Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between courier drivers and drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a driver has an average salary of $34,771, which is higher than the $33,137 average annual salary of a courier driver.
The top three skills for a courier driver include patients, cleanliness and customer service. The most important skills for a driver are math, basic math, and CDL.
| Courier Driver | Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $33,137 | $34,771 |
| Hourly rate | $15.93 | $16.72 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 135,368 | 1,017,998 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | High School Diploma, 43% |
| Average age | 39 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
A courier driver is responsible for delivering parcels and documents to the appropriate receiver within a specified timeframe. Courier drivers are either self-employed or hired by courier companies, depending on their preference. A courier driver must have comprehensive knowledge of the mechanical industry, especially those working independently, managing the proper maintenance of their vehicles, performing regular engine check, and immediately call for repair for any defects that might cause delivery delays. They should also ensure the proper handling of the packages, avoiding damages during delivery, responding to the receiver's inquiries, and processing their payments.
Drivers are responsible for safely transporting people, packages, or goods from one destination to another. They should be familiar with the different routes that may be taken to reach the desired goal. They should be expert navigators and may use navigation apps to help them along the way. They should also be familiar with the basic mechanics of the vehicle they are using and the proper maintenance and cleaning needed to ensure that the car is running well. Drivers are expected to have excellent customer relation skills, a strong sense of direction, and superb organizations.
Courier drivers and drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Courier Driver | Driver | |
| Average salary | $33,137 | $34,771 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $42,000 | Between $22,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Kailua, HI | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Vermont |
| Best paying company | UPS | Air Liquide |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a courier driver and a driver in terms of educational background:
| Courier Driver | Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | High School Diploma, 43% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between courier drivers' and drivers' demographics:
| Courier Driver | Driver | |
| Average age | 39 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.6% Female, 22.4% | Male, 83.0% Female, 17.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.3% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 6.2% White, 54.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 3.5% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 4% |