Home › Office and Administrative Support › Couriers and Messengers
Data current as of August 2026 · sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET
Average base salary
$42,500 / year
≈ $3,550 per month · $20.43 per hour
25th percentile
$37,500Average
$42,50075th percentile
$47,000
$37,500Average
$42,50075th percentile
$47,000
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Couriers and Messengers salary by state
Alabama$36,500
Alaska$44,000
Arizona$41,500
Arkansas$38,000
California$47,500
Colorado$47,500
Connecticut$44,500
Delaware$40,500
District of Columbia$48,500
Florida$40,000
Georgia$41,000
Hawaii$41,500
Idaho$38,000
Illinois$42,500
Indiana$40,500
Iowa$40,000
Kansas$40,000
Kentucky$36,000
Louisiana$35,000
Maine$44,000
Maryland$42,500
Massachusetts$45,500
Michigan$39,500
Minnesota$47,500
Mississippi$36,500
Missouri$42,500
Montana$41,000
Nebraska$38,000
Nevada$44,500
New Hampshire$43,000
New Jersey$44,000
New Mexico$38,500
New York$45,500
North Carolina$40,000
North Dakota$42,500
Ohio$40,000
Oklahoma$40,000
Oregon$47,000
Pennsylvania$42,000
Rhode Island$38,500
South Carolina$37,000
South Dakota$35,500
Tennessee$42,000
Texas$42,000
Utah$44,000
Vermont$45,000
Virginia$43,000
Washington$48,500
West Virginia$36,000
Wisconsin$40,000
Wyoming$37,500
About this role
Couriers and Messengers is a professional role within the function in the Office and Administrative Support job family.
Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.
What Couriers and Messengerss do
Typical education: High School Diploma
- 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.
Top skills: Time Management Speaking Active Listening Writing Service Orientation Reading Comprehension
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Couriers and Messengers pay by experience level
Entry level$32,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$37,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$40,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$47,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$52,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+8.2%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
27,900
projected openings per year
Growing faster than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Couriers and Messengers salary by industry
Ambulatory Health Care Services
19,950 workers
$43,500Couriers and Messengers
19,090 workers
$42,500Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories
16,140 workers
$43,500Couriers and Express Delivery Services
9,770 workers
$42,500Local Messengers and Local Delivery
9,320 workers
$42,500Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
5,760 workers
$39,000Hospitals
4,600 workers
$43,000General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
4,550 workers
$43,000Hospitals, Privately Owned
4,060 workers
$43,000Administrative and Support Services
3,590 workers
$43,500National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Couriers and Messengers pays 21% below the average across 55 roles in the Office and Administrative Support job family (family average $54,000).
Similar-paying roles in Office and Administrative Support
Gambling Cage Worker$41,000
Data Entry Keyer$45,000
Telephone Operator$46,500
File Clerk$47,000
Office Clerks, General$48,000
Careers related to Couriers and Messengers
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Couriers and Messengers make?
The average base salary for a Couriers and Messengers in the United States is $42,500 per year, or about $20.43 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $37,500 and $47,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Office and Administrative Support roles?
The Office and Administrative Support job family averages $54,000 across 55 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
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