SOC 43-5021 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Couriers and Messengers — Erie
Erie, PA · 10 metro areas compared
At $37,020, median pay for Couriers and Messengers in Erie, PA tracks the national median of $39,200 closely.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow faster than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +8.2%
- Openings per year
- 27,900
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
70.2% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Erie, PA.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
At $37,020, median pay for Couriers and Messengers in Erie, PA tracks the national median of $39,200 closely. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $37,020 and $45,390. The lowest tenth earn under $35,280, while the highest tenth earn more than $46,110.
Employment stands at 100, or 0.8 jobs per thousand held locally. Scranton leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $46,710. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 287th of 345 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $35,280 | −10.0% |
| 25th | $37,020 | −5.6% |
| Median (50th) | $37,020 | −5.6% |
| 75th | $45,390 | +15.8% |
| 90th | $46,110 | +17.6% |
| Mean | $39,430 | +0.6% |
Other metro areas in Pennsylvania
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scranton | $46,710 | 140 | |
| 2 | Allentown | $43,920 | 390 | |
| 3 | Pittsburgh | $42,250 | 600 | |
| 4 | Harrisburg | $40,980 | 120 | |
| 5 | Philadelphia | $40,340 | 1,530 | |
| 6 | York | $39,290 | 80 | |
| 7 | Lancaster | $36,550 | 130 | |
| 8 | Reading | $34,920 | 40 | |
| 9 | Altoona | $30,770 | 30 | |
| 10 | Johnstown | $30,700 | 30 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Erie run 9.0% below the national average, so the median of $37,020 goes as far as $40,681 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 3.8% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$37,020as reported by BLSLocal price level
91.0US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$40,681US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $37,020 a year, 5.6% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $35,280 to $46,110 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 100 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Scranton, at $46,710.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Couriers and Messengers in Erie, PA?
The median annual wage is $37,020, or $17.80 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $39,200, so pay in Erie, PA is 5.6% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Erie, PA earns more than $46,110 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $35,280 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Scranton, at $46,710 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 100 jobs in this occupation in Erie, PA. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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