Couriers and Messengers pay range in Santa Maria
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,630 a year or less, while the top 10% make $49,620 or more. The middle half of couriers and messengers in Santa Maria earn between $39,630 and $42,870.
- $40K10th
- $40K25th
- $40KMedian
- $43K75th
- $50K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $42,670 | $3,556 | $20.51 |
| Median | $39,630 | $3,302 | $19.05 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $39,630 | $3,302 | $19.05 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $42,870 | $3,572 | $20.61 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Couriers and Messengers pay in Santa Maria vs. California and the U.S.
Couriers and messengers in Santa Maria earn 7% less than the California average ($45,870) and 4% more than the U.S. average ($40,970). At the median the gap is +1% against the U.S. median of $39,200.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria | $42,670 | $39,630 | $39,630 | $49,620 | 120 |
| 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 Santa Maria
On the average salary of $42,670, a single filer in Santa Maria takes home about $35,623 a year, or $2,969 a month and $1,370 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 Santa Maria a good place for couriers and messengers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Santa Maria area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.8), so the average $42,670 buys what about $39,219 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Maria ($51,690). A typical home costs $1,005,339, or 23.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Couriers and Messengers salary in other California cities
Santa Maria ranks 11th 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
- Santa Maria$42,670
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 Santa Maria: questions
How much do couriers and messengers make an hour in Santa Maria?
$20.51 an hour on average, and $19.05 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level couriers and messengers salary in Santa Maria?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,630 a year and the 25th percentile is $39,630, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the couriers and messengers take-home pay in Santa Maria?
About $35,623 a year ($2,969 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $42,670. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do couriers and messengers earn more in Santa Maria than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA (42200). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.5%.
- 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 1.34, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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