Parking Attendants
Parking Attendants (SOC 53-6021) earn a median $35,150 a year ($16.90 an hour) in the United States, with 137,880 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What parking attendants do
Parking attendants park and retrieve customers' cars, or take payments and issue tickets, in parking lots and garages, including car dealership and rental car facilities. At valet stands the attendant greets drivers, opens the door, issues a numbered tag or ticket, drives the car to a space, and brings it back when the customer returns the tag. Attendants look the car over for damage when they take it, and they note the claim tag against the key so each vehicle can be found. In self-park facilities they hand out tickets, explain rates, calculate charges, collect fees, make change, and balance the cash drawer at the end of a shift. Attendants respond to customer complaints, give directions and information, and help with wheelchairs. Cash handling also covers recording the drawer and distributing tips.
Typical entry: O*NET reports that most workers in this occupation have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Also called: Attendant, Auto Hiker, Auto Lot Attendant (Automotive Lot Attendant), Auto Parker, Automobile Relocation Engineer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.00 | $14.41 | $16.90 | $18.11 | $21.42 | $16.82 | 137,880 |
| Annual | $27,040 | $29,960 | $35,150 | $37,670 | $44,550 | $34,990 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where parking attendants earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $17.37 | $18.32 | $20.76 | $22.31 | $24.23 | $20.75 | 2,860 | 0.81 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $36,120 | $38,110 | $43,180 | $46,410 | $50,400 | $43,170 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $17.15 | $18.06 | $18.91 | $22.10 | $23.49 | $19.87 | 1,390 | 0.48 | 0.55 |
| Annual | $35,670 | $37,570 | $39,330 | $45,970 | $48,860 | $41,330 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $16.43 | $17.50 | $18.62 | $20.67 | $22.22 | $19.04 | 1,300 | 0.66 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $34,170 | $36,400 | $38,730 | $42,980 | $46,220 | $39,610 | ||||
| Vermont | Hourly | $14.59 | $17.60 | $18.35 | $20.05 | $22.74 | $18.79 | 90 | 0.31 | 0.35 |
| Annual | $30,350 | $36,610 | $38,160 | $41,700 | $47,290 | $39,090 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $17.19 | $17.63 | $18.30 | $21.42 | $24.17 | $19.87 | 21,290 | 1.17 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $35,760 | $36,660 | $38,060 | $44,560 | $50,280 | $41,330 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $17.19 | $17.63 | $18.30 | $21.42 | $24.17 | $19.87 | 21,290 | 1.17 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $35,760 | $36,660 | $38,060 | $44,560 | $50,280 | $41,330 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.00 | $13.53 | $14.26 | $16.67 | $19.16 | $15.33 | 17,670 | 1.78 | 2.01 |
| Annual | $27,040 | $28,150 | $29,650 | $34,680 | $39,860 | $31,890 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $16.14 | $16.89 | $17.27 | $17.51 | $20.50 | $17.69 | 12,440 | 1.28 | 1.45 |
| Annual | $33,580 | $35,120 | $35,920 | $36,420 | $42,630 | $36,790 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $11.52 | $14.06 | $15.00 | $17.08 | $19.35 | $15.33 | 12,100 | 0.86 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $23,960 | $29,230 | $31,200 | $35,520 | $40,240 | $31,890 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $15.03 | $16.20 | $17.66 | $19.10 | $25.65 | $18.74 | 5,320 | 0.87 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $31,260 | $33,700 | $36,730 | $39,720 | $53,360 | $38,990 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Colorado Springs, CO | Hourly | $15.86 | $17.46 | $22.75 | $23.86 | $23.86 | $21.02 | 150 | 0.47 | 0.53 |
| Annual | $32,990 | $36,310 | $47,320 | $49,620 | $49,620 | $43,710 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $19.33 | $20.41 | $21.65 | $21.85 | $29.37 | $22.25 | 650 | 0.58 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $40,200 | $42,460 | $45,030 | $45,440 | $61,090 | $46,290 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $19.07 | $20.25 | $21.39 | $23.03 | $29.03 | $22.51 | 3,470 | 1.46 | 1.65 |
| Annual | $39,660 | $42,130 | $44,480 | $47,910 | $60,390 | $46,810 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $18.23 | $19.22 | $21.06 | $23.09 | $24.23 | $21.30 | 2,230 | 1.07 | 1.21 |
| Annual | $37,910 | $39,970 | $43,790 | $48,030 | $50,400 | $44,310 | ||||
| Bellingham, WA | Hourly | $17.23 | $17.80 | $19.00 | $20.85 | $22.50 | $19.65 | 30 | 0.33 | 0.37 |
| Annual | $35,840 | $37,030 | $39,520 | $43,360 | $46,800 | $40,870 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $16.14 | $16.85 | $17.27 | $17.51 | $20.33 | $17.71 | 14,220 | 1.50 | 1.69 |
| Annual | $33,580 | $35,050 | $35,920 | $36,420 | $42,290 | $36,840 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.30 | $17.57 | $17.92 | $20.56 | $22.64 | $19.20 | 11,070 | 1.77 | 1.99 |
| Annual | $35,980 | $36,540 | $37,280 | $42,770 | $47,080 | $39,940 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $13.00 | $13.74 | $14.26 | $16.40 | $18.66 | $15.17 | 8,550 | 3.03 | 3.42 |
| Annual | $27,040 | $28,570 | $29,650 | $34,120 | $38,820 | $31,550 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $12.84 | $14.35 | $15.28 | $17.36 | $19.35 | $15.84 | 5,490 | 1.36 | 1.53 |
| Annual | $26,710 | $29,860 | $31,770 | $36,120 | $40,240 | $32,950 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $15.17 | $16.66 | $18.18 | $19.24 | $26.51 | $19.00 | 4,450 | 0.99 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $31,540 | $34,660 | $37,810 | $40,020 | $55,140 | $39,520 | ||||
Top industries employing parking attendants
Other Personal Services employ 52.4% of parking attendants nationally (72,260 jobs) at a median $35,360 a year ($17.00 an hour), followed by Automobile Dealers (16.2%) and Employment Services (5.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Personal Services NAICS 812900 | 72,260 | 52.4% | $35,360 | $17.00 |
| Automobile Dealers NAICS 441100 | 22,390 | 16.2% | $34,950 | $16.81 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 7,020 | 5.1% | $31,770 | $15.28 |
| Traveler Accommodation NAICS 721100 | 6,120 | 4.4% | $34,640 | $16.66 |
| Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing NAICS 532100 | 3,140 | 2.3% | $27,870 | $13.40 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (137,880). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $29,240 for parking attendants in May 2021 and $35,150 in May 2025, with employment of 91,160 and 137,880.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $29,240 | $14.06 | 91,160 |
| May 2022 | $30,570 | $14.70 | 105,290 |
| May 2023 | $32,840 | $15.79 | 118,130 |
| May 2024 | $34,600 | $16.63 | 134,650 |
| May 2025 | $35,150 | $16.90 | 137,880 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington profile | $20.76 | $43,180 | $36,120 | $50,400 | 2,860 | 0.81 | 0.91 |
| 2 | Colorado profile | $18.91 | $39,330 | $35,670 | $48,860 | 1,390 | 0.48 | 0.55 |
| 3 | Oregon profile | $18.62 | $38,730 | $34,170 | $46,220 | 1,300 | 0.66 | 0.75 |
| 4 | Vermont profile | $18.35 | $38,160 | $30,350 | $47,290 | 90 | 0.31 | 0.35 |
| 5 | California profile | $18.30 | $38,060 | $35,760 | $50,280 | 21,290 | 1.17 | 1.32 |
| 6 | Massachusetts profile | $17.96 | $37,360 | $33,900 | $44,670 | 3,330 | 0.92 | 1.03 |
| 7 | District of Columbia profile | $17.89 | $37,220 | $36,400 | $43,530 | 1,900 | 2.71 | 3.06 |
| 8 | Illinois profile | $17.66 | $36,730 | $31,260 | $53,360 | 5,320 | 0.87 | 0.98 |
| 9 | Alaska profile | $17.59 | $36,580 | $30,690 | $44,700 | 90 | 0.29 | 0.32 |
| 10 | New Hampshire profile | $17.31 | $36,010 | $29,840 | $45,180 | 320 | 0.47 | 0.53 |
| 11 | New York profile | $17.27 | $35,920 | $33,580 | $42,630 | 12,440 | 1.28 | 1.45 |
| 12 | Wyoming profile | $17.20 | $35,780 | $21,000 | $49,180 | 110 | 0.39 | 0.44 |
| 13 | North Dakota profile | $17.09 | $35,550 | $28,930 | $41,240 | 170 | 0.38 | 0.43 |
| 14 | Minnesota profile | $16.95 | $35,250 | $27,150 | $45,830 | 1,470 | 0.50 | 0.56 |
| 15 | Maryland profile | $16.93 | $35,210 | $31,200 | $46,960 | 1,530 | 0.55 | 0.62 |
| 16 | New Jersey profile | $16.88 | $35,100 | $32,220 | $42,290 | 5,110 | 1.19 | 1.35 |
| 17 | Utah profile | $16.65 | $34,630 | $29,320 | $42,540 | 710 | 0.41 | 0.46 |
| 18 | Rhode Island profile | $16.54 | $34,390 | $31,200 | $44,610 | 520 | 1.04 | 1.17 |
| 19 | Connecticut profile | $16.52 | $34,360 | $34,010 | $38,670 | 2,240 | 1.32 | 1.49 |
| 20 | Arizona profile | $16.46 | $34,230 | $30,580 | $42,930 | 3,130 | 0.97 | 1.09 |
| 21 | Delaware profile | $16.46 | $34,230 | $31,200 | $35,830 | 200 | 0.41 | 0.46 |
| 22 | South Dakota profile | $16.45 | $34,220 | $29,870 | $40,360 | 240 | 0.53 | 0.60 |
| 23 | Hawaii profile | $16.20 | $33,690 | $29,640 | $47,360 | 1,600 | 2.54 | 2.87 |
| 24 | Michigan profile | $16.20 | $33,690 | $26,270 | $38,170 | 3,210 | 0.73 | 0.82 |
| 25 | Nebraska profile | $15.81 | $32,880 | $28,080 | $37,200 | 460 | 0.45 | 0.50 |
| 26 | Idaho profile | $15.38 | $31,990 | $26,000 | $38,930 | 470 | 0.54 | 0.61 |
| 27 | Kentucky profile | $15.21 | $31,630 | $23,260 | $38,580 | 1,480 | 0.74 | 0.84 |
| 28 | South Carolina profile | $15.14 | $31,490 | $18,330 | $37,400 | 1,300 | 0.56 | 0.64 |
| 29 | Indiana profile | $15.08 | $31,360 | $23,380 | $41,360 | 1,930 | 0.60 | 0.68 |
| 30 | Wisconsin profile | $15.03 | $31,270 | $25,040 | $41,610 | 1,290 | 0.44 | 0.49 |
| 31 | Texas profile | $15.00 | $31,200 | $23,960 | $40,240 | 12,100 | 0.86 | 0.97 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania profile | $14.95 | $31,100 | $22,820 | $42,490 | 4,930 | 0.81 | 0.92 |
| 33 | Missouri profile | $14.93 | $31,050 | $28,600 | $45,170 | 1,260 | 0.43 | 0.48 |
| 34 | Maine profile | $14.84 | $30,860 | $30,470 | $49,790 | 100 | 0.16 | 0.18 |
| 35 | Tennessee profile | $14.80 | $30,780 | $16,860 | $36,090 | 2,660 | 0.81 | 0.92 |
| 36 | North Carolina profile | $14.68 | $30,540 | $17,000 | $38,630 | 2,930 | 0.59 | 0.67 |
| 37 | New Mexico profile | $14.68 | $30,530 | $25,020 | $36,020 | 420 | 0.48 | 0.54 |
| 38 | West Virginia profile | $14.64 | $30,460 | $24,830 | $43,200 | 150 | 0.21 | 0.24 |
| 39 | Alabama profile | $14.59 | $30,350 | $18,480 | $35,250 | 1,110 | 0.53 | 0.59 |
| 40 | Kansas profile | $14.58 | $30,320 | $25,440 | $39,300 | 90 | 0.06 | 0.07 |
| 41 | Virginia profile | $14.48 | $30,110 | $25,810 | $38,100 | 1,830 | 0.45 | 0.50 |
| 42 | Ohio profile | $14.47 | $30,100 | $29,120 | $37,560 | 3,050 | 0.55 | 0.62 |
| 43 | Iowa profile | $14.46 | $30,070 | $21,180 | $37,880 | 1,050 | 0.67 | 0.76 |
| 44 | Arkansas profile | $14.37 | $29,890 | $22,930 | $34,970 | 310 | 0.24 | 0.27 |
| 45 | Nevada profile | $14.31 | $29,750 | $25,290 | $42,870 | 2,660 | 1.72 | 1.93 |
| 46 | Florida profile | $14.26 | $29,650 | $27,040 | $39,860 | 17,670 | 1.78 | 2.01 |
| 47 | Georgia profile | $13.93 | $28,960 | $21,650 | $36,460 | 4,660 | 0.95 | 1.08 |
| 48 | Oklahoma profile | $13.09 | $27,230 | $17,510 | $36,680 | 870 | 0.51 | 0.58 |
| 49 | Montana profile | $13.03 | $27,100 | $25,370 | $42,070 | 60 | 0.12 | 0.14 |
| 50 | Mississippi profile | $12.70 | $26,420 | $19,850 | $39,980 | 320 | 0.28 | 0.31 |
| 51 | Louisiana profile | $11.50 | $23,920 | $21,340 | $33,410 | 2,130 | 1.10 | 1.24 |
Part of Transportation and Material Moving Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 53-6021 Parking Attendants.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 53-6021, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 53-6021.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.