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Job title · SOC 33-3041

Parking Enforcement Officer

01

Overview

Sourced

Patrol assigned area, such as public parking lot or city streets to issue tickets to overtime parking violators and illegally parked vehicles.

O*NET definition of Parking Enforcement Workers (SOC 33-3041) · Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed.

8,370
in government (SOC 33-3041)
92%
of this occupation works for government
$47,240
median pay in government
Local
levels of government

Titles employers use

Parking Control OfficerParking Enforcement Officer (PEO)Parking EnforcerTicket WriterMeter MaidParking Enforcement Technician (Parking Enforcement Tech)Parking OfficerParking PatrollerParking Regulation Enforcement OfficerParking Technician (Parking Tech)
How people usually get in Editorial
civil-service application. Requirements vary by employer; each employer page will list its exact rules.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership; U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database; GovJobs Wiki (editorial). Data captured September 30, 2026.

02

Requirements

Sourced
Typical entry requirements (BLS, SOC 33-3041)
Education needed to enter
High school diploma or equivalent
Related work experience
None
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training

Education workers say the job requires

High School Diploma or the equivalent
80%
Some College Courses
0%
Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree
11%
Bachelor's Degree
8%

Share of surveyed workers in Parking Enforcement Workers (SOC 33-3041) naming each level as required to be hired, 12 respondents, O*NET survey August 2026. Each employer sets its own minimum.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — education and training assignments by detailed occupation (Tables 5.3, 5.4); U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.

04

Academy and training

Sourced
Training to become competent (BLS)
SOC 33-3041
Short-term on-the-job training
Preparation level (O*NET)
Job zone
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Academy length, curriculum and paid-training policies are set by each employer and state; they are part of the employer collection stage.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — education and training assignments by detailed occupation (Tables 5.3, 5.4). Data captured September 30, 2026.

06

Promotion ladder

Editorial

Seniority steps: single title × seniority steps; growth via steps, overtime, bidding (bus operator, sanitation, dispatcher). Typical structure for a single title with seniority steps; titles, steps and timing differ by employer.

  1. Trainee / probationary
  2. Steps to top rate
  3. Lead / trainer
  4. Supervisor
  5. Manager

Source: GovJobs Wiki (editorial).

07

Pay

Sourced
Federal
Not published
State
$44,800
Local
$47,320
All government
$47,240
Private sector
$40,040

Median annual wage by employer type, national, May 2025. Federal includes the U.S. Postal Service; state and local include public schools and hospitals.

Employer typeWorkers10th pct.25thMedian75th90th
State900$30,740$36,520$44,800$60,400$72,720
Local7,470$35,710$40,370$47,320$61,270$76,870
All government8,370$35,210$39,970$47,240$61,240$76,750
Private sector680$33,930$38,680$40,040$40,180$50,220

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.

08

Schedule

Sourced
Work schedule
Regular
78%
Irregular
22%
Seasonal
0%
Typical work week
Less than 40 hours
68%
40 hours
32%

Share of surveyed workers in the occupation (O*NET work context, August 2026). Shift patterns and differentials depend on the employer.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.

12

Day-to-day work

Sourced
  1. Enter and retrieve information pertaining to vehicle registration, identification, and status, using hand-held computers.4.7
  2. Maintain close communications with dispatching personnel, using two-way radios or cell phones.4.3
  3. Patrol an assigned area by vehicle or on foot to ensure public compliance with existing parking ordinance.4.3
  4. Write warnings and citations for illegally parked vehicles.4.3
  5. 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.4.3
  6. Appear in court at hearings regarding contested traffic citations.4.2
  7. Maintain assigned equipment and supplies, such as hand-held citation computers, citation books, rain gear, tire-marking chalk, and street cones.3.9
  8. Respond to and make radio dispatch calls regarding parking violations and complaints.3.8
  9. Provide information to the public regarding parking regulations and facilities, and the location of streets, buildings and points of interest.3.8
  10. Make arrangements for illegally parked or abandoned vehicles to be towed, and direct tow-truck drivers to the correct vehicles.3.7

The 10 most important of 13 core tasks for Parking Enforcement Workers, ranked by importance (1–5) in the O*NET survey of August 2026.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.

13Derived
Animal Control Officer
Same job family
ATF Special Agent
Same job family
Border Patrol Agent
Same job family
Campus / University Police Officer
Same job family
CBP Officer (Customs & Border Protection)
Same job family
Community Service Officer (civilian police)
Same job family
Crime Scene Investigator / Forensic Technician
Same job family
DEA Special Agent
Same job family
16

By state

Sourced

Median annual wage for Parking Enforcement Workers (SOC 33-3041) in each state, all employers (BLS state estimates do not separate government from private). Highest first.

StateWorkers10th pct.Median90th pct.
Washington190$53,130$68,120$76,870
California1,710$40,040$62,280$86,040
Oregon80$43,270$59,810$76,750
Nevada40$51,570$55,040$84,530
Utah70$37,360$52,670$57,580
Massachusetts300$43,710$51,980$64,040
New Hampshire70$35,970$51,580$59,870
Wisconsin150$37,120$49,060$71,400
Ohio110$29,170$48,510$59,570
Colorado100$41,460$47,910$61,800
Montana40$38,930$47,750$57,020
New York730$37,380$47,590$75,940
Vermont30$38,570$47,460$56,730
IllinoisNot published$31,200$47,080$74,660
Virginia130$35,920$46,840$60,790
Florida710$36,630$46,160$58,650
Maryland250$36,460$46,060$74,220
Kentucky30$28,110$45,790$53,640
Pennsylvania660$34,720$45,770$47,780
Oklahoma60$30,740$45,200$50,520
Connecticut70$41,520$44,100$74,020
Maine30$43,680$44,040$58,120
New Jersey470$35,240$43,920$57,850
Iowa50$36,810$43,370$57,680
South Carolina120$35,770$43,040$56,660
Kansas40$34,730$42,420$51,960
North Carolina80$33,780$42,410$53,960
Minnesota40$38,790$41,670$59,960
Hawaii30$40,240$40,480$61,790
Delaware70$37,440$40,360$57,720
Indiana100$25,340$39,940$50,030
Alabama40$28,350$39,270$47,840
Missouri70$36,970$39,040$51,510
Texas270$30,890$38,720$46,590
Michigan180$31,910$37,460$48,310
Georgia40$26,880$36,100$44,170
Tennessee40$32,990$35,730$43,610
Idaho60$33,880$33,930$49,800
West Virginia50$25,980$30,490$37,660
Arkansas50$30,100$30,100$40,140
Mississippi40$24,070$27,550$40,810

41 states with published estimates.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Not yet collected

These dimensions are part of every job page. We publish them only once they are sourced from official documents such as job postings, pay plans, union contracts and state standards.

  • 03 Hiring process
    The steps in order and how long they take: application, written and physical tests, oral board, background check, polygraph, psychological and medical exams, eligibility list
    Not yet collected
  • 05 Probation
    Probation length and what ends it
    Not yet collected
  • 09 Benefits and pension
    Pension plan and formula, retirement age and years, DROP, retiree health, Social Security coverage, 457(b) and PSLF eligibility
    Not yet collected
  • 10 Union contracts
    Bargaining unit, union and the current contract, with its source and effective dates
    Not yet collected
  • 11 Transfers and lateral entry
    Lateral entry policy, certification reciprocity, lateral bonuses and moves between agencies
    Not yet collected
  • 14 Exam practice
    Named entrance and licensing exams, with free practice tests where they exist
    Not yet collected
  • 15 Employer directory
    Every public employer that hires this job, with its own pay and rules
    Not yet collected