Delivery Driver Hourly Pay, Skills & Requirements (2026)
Advertised pay, starting pay, skills and experience from 38,413 US job postings by 2,658 employers. Data as of October 2026.
What US employers post for delivery drivers: advertised pay, the skills and experience they ask for, and the job titles they use, from 38,413 open job postings (October 2026).
- The median advertised pay for delivery drivers in US job postings is $21.00 an hour (13,815 postings from 765 employers, October 2026).
- The middle half of those postings offer $18.00 to $24.00 an hour.
- Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $22.00 an hour (536 postings).
- The skills that most set delivery driver postings apart are customer service, focus system, cash management.
- Postings that state a minimum ask for a median of 1 year of experience.
Delivery Driver job postings in the US, October 2026
- $21.00/hr
- Median advertised pay (13,815 postings)
- $18.00–$24.00
- Middle 50% of postings
- $22.00/hr
- Starting pay (postings asking up to 1 year)
- 38,413
- US job postings from 2,658 employers
How much does a delivery driver make an hour?
The median advertised pay is $21.00 an hour, from 13,815 US job postings by 765 employers that state pay. That is about $45,000 a year at 2,080 hours.
Advertised pay in 13,815 US delivery driver job postings: median $45,000 a year ($21.00 an hour), middle half $37,000 to $51,000.
- Median: $45,000 ($21.00/hr)
- 25th percentile: $37,000
- 75th percentile: $51,000
The figures as a table
| Annual pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| $10K–$20K | 1.1% |
| $20K–$30K | 4.0% |
| $30K–$40K | 26.9% |
| $40K–$50K | 38.4% |
| $50K–$60K | 18.2% |
| $60K–$70K | 7.1% |
| $70K–$80K | 2.1% |
| $80K–$90K | 1.1% |
| $90K–$100K | 0.2% |
Midpoint of each posting's pay range, hourly pay × 2,080 hours; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
| Median | Middle 50% | Postings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postings that state an hourly rate | $21.00 | $18.00–$24.00 | 2,175 |
| All pay postings, annualised | $45,000 | $37K–$51K | 13,815 |
For comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the national median annual wage of Light Truck Drivers (53-3033) at $45,000 (May 2025). Postings advertise pay; the BLS measures what people earn, across all employers and levels.
What is the starting salary for a delivery driver?
Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $22.00 an hour (536 postings).
| Experience asked | Median advertised pay | Postings |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 years | $22.00/hr | 536 |
| 2-4 years | $21.00/hr | 508 |
| 5+ years | withheld | 20 |
Highest-paying delivery driver jobs
Specializations with at least 250 postings that state pay.
| Specialization | Median pay | Postings with pay | Employers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Route Driver | $26.92/hr | 306 | 59 |
| Delivery Driver (general) | $21.50/hr | 9,582 | 522 |
| Courier | $19.10/hr | 3,266 | 50 |
Delivery driver pay by state
Single-location US postings; states with at least 100 postings that state pay. States with pay-transparency laws (such as California, Colorado, New York and Washington) are over-represented among postings that state pay.
| State | Median pay | Middle 50% | Postings with pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $24.23/hr | $20.31–$27.64 | 539 | 2.8% |
| Nevada | $24.00/hr | $19.65–$27.52 | 102 | 0.9% |
| California | $23.00/hr | $20.71–$27.00 | 1,575 | 9.1% |
| Kentucky | $23.00/hr | $19.49–$25.00 | 222 | 2.1% |
| Oregon | $22.26/hr | $20.05–$25.00 | 243 | 1.6% |
| Connecticut | $22.25/hr | $19.79–$25.00 | 101 | 0.8% |
| New York | $22.00/hr | $19.54–$26.31 | 582 | 3.7% |
| New Jersey | $22.00/hr | $19.00–$24.25 | 214 | 1.9% |
| Utah | $22.00/hr | $19.01–$24.38 | 242 | 1.3% |
| Arizona | $21.59/hr | $18.52–$25.00 | 398 | 2.2% |
| Massachusetts | $21.52/hr | $17.50–$23.50 | 326 | 2.3% |
| Michigan | $21.48/hr | $16.09–$25.00 | 274 | 2.9% |
| North Dakota | $21.36/hr | $20.05–$22.77 | 117 | 0.6% |
| Hawaii | $21.26/hr | $20.50–$26.38 | 144 | 0.6% |
| Colorado | $21.14/hr | $18.58–$25.00 | 559 | 2.6% |
| Texas | $21.00/hr | $18.68–$25.00 | 345 | 7.8% |
| Ohio | $21.00/hr | $18.01–$23.00 | 334 | 3.9% |
| Wisconsin | $21.00/hr | $18.74–$24.00 | 260 | 2.4% |
| Minnesota | $20.81/hr | $16.62–$23.00 | 515 | 2.7% |
| Pennsylvania | $20.63/hr | $18.71–$24.25 | 150 | 3.5% |
| North Carolina | $20.22/hr | $18.38–$24.01 | 338 | 3.2% |
| Oklahoma | $20.22/hr | $19.00–$21.36 | 146 | 1.5% |
| Florida | $20.00/hr | $18.00–$22.00 | 624 | 5.0% |
| Illinois | $20.00/hr | $17.50–$23.00 | 805 | 3.8% |
| Virginia | $20.00/hr | $16.00–$23.00 | 161 | 2.5% |
| Tennessee | $20.00/hr | $18.05–$22.50 | 206 | 2.3% |
| South Carolina | $20.00/hr | $16.00–$21.63 | 148 | 1.3% |
| Georgia | $19.82/hr | $17.50–$23.25 | 287 | 3.1% |
| Idaho | $19.65/hr | $18.01–$23.00 | 167 | 0.9% |
| Indiana | $19.61/hr | $17.00–$22.81 | 291 | 2.3% |
| Iowa | $19.10/hr | $18.01–$21.39 | 223 | 1.7% |
| Nebraska | $18.71/hr | $16.00–$19.65 | 251 | 1.1% |
| Alabama | $18.50/hr | $17.56–$20.22 | 133 | 1.5% |
Skills employers ask for in delivery driver job postings
| Skill | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| Customer service | 35% |
| Communication | 26% |
| Work independently | 13% |
| Attention to detail | 12% |
| Positive attitude | 8% |
| Dependable | 8% |
| Organizational skills | 7% |
| Time management | 7% |
| Reliable | 6% |
| Interpersonal skills | 6% |
Skills named in the posting text; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026. Methodology.
Skills that set delivery drivers apart
- Customer service3.6× as often as in all postings · 35%
- Reliable3.8× as often as in all postings · 6%
Skills named in at least 5% of these postings and at least 3 times as often as in job postings overall.
Have a delivery driver job posting in front of you? See which of its skills your resume is missing.
What does a delivery driver do?
Employers post these jobs as Box Truck Driver, Parts Driver, Courier, Parts Delivery Driver, Driver Helper and other titles. The largest specializations are Parts Driver (2%), Route Driver (4%), Courier (22%), Box Truck Driver (1%), Driver Helper (4%), Dealer Trade Driver (under 1%).
The closest official occupation is Light Truck Drivers (53-3033.00). Its most important tasks:
- Obey traffic laws and follow established traffic and transportation procedures.
- Report any mechanical problems encountered with vehicles.
- Verify the contents of inventory loads against shipping papers.
- Inspect and maintain vehicle supplies and equipment, such as gas, oil, water, tires, lights, or brakes, to ensure that vehicles are in proper working condition.
- Read maps and follow written or verbal geographic directions.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
How much experience do you need to be a delivery driver?
Among 1,320 postings that state a minimum, the median is 1 year. 2% say 0 years and 58% ask for 1 year or less.
Minimum experience asked in 1,320 US delivery driver job postings: median 1 year, and 58% ask for 1 year or less.
The figures as a table
| Minimum experience asked | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| 0 yr | 6% |
| 1 yr | 53% |
| 2 yrs | 23% |
| 3-4 yrs | 14% |
| 5-7 yrs | 4% |
| 8-9 yrs | under 1% |
| 10+ yrs | under 1% |
Postings that state a minimum (required or preferred); at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
We do not show a degree figure: in our checks, degree requirements in posting text were found too rarely to publish one. Why.
Full-time 72%, Part-time 28% of the 1,199 postings that state working hours.
Other names for a delivery driver: job titles employers use
| Job title | Employers using it |
|---|---|
| Delivery Driver | 1,326 (49.9%) |
| Box Truck Driver | 135 (5.1%) |
| Parts Driver | 123 (4.6%) |
| Courier | 122 (4.6%) |
| Parts Delivery Driver | 93 (3.5%) |
| Driver Helper | 69 (2.6%) |
| Route Delivery Driver | 63 (2.4%) |
| Route Driver | 62 (2.3%) |
| Delivery Drivers | 52 (2.0%) |
| Box Truck Delivery Driver | 38 (1.4%) |
| Parts Runner | 36 (1.4%) |
| Catering Delivery Driver | 36 (1.4%) |
| Delivery Helper | 36 (1.4%) |
| FedEx Delivery Driver | 34 (1.3%) |
| Delivery Truck Driver | 34 (1.3%) |
| Route Sales Representative | 29 (1.1%) |
| Part-Time Delivery Driver | 29 (1.1%) |
| Non-CDL Delivery Driver | 28 (1.1%) |
| Package Delivery Driver | 22 (0.8%) |
| Delivery Route Driver | 22 (0.8%) |
Titles read in our audit and used by at least 3 employers.
Delivery Driver compared with similar careers
| Career | Median pay | Median experience | Postings | Shares N of top 25 skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delivery Driver | $21.00/hr | 1 year | 38,413 | – |
| Truck Driver | $27.00/hr | 2 years | 34,157 | 20 |
| Custodian | $17.85/hr | 1 year | 27,601 | 21 |
| Warehouse Associate | $20.00/hr | 1 year | 92,043 | 14 |
| Housekeeper | $17.75/hr | 1 year | 20,700 | 20 |
Similar careers
| Career | Shares N of the top 25 skills | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Truck Driver | 20 | $27.00/hr |
| Custodian | 21 | $17.85/hr |
| Warehouse Associate | 14 | $20.00/hr |
| Housekeeper | 20 | $17.75/hr |
| Stocker | 17 | $17.50/hr |
| Automotive Detailer | 16 | $17.50/hr |
Applying for delivery driver jobs?
- Delivery driver resume examples: one-page examples for these roles
- Match your resume to a job: paste a posting and see the skills your resume is missing
- Check your resume: see how an applicant tracking system reads it
- Find delivery driver jobs: search open postings
Frequently asked questions
What are the highest-paying delivery driver jobs?
Source and method
Open US job postings collected from employers' applicant tracking systems, de-duplicated, counted only when their job title was read in our audit. Shares count at most 20 postings per employer, and franchise locations of one brand count as one employer. Pay uses hourly and annual figures only; a figure is shown when leaving out the largest employer moves it by 10% or less. Every figure states its number of postings. Methodology and measured accuracy.
Accuracy check: we read 19 randomly chosen postings counted on this page in full; 19 of them were this career or a closely related one (October 2026).
Download the figures on this page (CSV): every number above with its count of postings. Aggregate figures are licensed CC BY 4.0; cite the page when you reuse them.