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Crossing Guards and Flaggers: Job Description
Guide or control vehicular or pedestrian traffic at such places as streets, schools, railroad crossings, or construction sites.
What Do Crossing Guards and Flaggers Do?
The core tasks performed by crossing guards and flaggers span:
- Direct or escort pedestrians across streets, stopping traffic, as necessary.
- Guide or control vehicular or pedestrian traffic at such places as street and railroad crossings and construction sites.
- Monitor traffic flow to locate safe gaps through which pedestrians can cross streets.
- Communicate traffic and crossing rules and other information to students and adults.
- Direct traffic movement or warn of hazards, using signs, flags, lanterns, and hand signals.
- Report unsafe behavior of children to school officials.
- Record license numbers of vehicles disregarding traffic signals, and report infractions to appropriate authorities.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful crossing guards and flaggers draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Crossing Guards and Flaggers Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Adult Crossing Guard
- Campus Supervisor
- Community Service Officer
- Construction Site Crossing Guard
- Crossing Flagman
- Crossing Gateman
- Crossing Guard
- Crossing Tender
How Many Crossing Guards and Flaggers Are There?
There are about 181,969 crossing guards and flaggers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +10.8% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Crossing Guards and Flaggers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $58,496 |
| Hourly median | $28.12 |
| 10th percentile | $36,789 |
| 25th percentile | $47,642 |
| 75th percentile | $69,349 |
| 90th percentile | $80,203 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Crossing Guards and Flaggers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| North Dakota | $60,940 |
| Washington | $59,680 |
| Hawaii | $53,940 |
| South Dakota | $50,260 |
| California | $49,310 |
| Minnesota | $48,590 |
| Oregon | $47,140 |
| Vermont | $45,670 |
| New Hampshire | $44,960 |
| New York | $44,180 |
| Rhode Island | $42,930 |
| Montana | $42,300 |
| New Jersey | $42,270 |
| Maine | $42,130 |
| Massachusetts | $41,010 |
| Idaho | $40,000 |
| District of Columbia | $39,610 |
| Iowa | $39,380 |
| Illinois | $38,820 |
| Connecticut | $38,490 |
| Tennessee | $37,770 |
| Colorado | $37,660 |
| Virginia | $37,360 |
| Nebraska | $37,240 |
| Wisconsin | $36,780 |
| Wyoming | $36,400 |
| Maryland | $36,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,240 |
| Delaware | $36,120 |
| Indiana | $36,100 |
| Florida | $35,480 |
| North Carolina | $35,290 |
| Ohio | $34,850 |
| Georgia | $34,850 |
| Utah | $34,480 |
| Arizona | $34,020 |
| Kentucky | $33,870 |
| Missouri | $33,190 |
| Nevada | $32,860 |
| Texas | $32,730 |
| Kansas | $32,720 |
| South Carolina | $32,480 |
| West Virginia | $31,800 |
| Michigan | $31,200 |
| New Mexico | $31,110 |
| Arkansas | $30,590 |
| Mississippi | $30,160 |
| Oklahoma | $28,300 |
| Alabama | $25,480 |
| Louisiana | $22,980 |
Where Crossing Guards and Flaggers Earn the Most
Pay for crossing guards and flaggers vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $50,653 | 15.7% | 1.15 |
| Plains States | $41,823 | 1.3% | 0.20 |
| New England | $41,130 | 6.0% | 1.65 |
| Middle Atlantic | $40,248 | 33.4% | 2.27 |
| Rocky Mountains | $36,877 | 5.0% | 1.33 |
| Great Lakes | $35,757 | 10.9% | 0.83 |
| Southeast | $34,949 | 20.2% | 1.08 |
| Southwest | $32,861 | 7.5% | 0.67 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | SC | $99,060 | 160 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | GA | $82,400 | 30 |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $80,720 | 210 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | WA | $66,410 | 60 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | WA | $64,060 | 420 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | WA | $63,510 | 40 |
| Bellingham, WA | WA | $61,280 | 40 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $61,170 | 440 |
Which Industries Hire Crossing Guards and Flaggers
Most crossing guards and flaggers are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 38,570 | $37,740 |
| Educational Services | 7,540 | $34,950 |
| Construction | 6,090 | $46,840 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 910 | $35,330 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 690 | $33,190 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 510 | $35,890 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 200 | $29,590 |
| Manufacturing | 170 | $42,680 |
Below are examples of industries where crossing guards and flaggers work:
Tech Stack
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of crossing guards and flaggers reflects the following characteristics:
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Spend Time Standing
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
- Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
- Exposed to Contaminants
Getting Started in This Career
Typical crossing guards and flaggers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Parking Enforcement Workers (Primary-Short)
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (Supplemental)
- Transit and Railroad Police (Primary-Short)
- Security Guards (Primary-Short)
- Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers (Supplemental)
- Transportation Security Screeners (Primary-Long)
- School Bus Monitors (Supplemental)
- Public Safety Telecommunicators (Supplemental)
Sources
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 33-9091.00 (Crossing Guards and Flaggers).
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