SOC 43-5021 · Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro

Couriers and Messengers Salary in Cincinnati, OH

The average salary for couriers and messengers in Cincinnati, Ohio is $39,550 a year ($19.01 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $40,160: half of the 340 people in this job in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 3% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($40,821).

$39,550average per year

$19.01 / hourMedian $40,160Take-home ≈ $32,608

  • $32K10th
  • $36K25th
  • $40KMedian
  • $43K75th
  • $45K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

340people in this job
-3%vs U.S. metro average
#3 of 7Ohio metros
95cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Couriers and Messengers pay range in Cincinnati

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,630 a year or less, while the top 10% make $44,860 or more. The middle half of couriers and messengers in Cincinnati earn between $36,420 and $43,230.

  • $32K10th
  • $36K25th
  • $40KMedian
  • $43K75th
  • $45K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$39,550$3,296$19.01
Median$40,160$3,347$19.31
Entry level (25th percentile)$36,420$3,035$17.51
Experienced (75th percentile)$43,230$3,602$20.78

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Couriers and Messengers salary after taxes in Cincinnati

On the average salary of $39,550, a single filer in Cincinnati takes home about $32,608 a year, or $2,717 a month and $1,254 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.

The Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in IN$32,802$2,733
Working in KY$32,692$2,724
Working in OH$32,608$2,717

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes Cincinnati's local income tax (1.8%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.

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Is Cincinnati a good place for couriers and messengers? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Cincinnati area are 5% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.4), so the average $39,550 buys what about $41,470 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Cincinnati ($50,170). A typical home costs $311,270, or 7.9 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $39,550 is worth in another city

Couriers and Messengers salary in other Ohio cities

Cincinnati ranks 3rd of 7 Ohio metro areas for this job; Cleveland pays the most ($40,060).

All Couriers and Messengers salaries in Ohio

Highest-paying cities for couriers and messengers

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($55,350).

Couriers and Messengers salary by city

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Couriers and Messengers salary in Cincinnati: questions

How much do couriers and messengers make an hour in Cincinnati?

$19.01 an hour on average, and $19.31 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level couriers and messengers salary in Cincinnati?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,630 a year and the 25th percentile is $36,420, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the couriers and messengers take-home pay in Cincinnati?

About $32,608 a year ($2,717 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $39,550. Includes Cincinnati's local income tax (1.8%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.

Do couriers and messengers earn more in Cincinnati than elsewhere?

The average here is 3% less 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 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN (17140). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.3%.
  • 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). Includes Cincinnati's local income tax (1.8%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.70, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.70).

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.