Office and Administrative Support

Couriers and Messengers

20/100
#298 of 825
$39,200
median pay, U.S.
68,640
employed (2024)
+8.2%
growth, 2024–34
27,900
openings per year
High school diploma or equivalent
typical entry education

Is couriers and messengers a good career?

It scores 20/100 and ranks #298 of 825 occupations on pay, growth, employment and openings. Here's what the federal data says, with no editorializing.

Advantages

  • Faster-than-average projected growth (+8.2% through 2034)
  • High volume of openings — about 27,900 a year
  • No college degree typically required to enter

Possible tradeoffs

  • Pays below the U.S. median wage ($39,200 vs $61,390)

What couriers and messengers earn

Wages: BLS OEWS May 2025

Pay is a range, not a number. Half of U.S. couriers and messengers earn between $36,070 and $45,280 a year.

Best-paying states

Nevada statewide
$46,520
Washington statewide
$46,500
Vermont statewide
$45,600
$45,210
Oregon statewide
$45,170
Colorado statewide
$45,140
California statewide
$44,970
Minnesota statewide
$44,860
Utah statewide
$42,840
Massachusetts statewide
$42,380
$20k $50k $80k

Best-paying metros

01 San Jose, CA $55,680
02 Seattle, WA $48,510
03 San Francisco, CA $47,840
04 Minneapolis, MN $47,160
05 Modesto, CA $47,020
06 Las Vegas, NV $46,850
07 Scranton, PA $46,710
08 Denver, CO $46,170

Strongest employment concentration

01 New York 7,320
02 California 7,240
03 Florida 4,910
04 Texas 4,710
05 North Carolina 3,350
06 Pennsylvania 3,330

Live couriers and messengers jobs

No live couriers and messengers openings yet

When the jobs.best ATS feed launches, verified couriers and messengers openings will appear here — each shown against the $39,200 national median. Nothing here is placeholder.

No placeholder listings · nothing invented

How to become a couriers and messenger

Typical education
High school diploma or equivalent
Work experience
None
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training

Related occupations

High school diploma or equivalent · $45,260 median
High school diploma or equivalent · $59,650 median
No formal educational credential · $60,550 median
Questions about becoming a couriers and messenger
How much do couriers and messengers make?

The national median wage is $39,200 a year, with the middle half earning between $36,070 and $45,280 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Is couriers and messengers a good career?

On the Jobs.best index it scores 20 of 100 and ranks #298 of 825 occupations, weighing pay, growth, employment and openings. Employment is projected to change +8.2% through 2034.

What education do you need to become a couriers and messenger?

The typical entry-level education is high school diploma or equivalent.

Where do couriers and messengers earn the most?

Among states, Nevada pays the highest median ($46,520). Local pay for every state and metro is below.

U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWages: BLS OEWS May 2025 · Projections: BLS EP 2024–34
Sources: OEWS-M2025 · EP-2024-34. How we score careers →