Couriers and Messengers

Summary

Couriers and messengers transport documents and packages for individuals and organizations.

Quick Facts: Couriers and Messengers
2010 Median Pay	$24,080 per year $11.58 per hour
Entry-Level Education	High school diploma or equivalent
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	Short-term on-the-job training
Number of Jobs, 2010	116,200
Job Outlook, 2010-20	13% (About as fast as average)
Employment Change, 2010-20	14,600

What Couriers and Messengers Do

Couriers and messengers transport documents and packages for individuals, businesses, institutions, and government agencies.

Work Environment

Couriers and messengers usually travel by foot, bicycle, motorcycle, automobile, or public transportation. While most couriers and messengers work full time during regular business hours, evening and weekend hours are common.

How to Become a Courier or Messenger

Although there is no formal education requirement, employers generally prefer to hire high school graduates. Most couriers and messengers train informally on the job.

Pay

The median annual wage for couriers and messengers was $24,080 in May 2010.

Job Outlook

Employment of couriers and messengers is expected to grow 13 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Job prospects should be best for those who deliver sensitive items, such as blueprints and medical samples.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of couriers and messengers with similar occupations.

O*NET

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Contacts for More Information

Learn more about couriers and messengers by contacting these additional resources.

What Couriers and Messengers Do About this section

A courier delivers a package and collects a signature.

Couriers and messengers transport documents and packages for individuals, businesses, institutions, and government agencies.

Duties

Couriers and messengers typically do the following:

• Pick up and deliver items to their final destinations
• Verify delivery information, such as names, addresses, and telephone numbers
• Load items onto delivery vehicles
• Plan and follow the most efficient routes for delivery
• Collect necessary payments and signatures from clients
• Record delivery information, such as time of delivery and recipient’s name

Couriers and messengers provide door-to-door delivery service for a variety of clients, including law offices, banks, and hospitals. Most workers specialize in local deliveries, often in large urban areas. They offer same-day or 1-hour delivery services. Packages delivered may include important legal or financial documents, passports, and medical samples that senders are unwilling to entrust to other means of delivery.

Couriers and messengers receive their instructions either in person or by cell phone or two-way radio. With this information, they plan the most efficient route and delivery schedule.

Some couriers and messengers carry items only for specific clients, such as law firms, financial institutions, or medical laboratories.

Work Environment About this section

Couriers must often plan out and follow the most efficient routes for delivery.

Couriers and messengers held about 116,200 jobs in 2010. About one-fifth worked for courier and delivery service businesses; about one-quarter were self-employed.

Industries employing the largest numbers of couriers and messengers in 2010 were as follows:

Couriers and messengers spend most of their time making deliveries and are not closely supervised. The expectation to make multiple deliveries in a safe and timely manner can make the job stressful. Those who deliver by bicycle must be physically fit and able to cope with all weather conditions and the hazards of heavy traffic. Car, van, and truck couriers often have to deal with traffic jams, road construction, and difficult parking situations.

Nearly 19 percent of couriers and messengers are members of a union. These workers may enjoy higher earnings, better benefits, and more job stability. 

Most independent contractors do not get benefits, but they may get higher pay.

Work Schedules

While most couriers and messengers work full time during regular business hours, evening and weekend hours are common.

Injuries

The rate of injuries and illnesses for couriers and messengers is higher than the average for all occupations. Car, van, and truck couriers must sometimes carry heavy loads, either manually or with a hand truck. As a result, workers may suffer minor work-related injuries, such as muscle strains or bruises. Still, if workers follow basic safety precautions, the work is not dangerous.

How to Become a Courier or Messenger About this section

Couriers may be required to travel in cold weather to complete a delivery.

Although there is no educational requirement for entering the occupation, employers generally prefer to hire high school graduates. Most couriers and messengers train informally on the job. Almost all couriers and messengers are required to have a valid state driver’s license and a good driving record.

Education

Most courier and messenger jobs do not have strict education requirements. However, a high school diploma or its equivalent can be helpful in finding a job. Some employers will only hire candidates who have a high school diploma or GED.

Training

Couriers and messengers typically train informally on the job. They usually work alongside an experienced courier or messenger for 1 to 2 weeks and help with tasks such as loading and unloading packages and collecting signatures or payments. Once trainees understand the collection and delivery process, they are generally expected to work on their own.

Many courier and delivery contractors specialize in delivering sensitive items, such as medical specimens or donated organs. In these cases, employers generally provide specific training that may last from several hours to a few days, depending on the item.

Important Qualities

Bookkeeping skills. Accurate record keeping is necessary for tracking deliveries, payments, signatures, and other important information. This is especially true for self-employed couriers and messengers.

Customer-service skills. Because couriers and messengers frequently interact with clients, they must be courteous, polite, and ready to answer customers’ questions regarding deliveries, payments, and other issues.

Directional skills. Couriers and messengers spend a considerable amount of time traveling to make deliveries. Therefore, they must be familiar with delivery routes and areas and have a good sense of direction.

Time-management skills. Couriers and messengers must often make deliveries on tight time schedules. As a result, they must be able to plan their day and make deliveries efficiently so items do not arrive late.

Pay About this section

The median annual wage of couriers and messengers was $24,080 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $17,170, and the top 10 percent earned more than $37,830.

In May 2010, median annual wages in industries employing the largest numbers of couriers and messengers were as follows:

While most couriers and messengers work full time during regular business hours, evening and weekend hours are common.

Nearly 19 percent of couriers and messengers are members of a union. These workers may enjoy higher earnings, better benefits, and more job stability. 

Most independent contractors do not get benefits, but they may get higher pay.

Job Outlook About this section

Employment of couriers and messengers is expected to grow 13 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

Although many documents are now transferred digitally, the need to deliver items that cannot be sent electronically, including blueprints and passports, will require couriers and messengers. As the population continues to grow and age, couriers will also be required by medical and dental laboratories to send a growing number of medical samples and specimens.

Job Prospects

Job opportunities are expected to be best for those who deliver sensitive items, particularly medical samples and specimens that cannot be sent electronically. Those who specialize in document delivery, however, will face limited job opportunities.

Applicants with strong customer service skills are likely to have better job opportunities.

Contacts for More Information About this section

For information about jobs, contact local courier and messenger services. Local offices of the state employment service may be able to provide additional information about job opportunities.

For general information on careers as couriers and messengers, visit

Messenger Courier Association of America