43 Series · SOC 43-5021
Couriers and Messengers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $39,200
- Median / year
- +2.2%
- 2024→2025
- $50,330
- Top 10% earn
- +8.2%
- Growth '24–'34
- 68,640
- Estimated US jobs
Couriers and Messengers earn a median of $39,200 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $39,200, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $31,550 (10th percentile) to $50,330 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 68,640 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Nevada ($46,520).
The pay verdict
Couriers and Messengers earn a median of $39,200, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 11% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Office and Administrative Support, it ranks #49 of 54 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 8.2% by 2034.
- $39,200
- Median annual wage
- Top 89%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #49 of 54
- in Office and Administrative Support
- 1.6×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Nevada at $46,520. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Couriers and Messengers moved from $29,690 in May 2019 to $39,200 in May 2025 (+32.0%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Couriers and Messengers sits +7.6 pp ahead of that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Couriers and Messengers (SOC 43-5021) has a national median of $39,200 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $31,550 to $50,330, and the published mean is $40,970. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 68,640 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 54 state or territory areas and 277 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $38,340 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $39,200 in May 2025, a rise of $860 (+2.2%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +8.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as much faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 27,900 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as short-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Office and Administrative Support Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Nevada pays the highest state median at $46,520, which is +19% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $55,680. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$39,200
per year
Median Hourly
$18.85/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$40,970
average
Employment
68,640
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Couriers and Messengers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$39,200 Bottom 11% higher than 11% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 (this entry) | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$39,200 · 11th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 43-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Couriers and Messengers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Customer Service Rep…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.5%, Median annual wage $44770
- Office Clerks, General: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.7%, Median annual wage $45010
- Secretaries and Admi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $47540
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.3%, Median annual wage $69500
- Bookkeeping, Account…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.8%, Median annual wage $50670
- Medical Secretaries …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.2%, Median annual wage $45930
- Shipping, Receiving,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -7.7%, Median annual wage $45260
- Executive Secretarie…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $76590
- Billing and Posting …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.4%, Median annual wage $48500
- Production, Planning…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.8%, Median annual wage $59650
- Tellers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -12.9%, Median annual wage $43030
- Postal Service Mail …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.5%, Median annual wage $60550
- Hotel, Motel, and Re…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.7%, Median annual wage $35070
- Insurance Claims and…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.7%, Median annual wage $49230
- Dispatchers, Except …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.9%, Median annual wage $50340
- Office and Administr…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -7.8%, Median annual wage $45670
- Court, Municipal, an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $48700
- Loan Interviewers an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.3%, Median annual wage $50020
- Bill and Account Col…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.5%, Median annual wage $47030
- Legal Secretaries an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.8%, Median annual wage $55570
- Eligibility Intervie…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1%, Median annual wage $54210
- Payroll and Timekeep…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -16.7%, Median annual wage $58260
- Interviewers, Except…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -11.6%, Median annual wage $45920
- Couriers and Messengers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.2%, Median annual wage $39200
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+8.2%
Much faster than average
Annual Openings
27,900
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+20,400
247,200 (2024) → 267,600 (2034)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Office and Administrative Support Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
0.5/100K
Injury Rate
1/100
Danger Index
4.3/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Couriers and Messengers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Unload and sort items collected along delivery routes.
- ▸ Plan and follow the most efficient routes for delivering goods.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Couriers and Messengers pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $27,280 |
| 2016 | $28,170 |
| 2017 | $28,250 |
| 2018 | $28,720 |
| 2019 | $29,690 |
| 2020 | $30,980 |
| 2021 | $33,050 |
| 2022 | $35,280 |
| 2023 | $36,710 |
| 2024 | $38,340 |
| 2025 | $39,200 |
2015 median
$27,280
2025 median
$39,200
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$9,510 (+32%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+4.7%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $27,280 | First banked release | 73,180 |
| May 2016 | $28,170 | +3.3% | 74,120 |
| May 2017 | $28,250 | +0.3% | 76,710 |
| May 2018 | $28,720 | +1.7% | 75,720 |
| May 2019 | $29,690 | Classification break | 74,720 |
| May 2020 | $30,980 | +4.3% | 70,700 |
| May 2021 | $33,050 | +6.7% | 68,310 |
| May 2022 | $35,280 | +6.7% | 75,800 |
| May 2023 | $36,710 | +4.1% | 72,010 |
| May 2024 | $38,340 | +4.4% | 71,920 |
| May 2025 | $39,200 | +2.2% | 68,640 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $27,280 in May 2015 to $39,200 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +4.7% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 74,720 in May 2019 to 68,640 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 54 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $46,520 | +19% above national |
| 2 | Washington | $46,500 | +19% above national |
| 3 | Vermont | $45,600 | +16% above national |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $45,210 | +15% above national |
| 5 | Oregon | $45,170 | +15% above national |
| 6 | Colorado | $45,140 | +15% above national |
| 7 | California | $44,970 | +15% above national |
| 8 | Minnesota | $44,860 | +14% above national |
| 9 | Utah | $42,840 | +9% above national |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $42,380 | +8% above national |
| 11 | Alaska | $41,720 | +6% above national |
| 12 | Maine | $41,710 | +6% above national |
| 13 | Missouri | $41,410 | +6% above national |
| 14 | New Jersey | $40,870 | +4% above national |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $40,630 | +4% above national |
| 16 | Tennessee | $40,270 | +3% above national |
| 17 | Montana | $40,080 | +2% above national |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $39,700 | +1% above national |
| 19 | Connecticut | $39,480 | +1% above national |
| 20 | Georgia | $39,400 | +1% above national |
| 21 | Texas | $39,260 | same as national |
| 22 | Maryland | $39,140 | same as national |
| 23 | Illinois | $39,100 | same as national |
| 24 | North Carolina | $39,100 | same as national |
| 25 | Arizona | $38,980 | 1% below national |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $38,910 | 1% below national |
| 27 | Delaware | $38,760 | 1% below national |
| 28 | New York | $38,740 | 1% below national |
| 29 | Hawaii | $38,580 | 2% below national |
| 30 | New Mexico | $38,570 | 2% below national |
| 31 | Iowa | $38,460 | 2% below national |
| 32 | Kansas | $38,370 | 2% below national |
| 33 | Ohio | $38,320 | 2% below national |
| 34 | North Dakota | $38,090 | 3% below national |
| 35 | Michigan | $37,940 | 3% below national |
| 36 | Virginia | $37,820 | 4% below national |
| 37 | Florida | $37,740 | 4% below national |
| 38 | Indiana | $37,270 | 5% below national |
| 39 | Arkansas | $37,070 | 5% below national |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $36,910 | 6% below national |
| 41 | Rhode Island | $36,810 | 6% below national |
| 42 | South Carolina | $36,710 | 6% below national |
| 43 | Idaho | $36,110 | 8% below national |
| 44 | Kentucky | $35,880 | 8% below national |
| 45 | Mississippi | $35,780 | 9% below national |
| 46 | West Virginia | $34,890 | 11% below national |
| 47 | Alabama | $34,820 | 11% below national |
| 48 | Nebraska | $34,600 | 12% below national |
| 49 | Louisiana | $33,490 | 15% below national |
| 50 | Wyoming | $31,680 | 19% below national |
| 51 | South Dakota | $31,650 | 19% below national |
| 52 | Guam | $26,400 | 33% below national |
| 53 | Puerto Rico | $23,160 | 41% below national |
| 54 | Virgin Islands | $21,840 | 44% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 224 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $55,680 | +42% above national |
| 2 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $48,510 | +24% above national |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $47,840 | +22% above national |
| 4 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $47,160 | +20% above national |
| 5 | Modesto, CA | $47,020 | +20% above national |
| 6 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $46,850 | +20% above national |
| 7 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $46,710 | +19% above national |
| 8 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $46,170 | +18% above national |
| 9 | Napa, CA | $46,060 | +18% above national |
| 10 | Rochester, MN | $46,000 | +17% above national |
| 11 | Bellingham, WA | $45,920 | +17% above national |
| 12 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $45,650 | +16% above national |
| 13 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $44,840 | +14% above national |
| 14 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $44,760 | +14% above national |
| 15 | Fresno, CA | $44,370 | +13% above national |
| 16 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $44,220 | +13% above national |
| 17 | Duluth, MN-WI | $44,200 | +13% above national |
| 18 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $44,040 | +12% above national |
| 19 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $43,920 | +12% above national |
| 20 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $43,830 | +12% above national |
| 21 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $43,760 | +12% above national |
| 22 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $43,740 | +12% above national |
| 23 | Akron, OH | $43,240 | +10% above national |
| 24 | Medford, OR | $43,160 | +10% above national |
| 25 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $42,840 | +9% above national |
| 26 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $42,800 | +9% above national |
| 27 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $42,680 | +9% above national |
| 28 | Knoxville, TN | $42,610 | +9% above national |
| 29 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $42,490 | +8% above national |
| 30 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $42,440 | +8% above national |
| 31 | Colorado Springs, CO | $42,380 | +8% above national |
| 32 | New Haven, CT | $42,300 | +8% above national |
| 33 | Salem, OR | $42,280 | +8% above national |
| 34 | Pittsburgh, PA | $42,250 | +8% above national |
| 35 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $41,860 | +7% above national |
| 36 | Anchorage, AK | $41,720 | +6% above national |
| 37 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $41,710 | +6% above national |
| 38 | Winchester, VA-WV | $41,480 | +6% above national |
| 39 | Worcester, MA | $41,420 | +6% above national |
| 40 | Springfield, MO | $41,410 | +6% above national |
| 41 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $41,140 | +5% above national |
| 42 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $41,130 | +5% above national |
| 43 | Madison, WI | $41,080 | +5% above national |
| 44 | Ogden, UT | $41,080 | +5% above national |
| 45 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $41,050 | +5% above national |
| 46 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $41,030 | +5% above national |
| 47 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $40,980 | +5% above national |
| 48 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $40,910 | +4% above national |
| 49 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $40,370 | +3% above national |
| 50 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $40,340 | +3% above national |
| 51 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $40,320 | +3% above national |
| 52 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $40,160 | +2% above national |
| 53 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $40,080 | +2% above national |
| 54 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $40,050 | +2% above national |
| 55 | Springfield, MA | $40,010 | +2% above national |
| 56 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $39,860 | +2% above national |
| 57 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $39,860 | +2% above national |
| 58 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $39,720 | +1% above national |
| 59 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $39,710 | +1% above national |
| 60 | Traverse City, MI | $39,710 | +1% above national |
| 61 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $39,670 | +1% above national |
| 62 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $39,650 | +1% above national |
| 63 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $39,630 | +1% above national |
| 64 | Visalia, CA | $39,600 | +1% above national |
| 65 | Pueblo, CO | $39,590 | +1% above national |
| 66 | Albany, GA | $39,480 | +1% above national |
| 67 | Cleveland, OH | $39,410 | +1% above national |
| 68 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $39,340 | same as national |
| 69 | Barnstable Town, MA | $39,290 | same as national |
| 70 | Spartanburg, SC | $39,290 | same as national |
| 71 | York-Hanover, PA | $39,290 | same as national |
| 72 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $39,270 | same as national |
| 73 | Fort Wayne, IN | $39,230 | same as national |
| 74 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $39,160 | same as national |
| 75 | Tulsa, OK | $39,160 | same as national |
| 76 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $39,140 | same as national |
| 77 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $39,110 | same as national |
| 78 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $39,110 | same as national |
| 79 | Redding, CA | $39,110 | same as national |
| 80 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $39,100 | same as national |
| 81 | Albuquerque, NM | $39,080 | same as national |
| 82 | Dubuque, IA | $39,020 | same as national |
| 83 | Asheville, NC | $38,980 | 1% below national |
| 84 | Topeka, KS | $38,980 | 1% below national |
| 85 | Oklahoma City, OK | $38,970 | 1% below national |
| 86 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $38,910 | 1% below national |
| 87 | Toledo, OH | $38,810 | 1% below national |
| 88 | Columbus, OH | $38,790 | 1% below national |
| 89 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $38,780 | 1% below national |
| 90 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $38,770 | 1% below national |
| 91 | Lincoln, NE | $38,740 | 1% below national |
| 92 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $38,730 | 1% below national |
| 93 | Reno, NV | $38,730 | 1% below national |
| 94 | Charlottesville, VA | $38,580 | 2% below national |
| 95 | Longview, TX | $38,580 | 2% below national |
| 96 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $38,580 | 2% below national |
| 97 | El Paso, TX | $38,570 | 2% below national |
| 98 | Saginaw, MI | $38,550 | 2% below national |
| 99 | Gainesville, FL | $38,520 | 2% below national |
| 100 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $38,420 | 2% below national |
| 101 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $38,410 | 2% below national |
| 102 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $38,390 | 2% below national |
| 103 | Burlington, NC | $38,340 | 2% below national |
| 104 | Amarillo, TX | $38,280 | 2% below national |
| 105 | Richmond, VA | $38,270 | 2% below national |
| 106 | Boise City, ID | $38,260 | 2% below national |
| 107 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $38,200 | 3% below national |
| 108 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $38,190 | 3% below national |
| 109 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $38,190 | 3% below national |
| 110 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $38,180 | 3% below national |
| 111 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $38,100 | 3% below national |
| 112 | Corvallis, OR | $37,980 | 3% below national |
| 113 | Lubbock, TX | $37,930 | 3% below national |
| 114 | Salinas, CA | $37,920 | 3% below national |
| 115 | Peoria, IL | $37,850 | 3% below national |
| 116 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $37,840 | 3% below national |
| 117 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $37,820 | 4% below national |
| 118 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $37,820 | 4% below national |
| 119 | St. Cloud, MN | $37,790 | 4% below national |
| 120 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $37,680 | 4% below national |
| 121 | Savannah, GA | $37,670 | 4% below national |
| 122 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $37,650 | 4% below national |
| 123 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $37,560 | 4% below national |
| 124 | Columbia, SC | $37,550 | 4% below national |
| 125 | Rochester, NY | $37,520 | 4% below national |
| 126 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $37,510 | 4% below national |
| 127 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $37,510 | 4% below national |
| 128 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $37,470 | 4% below national |
| 129 | Rockford, IL | $37,450 | 4% below national |
| 130 | Wilmington, NC | $37,330 | 5% below national |
| 131 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $37,320 | 5% below national |
| 132 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $37,310 | 5% below national |
| 133 | Corpus Christi, TX | $37,310 | 5% below national |
| 134 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $37,300 | 5% below national |
| 135 | Winston-Salem, NC | $37,180 | 5% below national |
| 136 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $37,090 | 5% below national |
| 137 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $37,090 | 5% below national |
| 138 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $37,080 | 5% below national |
| 139 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $37,080 | 5% below national |
| 140 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $37,070 | 5% below national |
| 141 | Tucson, AZ | $37,070 | 5% below national |
| 142 | Greenville, NC | $37,050 | 5% below national |
| 143 | Syracuse, NY | $37,040 | 6% below national |
| 144 | Tyler, TX | $37,040 | 6% below national |
| 145 | Erie, PA | $37,020 | 6% below national |
| 146 | Evansville, IN | $36,940 | 6% below national |
| 147 | Green Bay, WI | $36,930 | 6% below national |
| 148 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $36,910 | 6% below national |
| 149 | Birmingham, AL | $36,820 | 6% below national |
| 150 | Twin Falls, ID | $36,780 | 6% below national |
| 151 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $36,740 | 6% below national |
| 152 | Florence, SC | $36,710 | 6% below national |
| 153 | Appleton, WI | $36,690 | 6% below national |
| 154 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $36,630 | 7% below national |
| 155 | Jacksonville, FL | $36,610 | 7% below national |
| 156 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $36,560 | 7% below national |
| 157 | Fayetteville, NC | $36,550 | 7% below national |
| 158 | Lancaster, PA | $36,550 | 7% below national |
| 159 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $36,540 | 7% below national |
| 160 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $36,510 | 7% below national |
| 161 | Utica-Rome, NY | $36,500 | 7% below national |
| 162 | Binghamton, NY | $36,460 | 7% below national |
| 163 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $36,430 | 7% below national |
| 164 | Jackson, MS | $36,360 | 7% below national |
| 165 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $36,310 | 7% below national |
| 166 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $36,270 | 7% below national |
| 167 | Waco, TX | $36,100 | 8% below national |
| 168 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $36,050 | 8% below national |
| 169 | Wichita, KS | $36,000 | 8% below national |
| 170 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $35,990 | 8% below national |
| 171 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $35,990 | 8% below national |
| 172 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $35,910 | 8% below national |
| 173 | Midland, MI | $35,900 | 8% below national |
| 174 | Roanoke, VA | $35,890 | 8% below national |
| 175 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $35,780 | 9% below national |
| 176 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $35,750 | 9% below national |
| 177 | Sheboygan, WI | $35,750 | 9% below national |
| 178 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $35,750 | 9% below national |
| 179 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $35,730 | 9% below national |
| 180 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $35,620 | 9% below national |
| 181 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $35,490 | 9% below national |
| 182 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $35,490 | 9% below national |
| 183 | Abilene, TX | $35,400 | 10% below national |
| 184 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $35,360 | 10% below national |
| 185 | Lafayette, LA | $35,340 | 10% below national |
| 186 | Huntsville, AL | $35,170 | 10% below national |
| 187 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $35,090 | 10% below national |
| 188 | Omaha, NE-IA | $35,080 | 11% below national |
| 189 | Tallahassee, FL | $34,940 | 11% below national |
| 190 | Reading, PA | $34,920 | 11% below national |
| 191 | Springfield, IL | $34,850 | 11% below national |
| 192 | Charleston, WV | $34,840 | 11% below national |
| 193 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $34,810 | 11% below national |
| 194 | Montgomery, AL | $34,590 | 12% below national |
| 195 | Idaho Falls, ID | $34,550 | 12% below national |
| 196 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $34,510 | 12% below national |
| 197 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $34,400 | 12% below national |
| 198 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $34,390 | 12% below national |
| 199 | Punta Gorda, FL | $34,190 | 13% below national |
| 200 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $34,100 | 13% below national |
| 201 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $33,700 | 14% below national |
| 202 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $33,260 | 15% below national |
| 203 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $32,940 | 16% below national |
| 204 | Flint, MI | $32,880 | 16% below national |
| 205 | Alexandria, LA | $32,770 | 16% below national |
| 206 | Johnson City, TN | $32,710 | 17% below national |
| 207 | Columbus, GA-AL | $32,630 | 17% below national |
| 208 | Rome, GA | $32,510 | 17% below national |
| 209 | Ocala, FL | $32,350 | 17% below national |
| 210 | Lake Charles, LA | $32,130 | 18% below national |
| 211 | Mobile, AL | $31,970 | 18% below national |
| 212 | Baton Rouge, LA | $31,910 | 19% below national |
| 213 | Laredo, TX | $31,530 | 20% below national |
| 214 | Monroe, LA | $31,200 | 20% below national |
| 215 | Altoona, PA | $30,770 | 22% below national |
| 216 | Johnstown, PA | $30,700 | 22% below national |
| 217 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $30,190 | 23% below national |
| 218 | Bowling Green, KY | $30,170 | 23% below national |
| 219 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $29,280 | 25% below national |
| 220 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $23,760 | 39% below national |
| 221 | Mayaguez, PR | $22,230 | 43% below national |
| 222 | Arecibo, PR | $22,210 | 43% below national |
| 223 | Aguadilla, PR | $21,930 | 44% below national |
| 224 | Ponce, PR | $21,840 | 44% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 43 (Office and Administrative Support Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Bill and Account Collectors
SOC 43-3011
Billing and Posting Clerks
SOC 43-3021
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
SOC 43-3031
Brokerage Clerks
SOC 43-4011
Cargo and Freight Agents
SOC 43-5011
Showing 5 of 53 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Office and Administrative Support Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($39,200 here) and reported employment (68,640 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
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What to do with this data
How to use Couriers and Messengers pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $45,280/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Nevada leads at $46,520/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.