Parking Enforcement Workers
Patrol assigned area, such as public parking lot or city streets to issue tickets to overtime parking violators and illegally parked vehicles.
Also called: Parking Control Officer · Parking Enforcement Officer (PEO) · Parking Enforcement Technician · Parking Enforcer · Parking Officer · Parking Regulation Enforcement Officer
Median pay (national)
$47,150
$35,410–$76,030 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
7,770
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
-1.5%
~700 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for parking enforcement workers shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $76,030 versus $35,410 at the bottom 10% — 2.1x. The median of $47,150 leaves roughly 61% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change -1.5% from 2024 to 2034 — a projected decline, against +3% across all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 700 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 38 states with released data, Washington pays the most for this role (median $70,310, +49% vs the national median), while West Virginia sits lowest at $29,100 — a 142% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Speaking, Monitoring, Active Listening as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- 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.
- 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.
- Observe and report hazardous conditions, such as missing traffic signals or signs, and street markings that need to be repainted.
- 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.
- Train new or temporary staff.
- Make arrangements for illegally parked or abandoned vehicles to be towed, and direct tow-truck drivers to the correct vehicles.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Windows
- Complus Data Innovations FastTrack
- Integrated Parking Solutions MApp
- Ticket issuing software
- Vehicle information databases
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Knowledge areas
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Law and Government
- Computers and Electronics
- Education and Training
- Psychology
- Foreign Language
- Transportation