The median pay for Couriers and Messengers is $39,200 a year ($18.85/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 8.0% through 2035, with about 23,800 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 43-5021
- Office and Administrative Support
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Courier and Messenger in four numbers
- Median pay
- $39,200a year, or $18.85/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $32KTop 10% $50K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +8.0%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 23,800228,900 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025228.9K
- Projected 2035247.1K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 228.9K Projected 2035 247.1K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Courier, Delivery Driver, Driver, Lab Courier (Laboratory Courier), Mail Carrier, Mailroom Courier.
Pay
How much do Couriers and Messengers make?
Every courier and messenger in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$39,200
Middle half earn $36,070 to $45,280
- 10th
- $31,550
- 25th
- $36,070
- 75th
- $45,280
- 90th
- $50,330
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $31,550 |
| 25th | $36,070 |
| Median | $39,200 |
| 75th | $45,280 |
| 90th | $50,330 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $39,200
- Median hourly wage
- $18.85/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $40,970
- People employed
- 68,640
Versus all US occupations
At $39,200, Couriers and Messengers earn 23% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $11,780 a year.
Versus office and administrative support occupations
Inside the Office and Administrative Support group, where the middle occupation pays $49,230, this is 20% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $50,330 or more while the bottom 10% earn $31,550, a gap of 1.6×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 7% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Nevada posts the highest raw median ($46,520), but once local prices are taken into account Vermont leads at $46,551 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Couriers and Messengers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Nevada | $46,520 | $46,530 | 530 |
| 2Washington | $46,500 | $43,453 | 1,190 |
| 3Vermont | $45,600 | $46,551 | 50 |
| 4District of Columbia | $45,210 | $41,137 | 120 |
| 5Oregon | $45,170 | $43,701 | 850 |
| 6Colorado | $45,140 | $43,803 | 640 |
| 7California | $44,970 | $40,616 | 7,240 |
| 8Minnesota | $44,860 | $45,487 | 440 |
| 9Utah | $42,840 | $43,332 | 850 |
| 10Massachusetts | $42,380 | $40,073 | 1,560 |
Job outlook
Is Courier and Messenger a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +8.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Couriers and Messengers | +8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Couriers and Messengers to change 8.0% over 2025–2035, roughly 2.3× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 18,200 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 23,800 openings are projected each year, 10.4% of the 228,900 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Courier and Messenger
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does a Courier and Messenger do?
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.
Day-to-day tasks
- Sort items to be delivered according to the delivery route.
- Walk, ride bicycles, drive vehicles, or use public conveyances to reach destinations to deliver messages or materials.
- 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.
- Plan and follow the most efficient routes for delivering goods.
- Load vehicles with listed goods, ensuring goods are loaded correctly and taking precautions with hazardous goods.
- Unload and sort items collected along delivery routes.
- Perform routine maintenance on delivery vehicles, such as monitoring fluid levels and replenishing fuel.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.3
- Speaking3.3
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Writing3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Monitoring2.8
- Active Learning2.6
- Mathematics2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.3 |
| Speaking | 3.3 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 |
| Writing | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 2.8 |
| Active Learning | 2.6 |
| Mathematics | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Time Management3.3
- Service Orientation3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9
- Social Perceptiveness2.8
- Coordination2.8
- Complex Problem Solving2.6
- Operation and Control2.6
- Operations Monitoring2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Time Management | 3.3 |
| Service Orientation | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.9 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.8 |
| Coordination | 2.8 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.6 |
| Operation and Control | 2.6 |
| Operations Monitoring | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Route navigation software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Courier and Messenger?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Courier and Messenger |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 4 |
| Investigative | 1 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 3 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
- Conventional5.1
- Realistic4.5
- Social3.0
- Enterprising2.9
- Investigative1.1
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Courier and Messenger
O*NET related occupations
- Office and Administrative Support
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Office and Administrative Support
Mail Clerk and Mail Machine Operator, Except Postal Service
$39,280median a year
Most earn $31K to $55K
−7.2%High school - Office and Administrative Support
- Office and Administrative Support
- Transportation and Material Moving
More office and administrative support careers
Median annual pay, with couriers and messengers highlighted
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant$76,590
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant$55,570
- Public Safety Telecommunicator$53,040
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk$50,670
- Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$50,610
- Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- Teller$43,030
- Courier and Messenger$39,200
- Receptionist and Information Clerk$38,010
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant | $76,590 |
| Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant | $55,570 |
| Public Safety Telecommunicator | $53,040 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk | $50,670 |
| Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | $50,610 |
| Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $47,540 |
| Teller | $43,030 |
| Courier and Messenger | $39,200 |
| Receptionist and Information Clerk | $38,010 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Courier and Messenger appears on
Questions
Courier and Messenger: frequently asked questions
How much do Couriers and Messengers make?
Couriers and Messengers earn a median of $39,200 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 23% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $18.85/hr. The middle half earn between $36,070 and $45,280. The top 10% earn $50,330 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Courier and Messenger?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Couriers and Messengers. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Courier and Messenger a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 8.0% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 23,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Courier and Messenger do?
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. A core O*NET task: sort items to be delivered according to the delivery route. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Couriers and Messengers the most?
The highest state medians for Couriers and Messengers are Nevada ($46,520), Washington ($46,500), Vermont ($45,600) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Vermont moves to the top at $46,551.
What personality type suits a Courier and Messenger?
O*NET scores Couriers and Messengers highest on the Conventional and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESTJ, ISFJ, ISTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.