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The differences between couriers and laboratory couriers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a courier and a laboratory courier. Additionally, a laboratory courier has an average salary of $44,363, which is higher than the $36,228 average annual salary of a courier.
The top three skills for a courier include delivery service, safety policies and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a laboratory courier are hospital lab, cell phones, and stat.
| Courier | Laboratory Courier | |
| Yearly salary | $36,228 | $44,363 |
| Hourly rate | $17.42 | $21.33 |
| Growth rate | 11% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 13,088 | 49,202 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A courier, also known as a messenger, is an individual who delivers goods to consumers or businesses. Those could be important documents, special packages, items, and even messages from one person to another. Their means of transportation vary from roller skates, bicycles, motorcycles, automobiles, trucks, and airplanes. Some even travel by foot or any public transportation depending on the target location. Some are employees dedicated to companies, while others are freelancers who provide delivery services.
A laboratory courier is responsible for transporting laboratory specimens, equipment, supplies, and pertinent documents in a clinic or a hospital. They need to ensure that packages will be delivered on schedule. Most of the time, they work in the field, so this position requires some physical skills. They need to travel to pick up needed items and deliver packages. Their job is risker than that of other couriers, since they need to handle packages with extra care, including keeping them in specific temperatures.
Couriers and laboratory couriers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Courier | Laboratory Courier | |
| Average salary | $36,228 | $44,363 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $44,000 | Between $31,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | - |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | - |
| Best paying company | Columbia University in the City of New York | - |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | - |
There are a few differences between a courier and a laboratory courier in terms of educational background:
| Courier | Laboratory Courier | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between couriers' and laboratory couriers' demographics:
| Courier | Laboratory Courier | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.1% Female, 25.9% | Male, 53.6% Female, 46.4% |
| 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, 13.3% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 6.2% White, 54.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |