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.
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What Tasks Do Couriers and Messengers Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of couriers and messengers span:
- 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.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top couriers and messengers rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Types of Couriers and Messengers Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Bank Courier
- Bank Messenger
- Bank Runner
- Bicycle Messenger
- Bill Distributor
- Bill Hiker
- Bill Peddler
- Call Person
Employment and Demand
There are about 428,359 couriers and messengers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected 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 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for couriers and messengers shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| 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 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| 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 |
Top Industries Employing Couriers and Messengers
Most couriers and messengers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| 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.
Tools and Technology
- 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)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of couriers and messengers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Time Pressure
- Contact With Others
How to Become Couriers and Messengers
Typical couriers and messengers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
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)
References
Data on this page comes from 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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