Couriers and Messengers pay range in Riverside
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,780 a year or less, while the top 10% make $56,410 or more. The middle half of couriers and messengers in Riverside earn between $36,450 and $46,510.
- $35K10th
- $36K25th
- $39KMedian
- $47K75th
- $56K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $42,830 | $3,569 | $20.59 |
| Median | $39,160 | $3,263 | $18.83 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $36,450 | $3,038 | $17.52 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $46,510 | $3,876 | $22.36 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Couriers and Messengers salary after taxes in Riverside
On the average salary of $42,830, a single filer in Riverside takes home about $35,745 a year, or $2,979 a month and $1,375 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 Riverside a good place for couriers and messengers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Riverside area are 6% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 106.4), so the average $42,830 buys what about $40,238 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Riverside ($48,400). A typical home costs $585,378, or 13.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Couriers and Messengers salary in other California cities
Riverside ranks 10th 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 Riverside: questions
How much do couriers and messengers make an hour in Riverside?
$20.59 an hour on average, and $18.83 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level couriers and messengers salary in Riverside?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,780 a year and the 25th percentile is $36,450, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the couriers and messengers take-home pay in Riverside?
About $35,745 a year ($2,979 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $42,830. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do couriers and messengers earn more in Riverside than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($40,821).
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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA (40140). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
- 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 0.51, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.51).
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