Couriers and Messengers pay range in Modesto
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,660 a year or less, while the top 10% make $72,470 or more. The middle half of couriers and messengers in Modesto earn between $42,720 and $62,580.
- $36K10th
- $43K25th
- $47KMedian
- $63K75th
- $72K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $51,800 | $4,317 | $24.90 |
| Median | $47,020 | $3,918 | $22.61 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $42,720 | $3,560 | $20.54 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $62,580 | $5,215 | $30.09 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Couriers and Messengers salary after taxes in Modesto
On the average salary of $51,800, a single filer in Modesto takes home about $42,501 a year, or $3,542 a month and $1,635 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% 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 Modesto a good place for couriers and messengers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Modesto area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 104.1), so the average $51,800 buys what about $49,756 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Modesto ($50,610). A typical home costs $468,302, or 9.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Couriers and Messengers salary in other California cities
Modesto ranks 2nd 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 Modesto: questions
How much do couriers and messengers make an hour in Modesto?
$24.90 an hour on average, and $22.61 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level couriers and messengers salary in Modesto?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,660 a year and the 25th percentile is $42,720, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the couriers and messengers take-home pay in Modesto?
About $42,501 a year ($3,542 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $51,800. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do couriers and messengers earn more in Modesto than elsewhere?
The average here is 27% 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 Modesto, CA (33700). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.9%.
- 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 1.29, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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