Couriers and Messengers in California

Get the information you need to know about working as a Courier or Messenger.

You’re in luck! Jobs for Couriers and Messengers in California are projected to grow and these jobs tend to pay higher than average.

• Projected employment for Couriers and Messengers in California is growing faster than average.

• Couriers and Messengers in California earn lower salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.

How Many Couriers and Messengers Work in California?

In 2018, there were 10,780 Couriers and Messengers working in the state.

There were 12,860 Couriers and Messengers employed in this state in 2017.

That’s a decline of 2,080 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

The typical state has 845 Couriers and Messengers working in it, which means California has more Couriers and Messengers than average.

Job Projections for California

Jobs for Couriers and Messengers in this state are growing at a rate of 19.0% which is faster than the nationwide estimated projection of 11.5%.

California Annual Job Openings

The BLS estimates there will be 2,040 annual job openings, and 20,700 total jobs in 2026 for Couriers and Messengers in this state.

Nationwide, the prediction is 10,100 annual jobs and 105,900 total jobs in 2026.

What do Couriers and Messengers Make in California?

In 2018 wages for Couriers and Messengers ranged from $23,740 to $50,870 with $31,310 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $11.41 to $24.46. The median hourly rate was $15.05.

Workers in this field were paid a median of $14.86 an hour in 2017.

The hourly rate grew by $0.19.

The median salary in California is higher than the nationwide median salary.

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Top California Metros for Couriers and Messengers

The table below shows some of the metros in this state with the most Couriers and Messengers.

Metro	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	4,310	$30,430
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA	2,110	$36,570
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	990	$29,600
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA	850	$30,660
Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA	360	$30,450
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	290	$27,310
Bakersfield, CA	180	$31,480
Stockton-Lodi, CA	130	$40,150
Fresno, CA	90	n/a
Modesto, CA	90	$34,960
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	50	$32,390
Salinas, CA	40	$29,640
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA	30	$37,660

Top States for Couriers and Messengers Employment

View the list below to see where most Couriers and Messengers work.

State	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
California	10,780	$31,310
New York	9,630	$29,640
Texas	6,220	$26,460
Florida	4,410	$28,700
Pennsylvania	2,830	$28,520
Wisconsin	2,630	$23,100
Massachusetts	2,520	$31,000
Georgia	2,310	$27,930
Michigan	2,240	$27,230
Illinois	2,060	$28,280
Louisiana	1,930	$23,210
Ohio	1,890	$27,420
Tennessee	1,670	$29,670
New Jersey	1,580	$33,110
South Carolina	1,460	$25,120
North Carolina	1,460	$27,840
Arizona	1,370	$28,760
Virginia	1,310	$30,150
Washington	1,180	$35,670
Alabama	1,180	$24,010

Below are the states where Couriers and Messengers get paid the most:

State	Annual Median Salary
Washington	$35,670
Maryland	$34,130
Oregon	$33,360
Rhode Island	$33,210
New Jersey	$33,110
Connecticut	$32,730
Vermont	$32,700
California	$31,310
Massachusetts	$31,000
District of Columbia	$30,930

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online

More about our data sources and methodologies.