All careers › Couriers and Messengers
Courier: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $31,550lowest 10% earn less
- $36,07025th percentile
- $39,200median
- $45,28075th percentile
- $50,330top 10% earn more
Couriers and messengers earned a median of $39,200 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to grow 8% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the rate for all occupations[2][3].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- +8%[2]
- Openings per year
- 23,800[6]
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent[7]
How much do couriers make?
The median wage for couriers and messengers was $39,200 a year, or $18.85 an hour[1]. Half earned more and half earned less. The average was $40,970 a year, or $19.70 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[5].
The range is fairly narrow. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $31,550, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $50,330[4]. In hourly terms, those boundaries were $15.17 and $24.20[9]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[10].
| Point in the range | Annual wage | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile[4] | $36,070 | |
| Median[1] | $39,200 | |
| 75th percentile[4] | $45,280 |
These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits[11]. About 69.9% of couriers and messengers were self-employed in 2025[12], so the wage figures describe only part of the field.
Pay by state and city
Among the 50 states and DC with published data, Nevada had the highest median wage, at $46,520, followed by Washington at $46,500 and Vermont at $45,600[13]. South Dakota had the lowest published median, at $31,650, and Wyoming was just above it at $31,680[13].
New York had the most jobs, at 7,320, followed by California with 7,240 and Florida with 4,910[14]. Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median, at $55,680, followed by Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue at $48,510[15]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs, at 6,690, and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim was next with 3,030[16].
Show median pay in 50 states and DC
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada[13] | $46,520 | 530 |
| Washington | $46,500 | 1,190 |
| Vermont | $45,600 | 50 |
| District of Columbia | $45,210 | 120 |
| Oregon | $45,170 | 850 |
| Colorado | $45,140 | 640 |
| California | $44,970 | 7,240 |
| Minnesota | $44,860 | 440 |
| Utah | $42,840 | 850 |
| Massachusetts | $42,380 | 1,560 |
| Alaska | $41,720 | 160 |
| Maine | $41,710 | 40 |
| Missouri | $41,410 | 1,060 |
| New Jersey | $40,870 | 2,100 |
| New Hampshire | $40,630 | 190 |
| Tennessee | $40,270 | n/a |
| Montana | $40,080 | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $39,700 | 3,330 |
| Connecticut | $39,480 | 650 |
| Georgia | $39,400 | 2,100 |
| Texas | $39,260 | 4,710 |
| Maryland | $39,140 | 770 |
| Illinois | $39,100 | 1,340 |
| North Carolina | $39,100 | 3,350 |
| Arizona | $38,980 | 820 |
| Oklahoma | $38,910 | 1,220 |
| Delaware | $38,760 | 170 |
| New York | $38,740 | 7,320 |
| Hawaii | $38,580 | 270 |
| New Mexico | $38,570 | 400 |
| Iowa | $38,460 | 580 |
| Kansas | $38,370 | 580 |
| Ohio | $38,320 | 1,710 |
| North Dakota | $38,090 | 40 |
| Michigan | $37,940 | 1,500 |
| Virginia | $37,820 | 2,010 |
| Florida | $37,740 | 4,910 |
| Indiana | $37,270 | 990 |
| Arkansas | $37,070 | 300 |
| Wisconsin | $36,910 | 2,560 |
| Rhode Island | $36,810 | 160 |
| South Carolina | $36,710 | 1,380 |
| Idaho | $36,110 | 410 |
| Kentucky | $35,880 | 750 |
| Mississippi | $35,780 | 590 |
| West Virginia | $34,890 | 240 |
| Alabama | $34,820 | 720 |
| Nebraska | $34,600 | 470 |
| Louisiana | $33,490 | 1,030 |
| Wyoming | $31,680 | 70 |
| South Dakota | $31,650 | 80 |
How to become a courier
- First: finish high school or get an equivalent. A high school diploma or equivalent is the typical education for entry[7].
- Next: plan for short-term on-the-job training. That is the typical training listed[7].
- Then: start working. The typical path lists no related work experience[7].
In O*NET, this job falls in a group where some occupations need little or no previous experience and others need several months to a year[17].
What couriers and messengers do
Couriers pick up and deliver messages, documents, packages and other items, either within a business or directly to other businesses[18]. They may travel on foot, by bicycle, by motorcycle, by car or on public transit[18]. Typical tasks include:
- Delivering and picking up medical records, lab specimens and medications[19].
- Walking, riding or driving to reach delivery destinations[19].
- Loading vehicles correctly and taking care with hazardous goods[19].
- Taking delivery details such as names, addresses and instructions[19].
- Recording items received and delivered[19].
- Sorting items by delivery route[19].
- Planning efficient routes[19].
- Doing routine maintenance on delivery vehicles[19].
Job outlook
BLS projects employment of couriers and messengers to grow 8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 228,900 to 247,100 jobs[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[3]. These counts include self-employed workers[2].
BLS expects about 23,800 openings a year on average[6]. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 4.2% of workers leave the labor force and 5.1% move to a different occupation[20].
Is it a good fit?
The entry path is short, with a high school diploma and short-term training[7]. The median is below the all-occupations median, and the pay range is narrow[1][5][4]. Growth is faster than average, and there are many openings each year[2][3][6]. Because most workers were self-employed in 2025, income and working terms can differ from the wage figures here[12].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a courier make an hour?
- The median hourly wage for couriers and messengers was $18.85 in May 2025[1]. The average was $19.70[8].
- What education do you need to be a courier?
- A high school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry education, with short-term on-the-job training[7].
- Is courier work in demand?
- Employment is projected to grow 8% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations[2][3]. About 23,800 openings a year are projected[6].
- What is the highest paying state for couriers?
- Among states and DC with published data, Nevada had the highest median wage, at $46,520[13].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Couriers and Messengers in the US was $39,200 per year and $18.85 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Couriers and Messengers is projected to grow 8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 228,900 to 247,100 jobs (a change of +18,200). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Couriers and Messengers: 10th percentile $31,550, 25th percentile $36,070, 75th percentile $45,280, 90th percentile $50,330. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 23,800 openings for Couriers and Messengers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Couriers and Messengers: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Couriers and Messengers was $40,970 per year and $19.70 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Couriers and Messengers: 10th percentile $15.17, 25th percentile $17.34, 75th percentile $21.77, 90th percentile $24.20. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: 69.9% of Couriers and Messengers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
- Median annual wage for Couriers and Messengers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Couriers and Messengers jobs: New York 7,320; California 7,240; Florida 4,910; Texas 4,710; North Carolina 3,350. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Couriers and Messengers (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $55,680; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $48,510; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $47,840; Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $47,160; Modesto, CA $47,020; Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $46,850; Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $46,710; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $46,170. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Couriers and Messengers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 6,690 (median $41,140); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 3,030 (median $43,760); San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR 2,290 (median $23,760); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 1,770 (median $37,650); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 1,530 (median $40,340); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,400 (median $41,860). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- O*NET 43-5021.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET description of Couriers and Messengers. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Couriers and Messengers. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Couriers and Messengers: 4.2% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.1% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.