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Couriers and Messengers salary in the U.S.

Couriers and Messengers in the U.S. earn a median of $39,200 a year ($18.85 an hour), based on BLS data for 68,640 workers.

Median salary
$39,200
Hourly
$18.85
Average
$40,970
Top 10% earn
$50,330
Workers
68,640

Pay ranges from $31,550 for the lowest-paid 10% to $50,330 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $40,970, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.

Pay range for couriers and messengers in the U.S.

$0$60,000
Pay levelYearlyHourly
10th percentile (entry level)$31,550$15.17
25th percentile$36,070$17.34
Median$39,200$18.85
75th percentile$45,280$21.77
90th percentile (top earners)$50,330$24.20
Average (mean)$40,970$19.70

Half of couriers and messengers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.

Median paycheck, before taxes

Pay periodAmount
Monthly$3,266.67
Semi-monthly (24 a year)$1,633.33
Biweekly (26 a year)$1,507.69
Weekly$753.85
Hourly$18.85

Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.

Couriers and Messengers salary by state

StateMedian salaryWorkers
Nevada$46,520530
Washington$46,5001,190
Vermont$45,60050
District of Columbia$45,210120
Oregon$45,170850
Colorado$45,140640
California$44,9707,240
Minnesota$44,860440
Utah$42,840850
Massachusetts$42,3801,560
Alaska$41,720160
Maine$41,71040
Missouri$41,4101,060
New Jersey$40,8702,100
New Hampshire$40,630190
Tennessee$40,270n/a
Montana$40,08060
Pennsylvania$39,7003,330
Connecticut$39,480650
Georgia$39,4002,100
Texas$39,2604,710
Maryland$39,140770
Illinois$39,1001,340
North Carolina$39,1003,350
Arizona$38,980820
Oklahoma$38,9101,220
Delaware$38,760170
New York$38,7407,320
Hawaii$38,580270
New Mexico$38,570400
Iowa$38,460580
Kansas$38,370580
Ohio$38,3201,710
North Dakota$38,09040
Michigan$37,9401,500
Virginia$37,8202,010
Florida$37,7404,910
Indiana$37,270990
Arkansas$37,070300
Wisconsin$36,9102,560
Rhode Island$36,810160
South Carolina$36,7101,380
Idaho$36,110410
Kentucky$35,880750
Mississippi$35,780590
West Virginia$34,890240
Alabama$34,820720
Nebraska$34,600470
Louisiana$33,4901,030
Wyoming$31,68070
South Dakota$31,65080
Guam$26,40090
Puerto Rico$23,1602,910
Virgin Islands$21,84030

Best-paying metro areas for couriers and messengers

Metro areaMedian salaryWorkers
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$55,680390
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$48,510660
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$47,840940
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$47,160240
Modesto, CA$47,020110
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV$46,850420
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA$46,710140
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$46,170440
Napa, CA$46,06050
Rochester, MN$46,00060
Bellingham, WA$45,92060
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$45,650520
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$44,8401,010
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$44,760470
Fresno, CA$44,370170

Metro areas with the most couriers and messengers

Metro areaWorkersMedian salary
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ6,690$41,140
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA3,030$43,760
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR2,290$23,760
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL1,770$37,650
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD1,530$40,340
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX1,400$41,860
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA1,380$39,720
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN1,360$42,800
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC1,100$39,110
Memphis, TN-MS-AR1,100$44,040
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX1,090$40,370
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH1,070$43,830
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV1,010$44,840
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA940$47,840
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI930$36,560

Related jobs in the U.S.

JobMedian salaryHourly
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$45,260$21.76
Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$59,650$28.68
Postal Service Mail Carrier$60,550$29.11
Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$50,340$24.20
Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$58,470$28.11
Public Safety Telecommunicator$53,040$25.50
Cargo and Freight Agents$52,260$25.13
Postal Service Clerk$62,130$29.87
Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$46,380$22.30
Meter Readers, Utilities$48,150$23.15
Customer Service Representative$44,770$21.53
Office Clerks, General$45,010$21.64
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540$22.86
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$69,500$33.41

More: Office and Administrative Support Occupations

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 43-5021. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a couriers and messengers make in the U.S.?

The median salary for couriers and messengers in the U.S. is $39,200 a year, or $18.85 an hour. Pay ranges from $31,550 for the lowest-paid 10% to $50,330 for the top 10%.

How much do the highest-paid couriers and messengers make in the U.S.?

The top 10% of couriers and messengers in the U.S. earn at least $50,330 a year. The top 25% earn $45,280 or more.

What is the starting pay for couriers and messengers in the U.S.?

Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $31,550 a year, and a quarter of couriers and messengers earn $36,070 or less.

How many couriers and messengers work in the U.S.?

About 68,640 couriers and messengers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.