Couriers and Messengers pay range in Durham
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,400 a year or less, while the top 10% make $47,030 or more. The middle half of couriers and messengers in Durham earn between $39,230 and $44,890.
- $30K10th
- $39K25th
- $40KMedian
- $45K75th
- $47K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $41,580 | $3,465 | $19.99 |
| Median | $40,050 | $3,338 | $19.25 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $39,230 | $3,269 | $18.86 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $44,890 | $3,741 | $21.58 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Couriers and Messengers salary after taxes in Durham
On the average salary of $41,580, a single filer in Durham takes home about $34,439 a year, or $2,870 a month and $1,325 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 (2026 rules).
Is Durham a good place for couriers and messengers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Durham area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.6), so the average $41,580 buys what about $42,615 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Durham ($60,720). A typical home costs $414,340, or 10.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Couriers and Messengers salary in other North Carolina cities
Durham ranks 1st of 11 North Carolina metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Durham$41,580
- Raleigh$40,860
- Asheville$40,210
- Charlotte$40,040
- Wilmington$38,850
- Burlington$38,120
- Greensboro$37,680
- Fayetteville$36,800
- Greenville$36,600
- Winston-Salem$36,120
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 Durham: questions
How much do couriers and messengers make an hour in Durham?
$19.99 an hour on average, and $19.26 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level couriers and messengers salary in Durham?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,400 a year and the 25th percentile is $39,230, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the couriers and messengers take-home pay in Durham?
About $34,439 a year ($2,870 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $41,580.
Do couriers and messengers earn more in Durham than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (20500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.9%.
- 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 (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.58, this job is 1.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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