Couriers and Messengers pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,210 a year or less, while the top 10% make $54,910 or more. The middle half of couriers and messengers in Los Angeles earn between $39,530 and $47,940.
- $37K10th
- $40K25th
- $44KMedian
- $48K75th
- $55K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $44,970 | $3,748 | $21.62 |
| Median | $43,760 | $3,647 | $21.04 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $39,530 | $3,294 | $19.00 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $47,940 | $3,995 | $23.05 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Couriers and Messengers pay in Los Angeles vs. California and the U.S.
Couriers and messengers in Los Angeles earn about the same as the California average ($45,870) and 10% more than the U.S. average ($40,970). At the median the gap is +12% against the U.S. median of $39,200.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $44,970 | $43,760 | $37,210 | $54,910 | 3,030 |
| California | $45,870 | $44,970 | $36,200 | $57,360 | 7,240 |
| United States | $40,970 | $39,200 | $31,550 | $50,330 | 68,640 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Couriers and Messengers salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $44,970, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $37,379 a year, or $3,115 a month and $1,438 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% 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 Los Angeles a good place for couriers and messengers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $44,970 buys what about $39,598 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 21.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Couriers and Messengers salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 6th of 16 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($55,350).
- San Jose$55,350
- Modesto$51,800
- Napa$50,750
- San Francisco$48,970
- Sacramento$47,310
- Los Angeles$44,970
- San Diego$44,650
- Fresno$43,780
- Stockton$43,130
- Riverside$42,830
Highest-paying cities for couriers and messengers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($55,350).
- San Jose, CA$55,350
- Modesto, CA$51,800
- Napa, CA$50,750
- Seattle, WA$49,400
- San Francisco, CA$48,970
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Couriers and Messengers salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do couriers and messengers make an hour in Los Angeles?
$21.62 an hour on average, and $21.04 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level couriers and messengers salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,210 a year and the 25th percentile is $39,530, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the couriers and messengers take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $37,379 a year ($3,115 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $44,970. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do couriers and messengers earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% more than the U.S. average for this job ($40,970).
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 43-5021; area Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.3%.
- 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 1.09, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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