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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

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 Couriers and Messengers
Industry profile for Couriers and Messengers
Geographic profile for Couriers and Messengers

National estimates for Couriers and Messengers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Couriers and Messengers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
75,800 2.8 % $ 17.43 $ 36,250 0.7 %

Percentile wage estimates for Couriers and Messengers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 12.67 $ 14.69 $ 16.96 $ 19.10 $ 22.50
Annual Wage (2) $ 26,350 $ 30,550 $ 35,280 $ 39,730 $ 46,800


Industry profile for Couriers and Messengers:

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Couriers and Messengers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Local Messengers and Local Delivery 14,250 7.89 $ 18.00 $ 37,430
Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories 13,800 4.34 $ 17.67 $ 36,760
Couriers and Express Delivery Services 10,550 1.10 $ 18.09 $ 37,630
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 5,250 0.09 $ 17.12 $ 35,610
Legal Services 4,050 0.34 $ 15.48 $ 32,190

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Couriers and Messengers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Local Messengers and Local Delivery 14,250 7.89 $ 18.00 $ 37,430
Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories 13,800 4.34 $ 17.67 $ 36,760
Couriers and Express Delivery Services 10,550 1.10 $ 18.09 $ 37,630
Legal Services 4,050 0.34 $ 15.48 $ 32,190
Other Ambulatory Health Care Services 650 0.20 $ 17.80 $ 37,010

Top paying industries for Couriers and Messengers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Postal Service (federal government) 50 0.01 $ 32.03 $ 66,620
Telecommunications (8) (8) $ 28.54 $ 59,360
Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) (8) (8) $ 25.33 $ 52,680
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing 40 0.01 $ 23.26 $ 48,370
Automotive Parts, Accessories, and Tire Retailers 90 0.02 $ 22.65 $ 47,120


Geographic profile for Couriers and Messengers:

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



Map of employment of couriers and messengers by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Couriers and Messengers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 11,210 0.64 1.24 $ 19.73 $ 41,040
New York 7,530 0.83 1.61 $ 20.18 $ 41,980
Texas 5,590 0.43 0.84 $ 16.33 $ 33,960
Florida 4,740 0.51 1.00 $ 16.03 $ 33,340
New Jersey 4,180 1.02 1.98 $ 18.31 $ 38,070


Map of location quotient of couriers and messengers by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Couriers and Messengers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Wisconsin 3,150 1.12 2.18 $ 14.56 $ 30,280
Oklahoma 1,760 1.09 2.13 $ 16.63 $ 34,590
New Jersey 4,180 1.02 1.98 $ 18.31 $ 38,070
New York 7,530 0.83 1.61 $ 20.18 $ 41,980
Louisiana 1,470 0.80 1.56 $ 13.88 $ 28,870


Map of annual mean wages of couriers and messengers by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Couriers and Messengers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 110 0.17 0.32 $ 24.61 $ 51,180
New York 7,530 0.83 1.61 $ 20.18 $ 41,980
Massachusetts 1,840 0.52 1.01 $ 20.15 $ 41,910
Minnesota 630 0.22 0.44 $ 19.91 $ 41,410
California 11,210 0.64 1.24 $ 19.73 $ 41,040



Map of employment of couriers and messengers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Couriers and Messengers:

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 8,810 0.96 1.87 $ 20.30 $ 42,230
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 3,430 0.56 1.10 $ 18.68 $ 38,840
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 2,450 1.02 1.99 $ 21.84 $ 45,420
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,950 0.51 1.00 $ 16.62 $ 34,580
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,740 0.64 1.25 $ 16.32 $ 33,940
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 1,670 0.64 1.24 $ 16.37 $ 34,050
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI 1,500 1.87 3.66 $ 14.54 $ 30,230
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 1,290 0.48 0.93 $ 20.24 $ 42,100
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 1,240 0.40 0.79 $ 16.81 $ 34,960
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 1,220 0.28 0.54 $ 17.18 $ 35,730


Map of location quotient of couriers and messengers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Couriers and Messengers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI 1,500 1.87 3.66 $ 14.54 $ 30,230
Madison, WI 710 1.84 3.60 $ 15.34 $ 31,900
Tulsa, OK 690 1.63 3.18 $ 16.67 $ 34,670
Oklahoma City, OK 780 1.25 2.43 $ 16.77 $ 34,890
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY 600 1.16 2.26 $ 17.13 $ 35,630
Sheboygan, WI 70 1.15 2.24 $ 12.06 $ 25,080
Baton Rouge, LA 420 1.10 2.14 $ 14.10 $ 29,330
Saginaw, MI 90 1.10 2.14 $ 15.18 $ 31,570
Birmingham-Hoover, AL 550 1.09 2.13 $ 15.12 $ 31,440
Mobile, AL 180 1.06 2.07 $ 14.54 $ 30,250


Map of annual mean wages of couriers and messengers by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Couriers and Messengers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 130 0.32 0.63 $ 24.29 $ 50,530
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,010 0.90 1.75 $ 22.76 $ 47,350
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 2,450 1.02 1.99 $ 21.84 $ 45,420
Modesto, CA 80 0.45 0.87 $ 21.54 $ 44,790
Santa Rosa, CA 100 0.50 0.97 $ 21.09 $ 43,860
Springfield, MA-CT 210 0.65 1.27 $ 20.92 $ 43,520
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 380 0.20 0.39 $ 20.70 $ 43,050
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 1,040 0.34 0.67 $ 20.69 $ 43,030
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 600 0.30 0.58 $ 20.40 $ 42,420
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 8,810 0.96 1.87 $ 20.30 $ 42,230

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Couriers and Messengers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 100 0.41 0.80 $ 11.92 $ 24,800
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 80 0.26 0.51 $ 14.27 $ 29,680
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 80 0.22 0.43 $ 13.36 $ 27,790
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 80 0.80 1.56 $ 21.52 $ 44,760
South Georgia nonmetropolitan area 80 0.43 0.84 $ 12.80 $ 26,630

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Couriers and Messengers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 80 0.85 1.66 $ 15.23 $ 31,680
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 80 0.80 1.56 $ 21.52 $ 44,760
Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 80 0.69 1.35 $ 19.31 $ 40,170
Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 40 0.67 1.32 $ 18.33 $ 38,130
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 40 0.65 1.28 $ 21.09 $ 43,860

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Couriers and Messengers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 80 0.80 1.56 $ 21.52 $ 44,760
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 40 0.65 1.28 $ 21.09 $ 43,860
Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area 40 0.50 0.97 $ 20.87 $ 43,400
Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 80 0.69 1.35 $ 19.31 $ 40,170
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area 30 0.34 0.67 $ 19.24 $ 40,020


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023