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Occupational Employment Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2019

43-5021 Couriers and Messengers

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).

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
74,720 2.5 % $15.21 $31,640 0.9 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $10.09 $11.91 $14.28 $17.58 $22.15
Annual Wage (2) $20,990 $24,760 $29,690 $36,570 $46,080

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Local Messengers and Local Delivery 12,870 13.44 $15.57 $32,380
Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories 10,900 3.94 $15.69 $32,640
Couriers and Express Delivery Services 9,410 1.34 $15.50 $32,240
Legal Services 5,550 0.48 $13.93 $28,970
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 5,540 0.10 $14.77 $30,720

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Local Messengers and Local Delivery 12,870 13.44 $15.57 $32,380
Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories 10,900 3.94 $15.69 $32,640
Couriers and Express Delivery Services 9,410 1.34 $15.50 $32,240
Legal Services 5,550 0.48 $13.93 $28,970
Support Activities for Animal Production 140 0.46 $14.77 $30,730

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Postal Service (federal government) 80 0.01 $29.05 $60,420
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 2,420 0.04 $20.26 $42,140
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors 60 0.01 $19.51 $40,590
Death Care Services (8) (8) $17.97 $37,380
Outpatient Care Centers 450 0.05 $17.18 $35,730

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 9,410 0.54 1.06 $17.40 $36,200
New York 8,760 0.92 1.81 $16.88 $35,100
Texas 6,190 0.50 0.98 $13.25 $27,560
Florida 4,900 0.56 1.09 $15.10 $31,410
Pennsylvania 2,840 0.48 0.95 $14.03 $29,170




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Louisiana 1,880 0.98 1.93 $12.93 $26,890
Alaska 290 0.93 1.82 $16.87 $35,080
New York 8,760 0.92 1.81 $16.88 $35,100
Nevada 1,220 0.88 1.72 $14.84 $30,870
South Carolina 1,690 0.80 1.57 $12.89 $26,810




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Connecticut 760 0.46 0.90 $21.00 $43,670
Washington 920 0.28 0.54 $17.61 $36,640
Massachusetts 2,100 0.58 1.14 $17.52 $36,450
California 9,410 0.54 1.06 $17.40 $36,200
Maryland 690 0.25 0.50 $17.30 $35,980





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 8,420 0.87 1.71 $17.03 $35,430
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 3,650 0.59 1.15 $16.61 $34,560
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 2,450 0.67 1.32 $13.46 $28,000
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 2,160 0.79 1.55 $12.65 $26,310
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 1,800 0.39 0.76 $13.77 $28,630
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 1,710 0.65 1.27 $14.82 $30,820
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 1,600 0.57 1.13 $17.96 $37,350
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 1,470 0.46 0.91 $19.53 $40,620
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,430 0.58 1.14 $20.34 $42,320
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 1,390 0.48 0.95 $14.60 $30,370




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hammond, LA 160 3.70 7.27 $16.90 $35,150
Lima, OH 110 2.10 4.13 $13.76 $28,620
Monroe, LA 120 1.55 3.04 $9.93 $20,660
Columbia, SC 520 1.36 2.68 $12.92 $26,870
Florence, SC 120 1.33 2.60 $11.18 $23,260
Tallahassee, FL 230 1.29 2.54 $13.37 $27,810
Toledo, OH 370 1.26 2.47 $14.06 $29,250
Dubuque, IA 70 1.19 2.33 $12.95 $26,940
Reno, NV 280 1.16 2.28 $16.53 $34,380
Green Bay, WI 200 1.16 2.27 $12.93 $26,890