Parking Enforcement Workers
Parking Enforcement Workers (SOC 33-3041) earn a median $46,730 a year ($22.47 an hour) in the United States, with 9,050 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What parking enforcement workers do
Parking enforcement workers patrol an assigned area, such as a public parking lot or city streets, to issue tickets to overtime parking violators and illegally parked vehicles. They patrol by vehicle or on foot to ensure public compliance with parking ordinances, and they write warnings and citations for illegally parked vehicles. They enter and retrieve information on vehicle registration, identification and status using hand-held computers. They respond to and make radio dispatch calls about parking violations and complaints, keep in close contact with dispatchers by two-way radio or cell phone, and appear in court at hearings about contested citations. They maintain assigned equipment and supplies such as hand-held citation computers, citation books, rain gear, tire-marking chalk and street cones, and they perform simple vehicle maintenance such as checking oil and gas, reporting mechanical problems to supervisors. O*NET alternate titles include parking enforcement officer, parking control officer and parking meter attendant. About 91 percent of respondents report a high school diploma or the equivalent. Parking enforcement is a civil role that differs from the sworn police patrol occupation.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical level of education for this occupation (91 percent).
Also called: Civilian Pay Technician (Civilian Pay Tech), Enforcement Safety Officer, Meter Maid, Parking Control Officer, Parking Enforcement Officer (PEO).
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.89 | $19.17 | $22.47 | $29.08 | $36.22 | $24.61 | 9,050 |
| Annual | $35,130 | $39,870 | $46,730 | $60,490 | $75,340 | $51,190 | ||
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 enforcement workers 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 | $25.54 | $29.40 | $32.75 | $36.96 | $36.96 | $32.58 | 190 | 0.06 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $53,130 | $61,140 | $68,120 | $76,870 | $76,870 | $67,770 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $19.25 | $22.44 | $29.94 | $37.19 | $41.36 | $30.86 | 1,710 | 0.09 | 1.61 |
| Annual | $40,040 | $46,680 | $62,280 | $77,350 | $86,040 | $64,190 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $20.81 | $24.34 | $28.76 | $36.90 | $36.90 | $29.88 | 80 | 0.04 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $43,270 | $50,620 | $59,810 | $76,750 | $76,750 | $62,160 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $24.79 | $25.42 | $26.46 | $32.07 | $40.64 | $29.52 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.47 |
| Annual | $51,570 | $52,880 | $55,040 | $66,710 | $84,530 | $61,390 | ||||
| Utah | Hourly | $17.96 | $18.58 | $25.32 | $27.53 | $27.68 | $23.47 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $37,360 | $38,650 | $52,670 | $57,260 | $57,580 | $48,830 | ||||
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 | $19.25 | $22.44 | $29.94 | $37.19 | $41.36 | $30.86 | 1,710 | 0.09 | 1.61 |
| Annual | $40,040 | $46,680 | $62,280 | $77,350 | $86,040 | $64,190 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $17.97 | $19.17 | $22.88 | $28.34 | $36.51 | $24.55 | 730 | 0.08 | 1.30 |
| Annual | $37,380 | $39,880 | $47,590 | $58,950 | $75,940 | $51,050 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.61 | $18.87 | $22.19 | $22.75 | $28.20 | $22.47 | 710 | 0.07 | 1.23 |
| Annual | $36,630 | $39,240 | $46,160 | $47,330 | $58,650 | $46,750 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $16.69 | $19.41 | $22.00 | $22.47 | $22.97 | $20.95 | 660 | 0.11 | 1.87 |
| Annual | $34,720 | $40,370 | $45,770 | $46,730 | $47,780 | $43,570 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $16.94 | $18.89 | $21.11 | $22.18 | $27.81 | $21.64 | 470 | 0.11 | 1.89 |
| Annual | $35,240 | $39,300 | $43,920 | $46,140 | $57,850 | $45,020 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $29.94 | $35.76 | $41.36 | $41.36 | $47.82 | $39.55 | 510 | 0.21 | 3.68 |
| Annual | $62,280 | $74,380 | $86,040 | $86,040 | $99,460 | $82,270 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $28.44 | $32.05 | $36.96 | $36.96 | $36.96 | $34.52 | 130 | 0.07 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $59,160 | $66,670 | $76,870 | $76,870 | $76,870 | $71,800 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $24.34 | $28.97 | $36.90 | $36.90 | $36.90 | $33.54 | 50 | 0.04 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $50,620 | $60,260 | $76,750 | $76,750 | $76,750 | $69,770 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $22.44 | $28.52 | $33.94 | $35.34 | $35.34 | $31.79 | 70 | 0.06 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $46,680 | $59,320 | $70,590 | $73,510 | $73,510 | $66,120 | ||||
| Salinas, CA | Hourly | $29.28 | $29.28 | $30.22 | $33.88 | $35.03 | $31.82 | 30 | 0.18 | 3.01 |
| Annual | $60,910 | $60,910 | $62,850 | $70,460 | $72,860 | $66,180 | ||||
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 | $17.30 | $19.17 | $21.66 | $27.81 | $34.37 | $23.85 | 970 | 0.10 | 1.75 |
| Annual | $35,980 | $39,880 | $45,040 | $57,850 | $71,490 | $49,600 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $19.25 | $19.27 | $26.84 | $30.89 | $37.13 | $26.73 | 670 | 0.11 | 1.85 |
| Annual | $40,040 | $40,070 | $55,820 | $64,250 | $77,220 | $55,590 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $29.94 | $35.76 | $41.36 | $41.36 | $47.82 | $39.55 | 510 | 0.21 | 3.68 |
| Annual | $62,280 | $74,380 | $86,040 | $86,040 | $99,460 | $82,270 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $19.40 | $19.41 | $22.47 | $22.47 | $25.77 | $21.96 | 460 | 0.16 | 2.71 |
| Annual | $40,360 | $40,370 | $46,730 | $46,730 | $53,600 | $45,670 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $18.98 | $23.26 | $29.15 | $34.96 | $34.96 | $28.73 | 320 | 0.10 | 1.76 |
| Annual | $39,480 | $48,380 | $60,640 | $72,720 | $72,720 | $59,760 | ||||
Top industries employing parking enforcement workers
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) employ 81.8% of parking enforcement workers nationally (7,400 jobs) at a median $47,320 a year ($22.75 an hour), followed by Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (8.4%) and State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (2.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 7,400 | 81.8% | $47,320 | $22.75 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 760 | 8.4% | $42,490 | $20.43 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 180 | 2.0% | $70,920 | $34.10 |
| Other Personal Services NAICS 812900 | 130 | 1.4% | $38,680 | $18.60 |
| Junior Colleges NAICS 611200 | 70 | 0.8% | $37,400 | $17.98 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (9,050). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $46,590 for parking enforcement workers in May 2021 and $46,730 in May 2025, with employment of 7,450 and 9,050.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $46,590 | $22.40 | 7,450 |
| May 2022 | $41,570 | $19.99 | 8,150 |
| May 2023 | $46,840 | $22.52 | 7,420 |
| May 2024 | $47,150 | $22.67 | 7,770 |
| May 2025 | $46,730 | $22.47 | 9,050 |
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
41 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 | $32.75 | $68,120 | $53,130 | $76,870 | 190 | 0.06 | 0.94 |
| 2 | California profile | $29.94 | $62,280 | $40,040 | $86,040 | 1,710 | 0.09 | 1.61 |
| 3 | Oregon profile | $28.76 | $59,810 | $43,270 | $76,750 | 80 | 0.04 | 0.68 |
| 4 | Nevada profile | $26.46 | $55,040 | $51,570 | $84,530 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.47 |
| 5 | Utah profile | $25.32 | $52,670 | $37,360 | $57,580 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.66 |
| 6 | Massachusetts profile | $24.99 | $51,980 | $43,710 | $64,040 | 300 | 0.08 | 1.44 |
| 7 | New Hampshire profile | $24.80 | $51,580 | $35,970 | $59,870 | 70 | 0.10 | 1.69 |
| 8 | Wisconsin profile | $23.59 | $49,060 | $37,120 | $71,400 | 150 | 0.05 | 0.90 |
| 9 | Ohio profile | $23.32 | $48,510 | $29,170 | $59,570 | 110 | 0.02 | 0.33 |
| 10 | Colorado profile | $23.03 | $47,910 | $41,460 | $61,800 | 100 | 0.04 | 0.60 |
| 11 | Montana profile | $22.96 | $47,750 | $38,930 | $57,020 | 40 | 0.07 | 1.21 |
| 12 | New York profile | $22.88 | $47,590 | $37,380 | $75,940 | 730 | 0.08 | 1.30 |
| 13 | Vermont profile | $22.82 | $47,460 | $38,570 | $56,730 | 30 | 0.11 | 1.93 |
| 14 | Illinois profile | $22.64 | $47,080 | $31,200 | $74,660 | ** | ** | ** |
| 15 | Virginia profile | $22.52 | $46,840 | $35,920 | $60,790 | 130 | 0.03 | 0.55 |
| 16 | Florida profile | $22.19 | $46,160 | $36,630 | $58,650 | 710 | 0.07 | 1.23 |
| 17 | Maryland profile | $22.15 | $46,060 | $36,460 | $74,220 | 250 | 0.09 | 1.52 |
| 18 | Kentucky profile | $22.01 | $45,790 | $28,110 | $53,640 | 30 | 0.02 | 0.28 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania profile | $22.00 | $45,770 | $34,720 | $47,780 | 660 | 0.11 | 1.87 |
| 20 | Oklahoma profile | $21.73 | $45,200 | $30,740 | $50,520 | 60 | 0.04 | 0.60 |
| 21 | Connecticut profile | $21.20 | $44,100 | $41,520 | $74,020 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.66 |
| 22 | Maine profile | $21.17 | $44,040 | $43,680 | $58,120 | 30 | 0.05 | 0.85 |
| 23 | New Jersey profile | $21.11 | $43,920 | $35,240 | $57,850 | 470 | 0.11 | 1.89 |
| 24 | Iowa profile | $20.85 | $43,370 | $36,810 | $57,680 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.53 |
| 25 | South Carolina profile | $20.69 | $43,040 | $35,770 | $56,660 | 120 | 0.05 | 0.87 |
| 26 | Kansas profile | $20.40 | $42,420 | $34,730 | $51,960 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.44 |
| 27 | North Carolina profile | $20.39 | $42,410 | $33,780 | $53,960 | 80 | 0.02 | 0.28 |
| 28 | Minnesota profile | $20.03 | $41,670 | $38,790 | $59,960 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.26 |
| 29 | Hawaii profile | $19.46 | $40,480 | $40,240 | $61,790 | 30 | 0.05 | 0.87 |
| 30 | Delaware profile | $19.40 | $40,360 | $37,440 | $57,720 | 70 | 0.14 | 2.35 |
| 31 | Indiana profile | $19.20 | $39,940 | $25,340 | $50,030 | 100 | 0.03 | 0.53 |
| 32 | Alabama profile | $18.88 | $39,270 | $28,350 | $47,840 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.33 |
| 33 | Missouri profile | $18.77 | $39,040 | $36,970 | $51,510 | 70 | 0.03 | 0.42 |
| 34 | Texas profile | $18.61 | $38,720 | $30,890 | $46,590 | 270 | 0.02 | 0.33 |
| 35 | Michigan profile | $18.01 | $37,460 | $31,910 | $48,310 | 180 | 0.04 | 0.72 |
| 36 | Georgia profile | $17.36 | $36,100 | $26,880 | $44,170 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.12 |
| 37 | Tennessee profile | $17.18 | $35,730 | $32,990 | $43,610 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.18 |
| 38 | Idaho profile | $16.31 | $33,930 | $33,880 | $49,800 | 60 | 0.07 | 1.27 |
| 39 | West Virginia profile | $14.66 | $30,490 | $25,980 | $37,660 | 50 | 0.07 | 1.19 |
| 40 | Arkansas profile | $14.47 | $30,100 | $30,100 | $40,140 | 50 | 0.04 | 0.64 |
| 41 | Mississippi profile | $13.24 | $27,550 | $24,070 | $40,810 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.54 |
Part of Protective Service 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 33-3041 Parking Enforcement Workers.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- 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 33-3041, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 33-3041.00, 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.