Couriers and Messengers salary in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
Couriers and Messengers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn a median of $55,680 a year ($26.77 an hour), based on BLS data for 390 workers.
Pay ranges from $42,020 for the lowest-paid 10% to $69,100 for the top 10%. That is 42% higher than the national median of $39,200. Pay here is 24% higher than the California statewide median of $44,970. There are 0.34 couriers and messengers per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.77). The average (mean) salary is $55,350, close to the median.
Pay range for couriers and messengers in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $42,020 | $20.20 |
| 25th percentile | $47,030 | $22.61 |
| Median | $55,680 | $26.77 |
| 75th percentile | $62,640 | $30.11 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $69,100 | $33.22 |
| Average (mean) | $55,350 | $26.61 |
Half of couriers and messengers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $4,640 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,320 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,141.54 |
| Weekly | $1,070.77 |
| Hourly | $26.77 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $55,680 salary, see how much house you can afford in California at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Couriers and Messengers salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $47,840 | 940 |
| Modesto, CA | $47,020 | 110 |
| Napa, CA | $46,060 | 50 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $44,760 | 470 |
| Fresno, CA | $44,370 | 170 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $43,760 | 3,030 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $42,440 | 690 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $40,910 | 170 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $39,630 | 120 |
| Visalia, CA | $39,600 | 40 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $39,160 | 390 |
| Redding, CA | $39,110 | 60 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $38,390 | 130 |
| Salinas, CA | $37,920 | 30 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $37,510 | 70 |
Highest-paying states for couriers and messengers
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Nevada | $46,520 |
| Washington | $46,500 |
| Vermont | $45,600 |
| District of Columbia | $45,210 |
| Oregon | $45,170 |
| Colorado | $45,140 |
| California | $44,970 |
| Minnesota | $44,860 |
| Utah | $42,840 |
| Massachusetts | $42,380 |
See Couriers and Messengers pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks | $54,640 | $26.27 |
| Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $76,500 | $36.78 |
| Postal Service Mail Carrier | $62,070 | $29.84 |
| Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance | $60,780 | $29.22 |
| Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators | $60,200 | $28.94 |
| Public Safety Telecommunicator | $113,800 | $54.71 |
| Postal Service Clerk | $62,610 | $30.10 |
| Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping | $49,330 | $23.71 |
| Cargo and Freight Agents | $59,610 | $28.66 |
| Office Clerks, General | $58,840 | $28.29 |
| Customer Service Representative | $60,480 | $29.08 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $62,940 | $30.26 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $95,010 | $45.68 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | $66,130 | $31.79 |
More: Office and Administrative Support Occupations · all salaries in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 43-5021. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a couriers and messengers make in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
The median salary for couriers and messengers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $55,680 a year, or $26.77 an hour. Pay ranges from $42,020 for the lowest-paid 10% to $69,100 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid couriers and messengers make in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
The top 10% of couriers and messengers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn at least $69,100 a year. The top 25% earn $62,640 or more.
What is the starting pay for couriers and messengers in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $42,020 a year, and a quarter of couriers and messengers earn $47,030 or less.
How many couriers and messengers work in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
About 390 couriers and messengers are employed in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.