Couriers and Messengers pay range in Reading
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,550 a year or less, while the top 10% make $45,160 or more. The middle half of couriers and messengers in Reading earn between $30,480 and $41,060.
- $29K10th
- $30K25th
- $35KMedian
- $41K75th
- $45K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $36,490 | $3,041 | $17.54 |
| Median | $34,920 | $2,910 | $16.79 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $30,480 | $2,540 | $14.65 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $41,060 | $3,422 | $19.74 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Couriers and Messengers salary after taxes in Reading
On the average salary of $36,490, a single filer in Reading takes home about $30,379 a year, or $2,532 a month and $1,168 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Is Reading a good place for couriers and messengers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Reading area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.1), so the average $36,490 buys what about $37,595 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Reading ($49,440). A typical home costs $312,348, or 8.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Couriers and Messengers salary in other Pennsylvania cities
Reading ranks 9th of 11 Pennsylvania metro areas for this job; Philadelphia pays the most ($42,490).
- Philadelphia$42,490
- Scranton$41,800
- Allentown$41,510
- Harrisburg$41,260
- Pittsburgh$41,240
- Erie$39,430
- York$39,310
- Lancaster$38,480
- Reading$36,490
- Altoona$36,110
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 Reading: questions
How much do couriers and messengers make an hour in Reading?
$17.54 an hour on average, and $16.79 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level couriers and messengers salary in Reading?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,550 a year and the 25th percentile is $30,480, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the couriers and messengers take-home pay in Reading?
About $30,379 a year ($2,532 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $36,490. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Do couriers and messengers earn more in Reading than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% 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 Reading, PA (39740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.0%.
- 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.56, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.56).
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