How to become a couriers and messenger
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.
Steps to get there
Most employers expect usually requires a high school diploma or ged, though some occupations may not..Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
What couriers and messengers do
- Deliver and pick up medical records, lab specimens, and medications to and from hospitals and other medical facilities.
- Receive messages or materials to be delivered, and information on recipients, such as names, addresses, telephone numbers, and delivery instructions, communicated via telephone, two-way radio, or in person.
- Record information, such as items received and delivered and recipients' responses to messages.
- Plan and follow the most efficient routes for delivering goods.
- Walk, ride bicycles, drive vehicles, or use public conveyances to reach destinations to deliver messages or materials.
- Load vehicles with listed goods, ensuring goods are loaded correctly and taking precautions with hazardous goods.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Active Learning
- Mathematics
Is couriers and messenger a good career?
On the numbers, this job is close to the average across occupations. Median pay is 23% below the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.
Where it pays most
- Nevada $46,520
- Washington $46,500
- Vermont $45,600
- District of Columbia $45,210
- Oregon $45,170
Couriers and Messengers salary by state and city
Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.