Couriers and Messengers
SOC code 43-5021 · O*NET-SOC 43-5021.00 · Little to some preparation needed · Office and administration
Bright Outlook — O*NET expects rapid growth for this occupation
Couriers and Messengers pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$39,200
a year
Hourly
$18.85
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$40,970
$19.70 per hour
Middle 50%
$36,070 – $45,280
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$31,550 – $50,330
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
68,640
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $31,550
- $15.17/hr
- 25th percentile
- $36,070
- $17.34/hr
- Median percentile
- $39,200
- $18.85/hr
- 75th percentile
- $45,280
- $21.77/hr
- 90th percentile
- $50,330
- $24.20/hr
What do couriers and messengers 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.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Deliver and pick up medical records, lab specimens, and medications to and from hospitals and other medical facilities.
- Walk, ride bicycles, drive vehicles, or use public conveyances to reach destinations to deliver messages or materials.
- Load vehicles with listed goods, ensuring goods are loaded correctly and taking precautions with hazardous goods.
- 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.
- Obtain signatures and payments, or arrange for recipients to make payments.
- Record information, such as items received and delivered and recipients' responses to messages.
- Unload and sort items collected along delivery routes.
How to qualify for this work
Preparation level: zone 2 — Little to some preparation needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- 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.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
The federal survey did not capture education levels for this specific occupation, so the preparation-level card above is the best guide to the entry route.
Common questions
How much does a couriers and messengers earn?
The national median is $39,200 a year. The full range runs from $31,550 at the 10th percentile to $50,330 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a couriers and messengers without a degree?
Yes — this occupation sits in preparation zone 2, meaning the typical entry route is usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. A four-year degree is not the standard requirement, though licensing or certification may still apply.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Active Listening3.3/5
- Speaking3.3/5
- Reading Comprehension3.0/5
- Writing3.0/5
- Critical Thinking3.0/5
- Monitoring2.8/5
Knowledge areas
- Transportation3.4/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.4/5
- English Language3.0/5
- Public Safety and Security2.7/5
- Law and Government2.5/5
Transferable strengths: Time Management, Service Orientation, Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness.