Couriers and Messengers pay in California
$45,870avg. a year
$22.05 an hour · 7,240 employed
Couriers and Messengers in California earn an average of $45,870 a year. That is $4,900 (12%) more than the U.S. average of $40,970. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $55,350.
$44,970Median pay
$22.05Average hourly
+19%Avg. pay since 2020
#3Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for couriers and messengers by metro area. Swipe to see all 16.
1390 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$55,350
$26.61 an hour
2110 jobs
Modesto, CA
$51,800
$24.90 an hour
350 jobs
Napa, CA
$50,750
$24.40 an hour
4940 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$48,970
$23.54 an hour
5470 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$47,310
$22.74 an hour
63,030 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$44,970
$21.62 an hour
7690 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$44,650
$21.47 an hour
8170 jobs
Fresno, CA
$43,780
$21.05 an hour
970 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$43,130
$20.74 an hour
10390 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$42,830
$20.59 an hour
11120 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$42,670
$20.51 an hour
12170 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$42,630
$20.50 an hour
13130 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$42,050
$20.22 an hour
1460 jobs
Redding, CA
$41,210
$19.81 an hour
1540 jobs
Visalia, CA
$40,920
$19.67 an hour
1630 jobs
Salinas, CA
$38,670
$18.59 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Couriers and Messengers pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California couriers and messengers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $37k$37k–$40k$40k–$43k$43k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $40,970 | $19.70 |
| California | $45,870 | $22.05 |
| Oregon | $45,440 | $21.85 |
| Nevada | $43,230 | $20.79 |
| Arizona | $39,950 | $19.21 |
Related jobs in California
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$49,250
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$67,020
- Postal Service Mail Carriers$64,560
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$57,950
- Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$61,530
- Public Safety Telecommunicators$81,520
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do couriers and messengers make in California?
The average is $45,870 a year, and the median is $44,970. That is $4,900 (12%) more than the U.S. average of $40,970.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$22.05 an hour on average; the median is $21.62.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,350), followed by Modesto, CA ($51,800). The lowest average among 16 metro areas with data is Salinas, CA ($38,670).
How does California rank?
California ranks #3 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 43-5021. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national couriers and messengers page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.