Couriers and Messengers Wages
SOC 43-5021 • Full occupation profile
The median annual wage for Couriers and Messengers is $36,710 nationally (2023 BLS OEWS). The 10th percentile is $28,040 and the 90th percentile is $49,310, showing the wide spread of wages in this occupation.
National Wage Distribution (2023)
Employment
72,010
P10
$28,040
P25
$32,870
Median
$36,710
P75
$42,270
P90
$49,310
National Wage Trend
How national median and mean wages for Couriers and Messengers have moved across BLS OEWS release years.
| Year | Median | Mean | P10 | P90 | Employment | YoY Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $36,710 | $38,350 | $28,040 | $49,310 | 72,010 | — |
| 2022 | $35,280 | $36,250 | $26,350 | $46,800 | 75,800 | -3.9% |
| 2021 | $33,050 | $34,270 | $23,850 | $46,220 | 68,310 | -6.32% |
| 2020 | $30,980 | $33,010 | $21,840 | $48,340 | 70,700 | -6.26% |
Wages by State (2023)
State-level OEWS wage estimates for Couriers and Messengers. The highest median is in District of Columbia at $44,710, 22% above the U.S. median.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Mean Annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $44,710 | +21.8% | $44,050 | 240 |
| Washington | $44,420 | +21% | $44,670 | 1,110 |
| Massachusetts | $42,320 | +15.3% | $42,510 | — |
| California | $41,050 | +11.8% | $43,060 | 8,440 |
| Colorado | $40,960 | +11.6% | $42,540 | 880 |
| Minnesota | $40,700 | +10.9% | $42,260 | 460 |
| New York | $40,500 | +10.3% | $45,800 | 7,400 |
| Oregon | $40,130 | +9.3% | $42,030 | 1,050 |
| Virginia | $39,760 | +8.3% | $40,720 | 2,290 |
| New Jersey | $38,570 | +5.1% | $39,970 | 3,720 |
| Arizona | $38,470 | +4.8% | $38,040 | 560 |
| Utah | $38,470 | +4.8% | $40,510 | 760 |
| Illinois | $38,200 | +4.1% | $37,930 | 1,990 |
| Alaska | $37,910 | +3.3% | $42,820 | 130 |
| Nevada | $37,870 | +3.2% | $38,440 | 800 |
| Missouri | $37,500 | +2.2% | $36,170 | 1,220 |
| New Hampshire | $36,890 | +0.5% | $37,500 | 170 |
| Vermont | $36,770 | +0.2% | $38,260 | 70 |
| Maryland | $36,760 | +0.1% | $37,720 | 1,750 |
| Rhode Island | $36,560 | -0.4% | $37,930 | 240 |
| Oklahoma | $36,490 | -0.6% | $36,780 | 1,420 |
| Hawaii | $36,320 | -1.1% | $37,760 | 370 |
| Michigan | $36,300 | -1.1% | $37,170 | 1,770 |
| Maine | $36,260 | -1.2% | $36,750 | 40 |
| Texas | $35,690 | -2.8% | $35,530 | 4,920 |
| Delaware | $35,680 | -2.8% | $34,300 | 310 |
| Iowa | $35,670 | -2.8% | $34,700 | 790 |
| Florida | $35,610 | -3% | $35,820 | 5,980 |
| Indiana | $35,480 | -3.4% | $35,240 | 1,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,340 | -3.7% | $35,250 | 2,070 |
| New Mexico | $35,330 | -3.8% | $33,770 | 300 |
| Georgia | $34,870 | -5% | $35,530 | 2,170 |
| North Carolina | $34,780 | -5.3% | $33,990 | 2,510 |
| Ohio | $34,540 | -5.9% | $34,960 | 1,730 |
| Tennessee | $34,510 | -6% | $33,210 | 1,970 |
| Idaho | $34,290 | -6.6% | $37,330 | 220 |
| North Dakota | $34,110 | -7.1% | $35,530 | 90 |
| Arkansas | $33,760 | -8% | $34,180 | 450 |
| South Dakota | $33,700 | -8.2% | $35,890 | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $33,610 | -8.4% | $33,210 | 2,350 |
| Kansas | $33,470 | -8.8% | $32,180 | 520 |
| Kentucky | $32,870 | -10.5% | $35,000 | 710 |
| South Carolina | $32,870 | -10.5% | $32,710 | 890 |
| Wyoming | $31,740 | -13.5% | $37,100 | 160 |
| Montana | $31,730 | -13.6% | $34,560 | 70 |
| Alabama | $31,270 | -14.8% | $31,360 | 1,520 |
| Mississippi | $31,200 | -15% | $30,830 | 480 |
| Nebraska | $29,950 | -18.4% | $34,220 | 460 |
| West Virginia | $29,690 | -19.1% | $31,330 | 270 |
| Louisiana | $28,790 | -21.6% | $30,090 | 1,140 |
| Connecticut | — | — | — | 710 |