Couriers and Express Delivery Services Revenue Benchmarks
The average couriers and express delivery services business in the United States generates $20.9M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 5,592 couriers and express delivery services businesses in the U.S., employing 954,109 workers with an average profit margin of 5.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $52K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Couriers and Express Delivery Business Actually Do?
Businesses providing package pickup and delivery — from local same-day couriers to national express carriers (UPS, FedEx, DHL) to last-mile Amazon delivery service partners (DSPs).
Who buys: Businesses shipping to customers and other businesses; consumers occasionally.
Average Revenue
$20.9M
per year
Profit Margin
5.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$123K
per year
Total Businesses
5,592
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$1.0M
small business avg
Labor Cost
35.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$52K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
1.7
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Couriers and Express Delivery Services Charge?
Couriers price per delivery with distance and time-sensitivity tiers.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Local rush (same-hour) | $25–60 |
Local same-day | $15–35 |
Overnight nationwide | $15–45 base rate |
Contracted route delivery | $1.50–4/stop with volume |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete couriers and express delivery business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a couriers and express delivery services business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the couriers and express delivery services industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Handling supplies | $18 | $3.8M | Packing materials, pallets, shrink wrap, labels. |
Wages & benefits | $35 | $7.3M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $15 | $3.1M | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $3 | $627K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $24 | $5.0M | Forklifts, WMS software, insurance, security. |
Net profit | $5 | $1.0M | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
12.4%
openings/year
Closure Rate
20.05%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
-2.96%
annual
Businesses Closed
646
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Couriers and Express Delivery Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
2 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a couriers and express delivery services business do?
- Businesses providing package pickup and delivery — from local same-day couriers to national express carriers (UPS, FedEx, DHL) to last-mile Amazon delivery service partners (DSPs). Businesses shipping to customers and other businesses; consumers occasionally.
- How much do couriers and express delivery services charge?
- Couriers price per delivery with distance and time-sensitivity tiers. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average couriers and express delivery services make per year?
- The average couriers and express delivery services business generates $20.9M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $1.0M per year at a 5.0% profit margin.
- How many couriers and express delivery services businesses are there in the US?
- There are 5,592 couriers and express delivery services businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 954,109 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a couriers and express delivery services business?
- Startup costs for a couriers and express delivery services business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the couriers and express delivery services industry?
- The average employee in the couriers and express delivery services industry earns $52K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The couriers and express delivery services industry is contracting — losing jobs at a net rate of 3.0% per year. More establishments are closing (20.0%) than opening (12.4%), suggesting market challenges.
Approximately 33% of couriers and express delivery services businesses survive their first 5 years. This is below the national average (~50%) — new entrants face elevated risk of failure. Ensure adequate capitalization. In 2023, 646 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the couriers and express delivery services industry earns $52,166/year. This is near the national average of ~$65K. With 14,249 establishments employing 892,149 people, the typical business has about 63 employees. These tend to be larger operations requiring significant staffing investment.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The couriers and express delivery services industry has grown 127% since 2000 (from 2,399 to 5,436 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Couriers and Express Delivery Services revenue with other industries: