Parking enforcement workers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,130 | $16.89 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $46,730 | $22.47 |
| Mean (average) | $51,190 | $24.61 |
| 90th percentile | $75,340 | $36.22 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Parking enforcement workers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 41 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $39,270 | $28,350 | $47,840 | 40 | 0.33 |
| Arkansas | $30,100 | $30,100 | $40,140 | 50 | 0.64 |
| California | $62,280 | $40,040 | $86,040 | 1,710 | 1.61 |
| Colorado | $47,910 | $41,460 | $61,800 | 100 | 0.6 |
| Connecticut | $44,100 | $41,520 | $74,020 | 70 | 0.66 |
| Delaware | $40,360 | $37,440 | $57,720 | 70 | 2.35 |
| Florida | $46,160 | $36,630 | $58,650 | 710 | 1.23 |
| Georgia | $36,100 | $26,880 | $44,170 | 40 | 0.12 |
| Hawaii | $40,480 | $40,240 | $61,790 | 30 | 0.87 |
| Idaho | $33,930 | $33,880 | $49,800 | 60 | 1.27 |
| Illinois | $47,080 | $31,200 | $74,660 | ||
| Indiana | $39,940 | $25,340 | $50,030 | 100 | 0.53 |
| Iowa | $43,370 | $36,810 | $57,680 | 50 | 0.53 |
| Kansas | $42,420 | $34,730 | $51,960 | 40 | 0.44 |
| Kentucky | $45,790 | $28,110 | $53,640 | 30 | 0.28 |
| Maine | $44,040 | $43,680 | $58,120 | 30 | 0.85 |
| Maryland | $46,060 | $36,460 | $74,220 | 250 | 1.52 |
| Massachusetts | $51,980 | $43,710 | $64,040 | 300 | 1.44 |
| Michigan | $37,460 | $31,910 | $48,310 | 180 | 0.72 |
| Minnesota | $41,670 | $38,790 | $59,960 | 40 | 0.26 |
| Mississippi | $27,550 | $24,070 | $40,810 | 40 | 0.54 |
| Missouri | $39,040 | $36,970 | $51,510 | 70 | 0.42 |
| Montana | $47,750 | $38,930 | $57,020 | 40 | 1.21 |
| Nevada | $55,040 | $51,570 | $84,530 | 40 | 0.47 |
| New Hampshire | $51,580 | $35,970 | $59,870 | 70 | 1.69 |
| New Jersey | $43,920 | $35,240 | $57,850 | 470 | 1.89 |
| New York | $47,590 | $37,380 | $75,940 | 730 | 1.3 |
| North Carolina | $42,410 | $33,780 | $53,960 | 80 | 0.28 |
| Ohio | $48,510 | $29,170 | $59,570 | 110 | 0.33 |
| Oklahoma | $45,200 | $30,740 | $50,520 | 60 | 0.6 |
| Oregon | $59,810 | $43,270 | $76,750 | 80 | 0.68 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,770 | $34,720 | $47,780 | 660 | 1.87 |
| South Carolina | $43,040 | $35,770 | $56,660 | 120 | 0.87 |
| Tennessee | $35,730 | $32,990 | $43,610 | 40 | 0.18 |
| Texas | $38,720 | $30,890 | $46,590 | 270 | 0.33 |
| Utah | $52,670 | $37,360 | $57,580 | 70 | 0.66 |
| Vermont | $47,460 | $38,570 | $56,730 | 30 | 1.93 |
| Virginia | $46,840 | $35,920 | $60,790 | 130 | 0.55 |
| Washington | $68,120 | $53,130 | $76,870 | 190 | 0.94 |
| West Virginia | $30,490 | $25,980 | $37,660 | 50 | 1.19 |
| Wisconsin | $49,060 | $37,120 | $71,400 | 150 | 0.9 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for parking enforcement workers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 800. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for parking enforcement workers
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Enter and retrieve information pertaining to vehicle registration, identification, and status, using hand-held computers.
- Maintain close communications with dispatching personnel, using two-way radios or cell phones.
- Patrol an assigned area by vehicle or on foot to ensure public compliance with existing parking ordinance.
- Identify vehicles in violation of parking codes, checking with dispatchers when necessary to confirm identities or to determine whether vehicles need to be booted or towed.
- Write warnings and citations for illegally parked vehicles.
- Appear in court at hearings regarding contested traffic citations.
- Maintain assigned equipment and supplies, such as hand-held citation computers, citation books, rain gear, tire-marking chalk, and street cones.
- Respond to and make radio dispatch calls regarding parking violations and complaints.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Complus Data Innovations FastTrack
- Integrated Parking Solutions MApp
- Ticket issuing software
- Vehicle information databases
- Web browser software
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Time Management, Coordination, Service Orientation, Persuasion, Negotiation.
Common job titles: Meter Maid, Parking Control Officer, Parking Enforcement Officer (PEO), Parking Enforcement Technician (Parking Enforcement Tech), Parking Enforcer, Parking Officer, Parking Patroller, Parking Regulation Enforcement Officer, Parking Technician (Parking Tech), Ticket Writer.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do parking enforcement workers make?
The national median annual wage for parking enforcement workers was $46,730 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $35,130 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $75,340. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do parking enforcement workers need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is parking enforcement workers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of parking enforcement workers to change -1.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 800 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay parking enforcement workers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($68,120), California ($62,280), Oregon ($59,810). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.