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Couriers and Messengers: Career Overview
Pick up and deliver messages, documents, packages, and other items between offices or departments within an establishment or directly to other business concerns, traveling by foot, bicycle, motorcycle, automobile, or public conveyance.
What Do Couriers and Messengers Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of couriers and messengers cover:
- Deliver and pick up medical records, lab specimens, and medications to and from hospitals and other medical facilities.
- Obtain signatures and payments, or arrange for recipients to make payments.
- Record information, such as items received and delivered and recipients' responses to messages.
- 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.
- Load vehicles with listed goods, ensuring goods are loaded correctly and taking precautions with hazardous goods.
- Walk, ride bicycles, drive vehicles, or use public conveyances to reach destinations to deliver messages or materials.
- Sort items to be delivered according to the delivery route.
- Deliver messages and items, such as newspapers, documents, and packages, between establishment departments and to other establishments and private homes.
What Couriers and Messengers Need to Know
Successful couriers and messengers draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Couriers and Messengers Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Bank Courier
- Bank Messenger
- Bank Runner
- Bicycle Messenger
- Bill Distributor
- Bill Hiker
- Bill Peddler
- Call Person
Job Outlook
There are about 428,359 couriers and messengers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +0.5% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Couriers and Messengers Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $57,344 |
| Hourly median | $27.57 |
| 10th percentile | $37,020 |
| 25th percentile | $47,182 |
| 75th percentile | $67,507 |
| 90th percentile | $77,669 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Colorado | $44,610 |
| California | $44,600 |
| Washington | $44,170 |
| District of Columbia | $44,010 |
| Minnesota | $43,890 |
| Nevada | $42,490 |
| Massachusetts | $42,250 |
| Oregon | $41,870 |
| Utah | $41,600 |
| Maine | $40,020 |
| New York | $39,780 |
| New Jersey | $39,710 |
| Illinois | $39,680 |
| Vermont | $39,600 |
| Missouri | $39,520 |
| Alaska | $39,170 |
| Oklahoma | $39,090 |
| Montana | $38,780 |
| New Hampshire | $38,620 |
| Rhode Island | $38,420 |
| Virginia | $38,380 |
| North Carolina | $38,260 |
| Wyoming | $38,230 |
| Maryland | $38,010 |
| Iowa | $37,730 |
| Ohio | $37,680 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,590 |
| Delaware | $37,560 |
| Hawaii | $37,480 |
| Indiana | $37,470 |
| Idaho | $37,360 |
| Texas | $37,310 |
| West Virginia | $37,260 |
| Arizona | $37,220 |
| Wisconsin | $37,170 |
| Georgia | $37,140 |
| Michigan | $37,130 |
| New Mexico | $36,790 |
| Florida | $36,760 |
| Tennessee | $36,690 |
| North Dakota | $36,400 |
| Kentucky | $36,350 |
| Kansas | $35,520 |
| Arkansas | $35,430 |
| South Carolina | $35,360 |
| Mississippi | $34,930 |
| South Dakota | $33,400 |
| Virgin Islands | $32,870 |
| Alabama | $31,870 |
| Nebraska | $29,570 |
| Louisiana | $29,520 |
| Guam | $24,960 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,010 |
Where Couriers and Messengers Earn the Most
Compensation for couriers and messengers shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $43,941 | 17.1% | 1.06 |
| Rocky Mountains | $41,878 | 2.9% | 0.92 |
| Middle Atlantic | $39,119 | 19.6% | 1.43 |
| Great Lakes | $37,785 | 11.4% | 0.93 |
| Plains States | $37,634 | 5.4% | 0.93 |
| Southwest | $37,461 | 8.7% | 0.72 |
| Southeast | $36,502 | 28.7% | 1.26 |
| New England | $31,225 | 2.9% | 0.65 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $52,310 | 420 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $49,090 | 70 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | CT | $48,770 | 190 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $47,490 | 1,190 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $47,290 | 120 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | WA | $46,810 | 40 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $45,900 | 950 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | CO | $45,840 | 460 |
Industry Breakdown
Most couriers and messengers are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 26,380 | $39,020 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 20,100 | $38,460 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 6,810 | $35,060 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 3,710 | $38,590 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 2,610 | $38,590 |
| Retail Trade | 2,370 | $31,870 |
| Finance and Insurance | 2,330 | $36,040 |
| Educational Services | 1,370 | $40,110 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Couriers and Messengers Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for couriers and messengers is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Time Pressure
- Contact With Others
Education and Training
Most couriers and messengers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Baggage Porters and Bellhops (Primary-Long)
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service (Supplemental)
- Order Clerks (Supplemental)
- Cargo and Freight Agents (Primary-Long)
- Freight Forwarders (Supplemental)
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance (Primary-Long)
- Postal Service Clerks (Primary-Short)
- Postal Service Mail Carriers (Primary-Short)
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 43-5021.00 (Couriers and Messengers).
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