Couriers and Messengers pay range in Seattle
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,630 a year or less, while the top 10% make $59,930 or more. The middle half of couriers and messengers in Seattle earn between $44,740 and $53,160.
- $41K10th
- $45K25th
- $49KMedian
- $53K75th
- $60K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $49,400 | $4,117 | $23.75 |
| Median | $48,510 | $4,042 | $23.32 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $44,740 | $3,728 | $21.51 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $53,160 | $4,430 | $25.56 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Couriers and Messengers salary after taxes in Seattle
On the average salary of $49,400, a single filer in Seattle takes home about $41,873 a year, or $3,489 a month and $1,610 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
Is Seattle a good place for couriers and messengers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Seattle area are 11% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.1), so the average $49,400 buys what about $44,451 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Seattle ($72,610). A typical home costs $750,279, or 15.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Couriers and Messengers salary in other Washington cities
Seattle ranks 1st of 4 Washington metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Seattle$49,400
- Bellingham$47,080
- Spokane$41,740
- Kennewick$41,370
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 Seattle: questions
How much do couriers and messengers make an hour in Seattle?
$23.75 an hour on average, and $23.32 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level couriers and messengers salary in Seattle?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,630 a year and the 25th percentile is $44,740, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the couriers and messengers take-home pay in Seattle?
About $41,873 a year ($3,489 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $49,400. Washington has no state income tax; Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
Do couriers and messengers earn more in Seattle than elsewhere?
The average here is 21% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA (42660). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.5%.
- 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 no state income tax. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.72, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.72).
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