $49,660.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Merced, CA is 98.275, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $39,800 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Medical Assistants at $40,499 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

19 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Medical Assistants. Merced, CA ranks 20th of 20 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

• Modesto, CA is 30 miles away, with a median of $49,990 and employment of 1,870. That median is 25.6% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $48,017, against $40,499 here.
• San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is 41 miles away, with a median of $61,940 and employment of 6,400. That median is 55.6% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $56,093, against $40,499 here.
• Stockton-Lodi, CA is 59 miles away, with a median of $47,840 and employment of 1,740. That median is 20.2% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $45,523, against $40,499 here.

Employment share

Medical Assistants accounts for 0.88% of wage-and-salary employment in Merced, CA (700 of 79,510). Nationally the occupation is 0.53% of employment (817,870 of 155,495,730). The local share is 1.67 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.