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Parking Enforcement Workers: Job Description
Patrol assigned area, such as public parking lot or city streets to issue tickets to overtime parking violators and illegally parked vehicles.
What Tasks Do Parking Enforcement Workers Take On?
Typical responsibilities of parking enforcement workers include:
- Enter and retrieve information pertaining to vehicle registration, identification, and status, using hand-held computers.
- Patrol an assigned area by vehicle or on foot to ensure public compliance with existing parking ordinance.
- 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.
- Maintain close communications with dispatching personnel, using two-way radios or cell phones.
- Perform simple vehicle maintenance procedures, such as checking oil and gas, and report mechanical problems to supervisors.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective parking enforcement workers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Parking Enforcement Workers Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Civilian Pay Technician (Civilian Pay Tech)
- Enforcement Officer
- Enforcement Safety Officer
- Meter Maid
- Parking Control Officer
- Parking Enforcement Officer (PEO)
- Parking Enforcement Specialist
- Parking Enforcement Technician
Employment and Demand
There are about 438,832 parking enforcement workers working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -0.4% over the projection horizon.
Parking Enforcement Workers Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $45,624 |
| Hourly median | $21.93 |
| 10th percentile | $29,581 |
| 25th percentile | $37,602 |
| 75th percentile | $53,645 |
| 90th percentile | $61,667 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Parking Enforcement Workers Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $70,310 |
| California | $66,200 |
| Connecticut | $62,090 |
| Oregon | $60,220 |
| Nevada | $55,120 |
| Utah | $53,020 |
| Massachusetts | $50,640 |
| Vermont | $50,570 |
| Colorado | $49,410 |
| New York | $48,050 |
| Iowa | $47,760 |
| New Hampshire | $47,480 |
| Illinois | $47,150 |
| Florida | $47,040 |
| Maryland | $47,020 |
| Virginia | $46,920 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,220 |
| Maine | $45,670 |
| Montana | $44,620 |
| Ohio | $44,520 |
| South Carolina | $43,550 |
| New Jersey | $43,430 |
| Wisconsin | $43,090 |
| Kansas | $42,480 |
| Minnesota | $42,160 |
| Indiana | $41,500 |
| Oklahoma | $41,150 |
| Arizona | $40,510 |
| North Carolina | $39,970 |
| Delaware | $39,910 |
| Missouri | $39,510 |
| Michigan | $38,990 |
| Alabama | $38,990 |
| Texas | $38,290 |
| Georgia | $36,470 |
| Idaho | $34,790 |
| Tennessee | $32,920 |
| West Virginia | $29,100 |
Where Parking Enforcement Workers Earn the Most
Earnings for parking enforcement workers differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $66,096 | 23.9% | 1.49 |
| New England | $50,481 | 6.8% | 1.72 |
| Middle Atlantic | $46,020 | 26.4% | 1.87 |
| Rocky Mountains | $45,856 | 3.4% | 0.95 |
| Great Lakes | $44,753 | 16.7% | 1.65 |
| Southeast | $43,864 | 13.5% | 0.81 |
| Plains States | $42,165 | 3.4% | 0.59 |
| Southwest | $38,910 | 5.9% | 0.51 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $85,090 | 480 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $76,030 | 130 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $75,910 | 50 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $72,700 | 50 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $63,860 | 480 |
| Madison, WI | WI | $62,730 | 40 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $61,480 | 110 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $58,820 | 350 |
Which Industries Hire Parking Enforcement Workers
The bulk of parking enforcement workers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 850 | $41,140 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 160 | $39,070 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 120 | $39,430 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 80 | $39,680 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 30 | $52,210 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for parking enforcement workers reflects the following characteristics:
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Frequency of Decision Making
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
- Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level parking enforcement workers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Compliance Officers (Supplemental)
- First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers (Supplemental)
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (Supplemental)
- Transit and Railroad Police (Primary-Short)
- Security Guards (Primary-Short)
- Crossing Guards and Flaggers (Primary-Long)
- Transportation Security Screeners (Supplemental)
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance (Primary-Long)
Sources
Data on this page comes from 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: 33-3041.00 (Parking Enforcement Workers).