How much does a courier make?
a year · about $19 an hour
A typical courier in the United States makes $39,200 a year, about $19 an hour, below a typical US worker ($50,980) (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
A courier sorts items, checks addresses, plans a route, and loads a car, bike, or bag. Then they travel from stop to stop, deliver or pick up items, and record each handoff.
Did you know? Some U.S. couriers deliver lab samples in special containers; a sample can be ruined if it gets too hot or too cold.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $31,550 and $50,330How do you become one?
In the U.S., many jobs ask for a high-school diploma or GED; driving jobs need the right state license, and employers train new hires. Age rules vary: some FedEx courier-driver jobs require applicants to be 21.
School needed: High school plus some training
Good for people who like keeping things organized and building and doing
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay can differ with experience, the area, and the kind of employer, such as a delivery company or medical facility. More hours can raise total earnings, and special deliveries that need extra skills or responsibility may also affect pay.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Nevada ($46,520), lowest in Louisiana ($33,490).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $31,550 | $39,200 | $50,330 | about 69,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada | $46,520 | about 530 |
| Washington | $46,500 | about 1,000 |
| Oregon | $45,170 | about 850 |
| Colorado | $45,140 | about 640 |
| California | $44,970 | about 7,000 |
Official definition: 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. Excludes “Light Truck Drivers” (53-3033).
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/oes/earnings.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/43-5021.00
- www.mynextmove.org/profile/summary/43-5021.00
- careers.fedex.com/courier-dot/job/P25-352381-1
- www.mayocliniclabs.com/~/media/it-mmfiles/special-instructions/US-courier-instru
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY