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Delivery Driver

$44,860
median / year
$30,800 – $80,310
what most earn per year (10th–90th percentile)

What the job actually is

Drive routes to deliver packages and goods to homes and businesses, loading and tracking each stop.

You may also see this posted as: Driver, Package Car Driver, Truck Driver, Bulk Delivery Driver, Light Truck Driver, Package Delivery Driver.

Where you work

On the road and at doorsteps; in and out of the vehicle, all weather.

The hours

Full-time and part-time; early starts, long days, some weekends.

The day to day

What you'd actually spend time doing

  • 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.

Good fit if you like…

Realistic

working with tools, equipment, materials, or the physical world

Conventional

organizing information, following systems, and getting details right

Enterprising

leading, persuading, selling, or turning an idea into action

O*NET job zone 2 of 5

Some preparation—often a high school credential and on-the-job learning—is usually needed.

Work styles that matter most

DependabilityAttention to DetailCautiousnessIntegrity

Software that shows up in the work

Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.

Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft WindowsAutomatic routing softwareComputerized inventory tracking software

By the numbers

May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$44,860
per year
Hourly median
$21.57
per hour
What most earn
$30,800–$80,310
yearly, 10th to 90th percentile
Openings a year
~120,200
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+7.3%
Faster than average
Working in the U.S.
983,300
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

BLS estimates 6.8% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.

What it pays in your state

Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.

BLS state wage tables

How you get in

Typical starting education

High school / no degree

Training path: Hired and trained.

Related work experience: None.

On-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training.

License or certification

A regular driver's license is enough for most routes; larger trucks need more.

You can earn while you train. This field has a genuinely paid pathway in — an apprenticeship, a paid academy, or employer-funded training — so you draw a paycheck instead of taking on debt to learn it.

Check the path where you live

Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.

What it takes

Safe drivingPhysical staminaTime managementCustomer service

The honest take

E-commerce keeps this one growing.

Standard Occupational Classification 53-3033. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.