The average annual pay for an Independent Medical Courier in the United States is $47,646 a year, which works out to be approximately $22.91 an hour. This is the equivalent of $916/week or $3,970/month.
In the industry, some independent medical couriers earn as high as $105,500 and some as low as $17,500, the majority of Independent Medical Courier salaries currently range from $28,000 to $52,000 with top earners making $97,500 annually across the United States.
Medical courier-independent are tasked with transporting and delivering medical documents, records, lab specimens, test results, medical supplies, and medications. As an independent contractor, you work on a contract basis rather than as a full-time employee.
The responsibilities of a medical courier include maintaining documentation, ensuring patient confidentiality, and recording the chain of custody. You may also transport between a hospital or clinic and a testing facility or medication supplier. Medical couriers may need to follow proper handling procedures when they carry items such as specimens or stem cells.
Notably, the average pay range for an Independent Medical Courier varies greatly (by as much as $24,000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location, and years of experience.
In terms of cities, topping the list is Lakes, AK, with San Francisco, CA and Santa Clara, CA close behind in the second and third positions.
Santa Clara, CA exceeds the national average by $7,710 (16.2%), and Lakes, AK outpaced that trend with another $8,640 (18.1%) above the $47,646 average.
Lakes, AK has a moderately active Independent Medical Courier job market with only a few companies currently hiring for this type of role.
Another factor to consider is that the average salary for these top cities varies very little at 6% between Lakes, AK, and San Jose, CA, showing the limited potential for much wage advancement.
Note that the possibility of a lower cost of living may seem like the best factor to use when considering location and salary for an Independent Medical Courier role.
Factors Tthat Influence the Income of Independent Medical Couriers
Independent medical couriers take into consideration a range of factors to price their deliveries, and these factors, in turn, influence the amount of income and profit an Independent medical courier can make. These factors include;
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Distance and Time
Generally, pricing for courier delivery services is determined by one of two ways: distance traveled or time spent on the road. Distance traveled is calculated by the number of miles it takes for a courier vehicle to deliver from the pickup to drop off location.
For instance, a medical courier company may charge $1.50 per mile driven using a car, or $2.00 per mile driven using a pickup truck or cargo van.
Therefore, the total cost of delivery will rest on the number of miles driven from project start to finish. In addition, some independent medical couriers offer delivery based on an hourly rate.
For instance, an hour-long delivery project may sum up to a total of $45, or 75 cents per minute. Or, the project may only last 15 to 30 minutes instead, resulting in an $11.25 or $22.50 delivery cost, respectively.
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Surcharges
Surcharges are more or less applied for after-hours, weekends, and holidays, and they are sometimes applied to reduce the cost for the customer.
For example, a customer that has multiple deliveries going to the same hospital building would be charged for the extra floor stops rather than as individual deliveries.
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Size and Weight
The size and weight of the medical supply or equipment being moved can influence delivery pricing as well. Most independent medical couriers in the United States charge an overweight fee of 10 cents per pound if an item surpasses 50 pounds.
Organ deliveries or heavy equipment deliveries typically call for vehicles such as ambulance and box trucks due to the delicate nature and weight of the items. The use of these larger delivery vehicles generally results in an increase in the overall cost of delivery.
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Location
Just like it was stated above, location plays a very important role in determining the possible income of an Independent medical courier.
A good number of independent medical couriers see monthly salaries as high as $8,792 and some as low as $1,458 and all these differences are location based.
Note that the majority of Independent Medical Courier salaries currently range between $2,333 to $4,333 across the United States, with cities Lakes, AK, with San Francisco, CA, and Santa Clara taking the top spots.
The average pay range for an Independent Medical Courier varies greatly (by as much as $2,000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on location.
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Level of Experience and Speed
Have it in mind that experience and the speed of delivery can have a significant impact on the average cost of a medical courier service.
Medical logistics is a very delicate field and it reflects on the kind of goods being moved. If one of your clients needs a time-sensitive delivery of medical supplies, it’s essential to swiftly meet that request.
Unlike on-demand, notably, most traditional courier shipping services carry a $10 and over a surcharge for door-to-door delivery options like same-day delivery, after-hours delivery, or weekend and holiday delivery.