Couriers and Messengers Salary
Couriers and Messengers in Madison, WI make a median of $41,080 a year, or about $19.75 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.29), that's roughly $42,224 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,168/month, about 41.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $41K get you in Madison?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Madison’s Regional Price Parity (97.29). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About couriers and messengers
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What this looks like in Madison
Couriers and messengers pay in Madison tracks closely to the national median, $41K locally vs. $39K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,168/month, which is 41.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.29) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for couriers and messengers in metros near Madison, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $37K | $38K |
| Appleton | $37K | $40K |
| Green Bay | $37K | $40K |
| La Crosse-Onalaska | $37K | $40K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Madison, WI
Entry-level couriers and messengers (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $13K spread from bottom to top.
Couriers and Messengers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Couriers and Messengers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | $47K | +19% | 530 |
| Washington | $47K | +19% | 1,190 |
| Vermont | $46K | +16% | 50 |
| District of Columbia | $45K | +15% | 120 |
| Oregon | $45K | +15% | 850 |
| Colorado | $45K | +15% | 640 |
| California | $45K | +15% | 7,240 |
| Minnesota | $45K | +14% | 440 |
| Utah | $43K | +9% | 850 |
| Massachusetts | $42K | +8% | 1,560 |
| Alaska | $42K | +6% | 160 |
| Maine | $42K | +6% | 40 |
| Missouri | $41K | +6% | 1,060 |
| New Jersey | $41K | +4% | 2,100 |
| New Hampshire | $41K | +4% | 190 |
| Tennessee | $40K | +3% | N/A |
| Montana | $40K | +2% | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $40K | +1% | 3,330 |
| Connecticut | $39K | +1% | 650 |
| Georgia | $39K | +1% | 2,100 |
| Texas | $39K | +0% | 4,710 |
| Maryland | $39K | -0% | 770 |
| North Carolina | $39K | -0% | 3,350 |
| Illinois | $39K | -0% | 1,340 |
| Arizona | $39K | -1% | 820 |
| Oklahoma | $39K | -1% | 1,220 |
| Delaware | $39K | -1% | 170 |
| New York | $39K | -1% | 7,320 |
| Hawaii | $39K | -2% | 270 |
| New Mexico | $39K | -2% | 400 |
| Iowa | $38K | -2% | 580 |
| Kansas | $38K | -2% | 580 |
| Ohio | $38K | -2% | 1,710 |
| North Dakota | $38K | -3% | 40 |
| Michigan | $38K | -3% | 1,500 |
| Virginia | $38K | -4% | 2,010 |
| Florida | $38K | -4% | 4,910 |
| Indiana | $37K | -5% | 990 |
| Arkansas | $37K | -5% | 300 |
| Wisconsin | $37K | -6% | 2,560 |
| Rhode Island | $37K | -6% | 160 |
| South Carolina | $37K | -6% | 1,380 |
| Idaho | $36K | -8% | 410 |
| Kentucky | $36K | -8% | 750 |
| Mississippi | $36K | -9% | 590 |
| West Virginia | $35K | -11% | 240 |
| Alabama | $35K | -11% | 720 |
| Nebraska | $35K | -12% | 470 |
| Louisiana | $33K | -15% | 1,030 |
| Wyoming | $32K | -19% | 70 |
| South Dakota | $32K | -19% | 80 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track couriers and messengers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a couriers and messenger afford a 2BR apartment alone in Madison?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 41.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,168/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for couriers and messengers in Madison?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new couriers and messengers typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,083/month. At HUD’s $1,168/month FMR, rent would take 56% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is couriers and messenger a high-paying job in Madison?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $41K locally vs. $39K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Madison compare to the national average for couriers and messengers?
Madison pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.29), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do couriers and messengers make in Madison, WI?
The median is $41,080 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,720, and experienced couriers and messengers can clear $47,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Madison?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,826/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,168/month, which eats 41.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a couriers and messengers salary go in Madison?
Madison has a Regional Price Parity of 97.29 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median couriers and messengers salary is worth about $42,224 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do couriers and messengers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.