Couriers and messengers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $31,550 | $15.17 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $39,200 | $18.85 |
| Mean (average) | $40,970 | $19.70 |
| 90th percentile | $50,330 | $24.20 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Couriers and messengers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $34,820 | $27,020 | $45,230 | 720 | 0.77 |
| Alaska | $41,720 | $37,100 | $48,180 | 160 | 1.1 |
| Arizona | $38,980 | $31,200 | $46,330 | 820 | 0.58 |
| Arkansas | $37,070 | $27,600 | $43,690 | 300 | 0.52 |
| California | $44,970 | $36,200 | $57,360 | 7,240 | 0.9 |
| Colorado | $45,140 | $30,890 | $60,330 | 640 | 0.51 |
| Connecticut | $39,480 | $35,300 | $54,980 | 650 | 0.87 |
| Delaware | $38,760 | $33,960 | $46,810 | 170 | 0.79 |
| District of Columbia | $45,210 | $37,930 | $55,540 | 120 | 0.38 |
| Florida | $37,740 | $31,100 | $46,270 | 4,910 | 1.12 |
| Georgia | $39,400 | $29,340 | $47,900 | 2,100 | 0.97 |
| Guam | $26,400 | $22,010 | $34,750 | 90 | 3.12 |
| Hawaii | $38,580 | $36,410 | $45,250 | 270 | 0.98 |
| Idaho | $36,110 | $26,150 | $45,660 | 410 | 1.07 |
| Illinois | $39,100 | $32,520 | $47,550 | 1,340 | 0.5 |
| Indiana | $37,270 | $31,640 | $50,910 | 990 | 0.7 |
| Iowa | $38,460 | $32,180 | $42,840 | 580 | 0.85 |
| Kansas | $38,370 | $28,210 | $48,000 | 580 | 0.92 |
| Kentucky | $35,880 | $25,580 | $42,390 | 750 | 0.85 |
| Louisiana | $33,490 | $22,980 | $44,630 | 1,030 | 1.21 |
| Maine | $41,710 | $38,020 | $48,770 | 40 | 0.14 |
| Maryland | $39,140 | $33,850 | $49,850 | 770 | 0.63 |
| Massachusetts | $42,380 | $35,560 | $56,510 | 1,560 | 0.97 |
| Michigan | $37,940 | $30,830 | $45,420 | 1,500 | 0.77 |
| Minnesota | $44,860 | $36,640 | $58,480 | 440 | 0.34 |
| Mississippi | $35,780 | $25,700 | $42,550 | 590 | 1.15 |
| Missouri | $41,410 | $33,560 | $47,950 | 1,060 | 0.82 |
| Montana | $40,080 | $27,040 | $50,500 | 60 | 0.28 |
| Nebraska | $34,600 | $28,790 | $46,420 | 470 | 1.04 |
| Nevada | $46,520 | $31,700 | $49,980 | 530 | 0.77 |
| New Hampshire | $40,630 | $26,350 | $53,980 | 190 | 0.63 |
| New Jersey | $40,870 | $34,150 | $51,590 | 2,100 | 1.11 |
| New Mexico | $38,570 | $28,310 | $43,240 | 400 | 1.04 |
| New York | $38,740 | $35,190 | $56,840 | 7,320 | 1.71 |
| North Carolina | $39,100 | $28,120 | $47,280 | 3,350 | 1.53 |
| North Dakota | $38,090 | $31,740 | $48,150 | 40 | 0.19 |
| Ohio | $38,320 | $31,200 | $44,860 | 1,710 | 0.7 |
| Oklahoma | $38,910 | $29,470 | $44,170 | 1,220 | 1.61 |
| Oregon | $45,170 | $35,110 | $58,960 | 850 | 0.98 |
| Pennsylvania | $39,700 | $30,520 | $48,950 | 3,330 | 1.25 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,160 | $21,840 | $30,070 | 2,910 | 7.01 |
| Rhode Island | $36,810 | $31,200 | $47,290 | 160 | 0.73 |
| South Carolina | $36,710 | $25,000 | $46,040 | 1,380 | 1.36 |
| South Dakota | $31,650 | $30,260 | $40,910 | 80 | 0.39 |
| Tennessee | $40,270 | $33,360 | $46,940 | ||
| Texas | $39,260 | $30,900 | $49,490 | 4,710 | 0.76 |
| Utah | $42,840 | $36,730 | $47,560 | 850 | 1.11 |
| Vermont | $45,600 | $36,190 | $46,140 | 50 | 0.34 |
| Virgin Islands | $21,840 | $21,840 | $34,170 | 30 | 2.36 |
| Virginia | $37,820 | $31,180 | $54,910 | 2,010 | 1.11 |
| Washington | $46,500 | $38,380 | $55,370 | 1,190 | 0.76 |
| West Virginia | $34,890 | $29,640 | $39,440 | 240 | 0.78 |
| Wisconsin | $36,910 | $29,770 | $45,960 | 2,560 | 1.97 |
| Wyoming | $31,680 | $23,000 | $57,510 | 70 | 0.56 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for couriers and messengers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 23,800. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 69.9%.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for couriers and messengers
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Deliver and pick up medical records, lab specimens, and medications to and from hospitals and other medical facilities.
- Walk, ride bicycles, drive vehicles, or use public conveyances to reach destinations to deliver messages or materials.
- Load vehicles with listed goods, ensuring goods are loaded correctly and taking precautions with hazardous goods.
- Receive messages or materials to be delivered, and information on recipients, such as names, addresses, telephone numbers, and delivery instructions, communicated via telephone, two-way radio, or in person.
- Deliver messages and items, such as newspapers, documents, and packages, between establishment departments and to other establishments and private homes.
- Record information, such as items received and delivered and recipients' responses to messages.
- Unload and sort items collected along delivery routes.
- Sort items to be delivered according to the delivery route.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Route mapping software
Transferable skills for career changers: Time Management, Service Orientation, Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Complex Problem Solving.
Common job titles: Courier, Delivery Driver, Driver, Lab Courier (Laboratory Courier), Mail Carrier, Mailroom Courier, Messenger, Security Messenger, Transporter, Vehicle Delivery Worker.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do couriers and messengers make?
The national median annual wage for couriers and messengers was $39,200 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $31,550 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $50,330. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do couriers and messengers need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is couriers and messengers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of couriers and messengers to change +8.0% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 23,800 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay couriers and messengers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Nevada ($46,520), Washington ($46,500), Vermont ($45,600). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.