How much do Nursing Assistants make in Merced, CA?

Percentile spread

For Nursing Assistants, the published 10th percentile is $39,040 and the 90th percentile is $50,880. The difference is $11,840, which is 26.5% 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 $43,590 to the 75th at $46,910, covers $3,320.

The mean annual wage is $45,300, which sits above the median of $44,730. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Merced, CA median is 5.8% higher than the national median of $42,260 for Nursing Assistants. In 2024 national prices the local median is $45,515, which is 7.7% higher than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 6.1% lower than the California median of $47,630.

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 $44,730 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Nursing Assistants at $45,515 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 Nursing Assistants. Merced, CA ranks 19th 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 $46,550 and employment of 1,500. That median is 4.1% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $44,713, against $45,515 here.
• San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is 41 miles away, with a median of $56,840 and employment of 5,350. That median is 27.1% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $51,475, against $45,515 here.
• Stockton-Lodi, CA is 59 miles away, with a median of $46,530 and employment of 2,560. That median is 4% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $44,277, against $45,515 here.

Employment share

Nursing Assistants accounts for 0.63% of wage-and-salary employment in Merced, CA (500 of 79,510). Nationally the occupation is 0.93% of employment (1,448,910 of 155,495,730). The local share is 0.67 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.