Reference data
Current U.S. and North Carolina figures for writers, healthcare teams, researchers, and anyone tracking the infrastructure behind time-sensitive laboratory transport.
Last updated October 14, 2026. Every figure links to its original public source.
302,300
CMS reports this count in its Provider of Services clinical laboratory dataset, with Q1 2026 as the latest data shown on the dataset page.
Source, Q1 2026: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Provider of Services File: Clinical Laboratories
4×
The same CMS dataset is updated quarterly, making it a useful recurring reference for the scale and distribution of participating clinical laboratories.
Source, Q1 2026: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Provider of Services File: Clinical Laboratories
71,920
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated this national employment level for the courier and messenger occupation in May 2024.
Source, May 2024: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
3,760
North Carolina ranked fifth among states by employment in this occupation in the BLS May 2024 table.
Source, May 2024: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS state employment chart
1.65
In BLS terms, that is a higher concentration of this occupation than the national average, after accounting for the state’s overall employment size.
Source, May 2024: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS state location quotient chart
15,740
This was the BLS estimate for the medical and diagnostic laboratory industry, showing how directly transport work is represented within laboratory operations.
Source, May 2023: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories employment estimates
How to read these figures
These figures describe the size and concentration of the clinical laboratory and courier workforce. They do not set a transport protocol, define a specimen’s handling requirements, or establish service levels for a particular route.
For an actual delivery, the sending facility and receiving laboratory determine the required packaging, classification, condition, timing, and acceptance process. A courier’s role is to coordinate the route around those instructions and keep the handoff clear.
Read the practical specimen transport guideMethodology and sources
This page uses public figures from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Each statistic is presented with the source, reporting period, and a direct link to the original dataset or table. Source years differ because the agencies publish on different schedules, so the date beside each figure matters.
“Couriers and messengers” is a Bureau of Labor Statistics occupation category. It is broader than medical courier work. The laboratory-industry statistic is included to show the occupation’s documented presence within medical and diagnostic laboratories, not to estimate the number of medical courier companies or routes.
Reliant Couriers. “Medical Courier and Laboratory Transport Statistics.” Updated October 14, 2026. https://reliantcouriers.com/medical-courier-statistics.
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