Interpreters and Translators pay range in Merced
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,990 a year or less, while the top 10% make $99,270 or more. The middle half of interpreters and translators in Merced earn between $49,150 and $82,080.
- $49K10th
- $49K25th
- $53KMedian
- $82K75th
- $99K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $65,990 | $5,499 | $31.73 |
| Median | $52,710 | $4,392 | $25.34 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $49,150 | $4,096 | $23.63 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $82,080 | $6,840 | $39.46 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Interpreters and Translators pay in Merced vs. California and the U.S.
Interpreters and translators in Merced earn 16% less than the California average ($78,800) and about the same as the U.S. average ($66,360). At the median the gap is -12% against the U.S. median of $60,170.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merced | $65,990 | $52,710 | $48,990 | $99,270 | 30 |
| California | $78,800 | $70,770 | $49,530 | $119,810 | 5,560 |
| United States | $66,360 | $60,170 | $37,070 | $103,660 | 52,060 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Interpreters and Translators salary after taxes in Merced
On the average salary of $65,990, a single filer in Merced takes home about $52,996 a year, or $4,416 a month and $2,038 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% 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 interpreters and translators? 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 $65,990 buys what about $67,148 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Merced ($47,220). A typical home costs $419,171, or 6.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Interpreters and Translators salary in other California cities
Merced ranks 15th of 16 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($93,650).
- San Jose$93,650
- Santa Maria$92,880
- San Francisco$90,940
- Santa Rosa$82,600
- Oxnard$81,410
- San Diego$79,960
- Riverside$79,240
- Los Angeles$78,410
- Salinas$75,080
- Merced$65,990
Highest-paying cities for interpreters and translators
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($93,650).
- San Jose, CA$93,650
- Washington, DC$93,460
- Santa Maria, CA$92,880
- New York, NY$91,110
- San Francisco, CA$90,940
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Interpreters and Translators salary in Merced: questions
How much do interpreters and translators make an hour in Merced?
$31.72 an hour on average, and $25.34 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level interpreters and translators salary in Merced?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,990 a year and the 25th percentile is $49,150, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the interpreters and translators take-home pay in Merced?
About $52,996 a year ($4,416 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $65,990. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do interpreters and translators earn more in Merced than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($66,360).
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 27-3091; area Merced, CA (32900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.2%.
- 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 1.13, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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