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Merced, CA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a light truck driver make in Merced, CA?

In the Merced, CA metropolitan area, light truck drivers earned a median of $44,250 a year ($21.27 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 270 of these jobs there. That is 6% below the $47,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $35,540 and $94,540; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and California tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $36,982 in take-home pay.

Light truck driver pay in Merced, CA at a glance

Median salary

$44,250$21.27 per hour · $3,688 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$35,540$17.09/hr
25th percentile$37,210$17.89/hr
75th percentile$92,810$44.62/hr
90th percentile$94,540$45.45/hr
Jobs in this metro270Location quotient 0.54 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here6% belowAll-jobs median $47,220
Against California5% belowStatewide median $46,790
Against the U.S.1% belowNational median $44,860

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Take-home payWhat $44,000 a year leaves after tax in CaliforniaFederal tax, FICA and California withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$21 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $44,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $44,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation California publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about California.

Light truck driver salary in Merced, CA after taxes

$44,250
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$44,250
Net 84%
Fed 7%
CA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$36,982After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,082Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,422Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,130 / yr
California state income tax$753 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,385 / yr
Customize deductions in full California calculator

Light truck drivers pay range in Merced, CA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Merced, CA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What light truck drivers earned in the Merced, CA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CA)
10th percentile$17.09/hr$2,962$35,540$30,332
25th percentile$17.89/hr$3,101$37,210$31,607
MedianMedian$21.27/hr$3,688$44,250$36,982
75th percentile$44.62/hr$7,734$92,810$69,736
90th percentile$45.45/hr$7,878$94,540$70,792

Is $44,250 a good salary in Merced, CA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for light truck drivers next to both.

Median household income$65,510Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)98.31.7% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household67.5%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

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Light truck drivers pay in other California metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Merced, CA. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Light truck driver pay in Merced, CA: common questions

What is the median salary for light truck drivers in Merced, CA?

The BLS median annual wage for light truck drivers in the Merced, CA metro area was $44,250 in May 2025, about $3,688 a month or $21.27 an hour. Statewide, the California median for this job is $46,790, so the metro pays 5% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for light truck drivers in Merced, CA?

The median hourly wage for light truck drivers in Merced, CA was $21.27 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.09 an hour and one in ten earned more than $45.45.

How many light truck drivers work in Merced, CA?

BLS estimated 270 jobs for light truck drivers in the metro in May 2025, or 3.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.54 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for light truck drivers in Merced, CA?

BLS wage estimates for light truck drivers in Merced, CA run from $35,540 at the 10th percentile to $37,210 at the 25th, $92,810 at the 75th, and $94,540 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do light truck drivers take home after taxes in Merced, CA?

On a median gross salary of $44,250, an estimated $36,982 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,422 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in California in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,268 (an effective rate of 16.4%).

How much do light truck drivers make per month in Merced, CA?

On the median annual salary of $44,250, gross monthly income is $3,688. After federal, FICA, and California state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,082 per month (or $1,422 every two weeks).

Is $44,250 a good salary in Merced, CA?

At $44,250, the median salary for light truck drivers is 67.5% of the Merced, CA median household income ($65,510). It is 6% below the $47,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 98.3, so prices here run 1.7% below the U.S. average.