Couriers and Messengers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for couriers and messengers in the U.S. is $39,200 ($18.85 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $39,200
- Mean annual wage
- $40,970
- Median hourly wage
- $18.85
- Employment
- 68,640
68,640 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $31,550 | $15.17 |
| 25th percentile | $36,070 | $17.34 |
| Median (50th) | $39,200 | $18.85 |
| 75th percentile | $45,280 | $21.77 |
| 90th percentile | $50,330 | $24.20 |
Highest-paying states for couriers and messengers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada | $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 |
Lowest-paying states
- South Dakota: $31,650 median annual wage
- Wyoming: $31,680 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $33,490 median annual wage
- Nebraska: $34,600 median annual wage
- Alabama: $34,820 median annual wage
About this occupation
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.
Typical tasks
- Collect, seal, and stamp outgoing mail, using postage meters and envelope sealers.
- Perform general office or clerical work, such as filing materials, operating duplicating machines, or running errands.
- Plan and follow the most efficient routes for delivering goods.
- Obtain signatures and payments, or arrange for recipients to make payments.
- Unload and sort items collected along delivery routes.
- Load vehicles with listed goods, ensuring goods are loaded correctly and taking precautions with hazardous goods.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 8.1% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 35.3% |
| Some college, no degree | 28.6% |
| Associate's degree | 9.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 14.3% |
| Master's degree | 2.9% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.9% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Customer Service Representatives$44,770
- Office Clerks, General$45,010
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$69,500
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$50,670
- Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$45,930
- Receptionists and Information Clerks$38,010
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$45,260
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.