Transportation

How much does a parking attendant make?

The median parking attendant in the United States earns $34,600 per year, about $16.63 an hour. That is the midpoint of the profession: half of all parking attendants earn more, and half earn less.

Median annual salary
$34,600
Median hourly wage
$16.63 /hr
Employed in the U.S.
134,650

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2024. SOC code 53-6021.

Parking attendant salary range

Pay for parking attendants spans a wide band. The lowest paid 10 percent earn under $24,960 a year, while the highest paid 10 percent take home more than $43,840. The average (mean) wage is $34,190, close to the median.

Percentile Annual Hourly
10th percentile $24,960 $12.00 Lowest paid
25th percentile $29,590 $14.23
Median (50th) $34,600 $16.63 Midpoint
75th percentile $37,230 $17.90
90th percentile $43,840 $21.08 Highest paid

Figures are national wage estimates for parking attendants (SOC 53-6021), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2024.

Parking attendant salary by state

Where you work changes the paycheck. Parking attendants earn the most in Washington at $41,200 a year, and the least in Louisiana at $23,280. The table below lists every state with published data, ranked by median annual salary.

State Median annual Employed
Washington $41,200 2,780
Oregon $39,150 1,000
Colorado $38,800 1,350
Wyoming $38,210 50
Illinois $37,320 4,870
Vermont $36,870 110
Massachusetts $36,840 3,400
District of Columbia $36,610 2,010
California $36,350 24,850
Minnesota $36,180 1,280
North Dakota $35,530 130
Alaska $35,480 60
New Jersey $35,280 4,850
New York $35,260 11,680
Connecticut $35,210 1,040
Utah $34,590 430
Maryland $34,030 1,700
Arizona $33,020 3,330
Michigan $32,980 2,800
Ohio $32,710 2,750
Delaware $32,440 190
Kansas $32,380 170
Nebraska $32,370 420
Rhode Island $31,950 480
Hawaii $31,900 1,460
Wisconsin $31,560 1,060
South Dakota $31,540 240
Idaho $31,510 340
Kentucky $30,860 920
Texas $30,690 11,150
Virginia $30,660 1,820
North Carolina $30,650 2,540
Indiana $30,590 2,400
Tennessee $30,490 2,250
Pennsylvania $30,170 5,270
Georgia $29,860 3,490
New Mexico $29,810 360
Arkansas $29,780 440
Nevada $29,550 2,340
Maine $29,430 180
New Hampshire $29,380 360
Iowa $29,300 1,270
Missouri $29,170 1,470
Florida $28,730 17,670
South Carolina $28,570 1,330
Alabama $28,250 1,150
West Virginia $27,970 160
Oklahoma $26,460 1,040
Mississippi $25,550 380
Louisiana $23,280 1,670

State median wages for parking attendants (SOC 53-6021), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS state files, May 2024. States where the BLS does not publish a median are not shown.

Job outlook for parking attendants

The BLS projects employment of parking attendants to grow 2% from 2025 to 2035. That is about as fast as the 3.5% average for all occupations. That works out to roughly 139,200 jobs in 2025 moving toward 142,000 by 2035.

Across the decade, the BLS expects about 16,400 openings a year for parking attendants. Most come from the need to replace workers who move to other jobs or leave the workforce, on top of any new positions from growth.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, 2025-35 (Table 1.2, Occupational projections and worker characteristics).

How to become a parking attendant

The typical entry-level education for parking attendants is no formal educational credential, according to the BLS. New hires typically complete short-term on-the-job training to reach full competency.

A four-year college degree is usually not required to start, which makes this one of the jobs you can enter without a bachelor's degree. See more high paying jobs without a degree .

Education, training, and experience data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program.

What affects how much a parking attendant earns

Route type, employer, endorsements, and hours behind the wheel drive pay. Long-haul, specialized freight, and union employers tend to sit at the top of the range, while local and entry-level roles start lower.

Location is one of the clearest factors. The gap between the top paying state (Washington, $41,200) and the lowest (Louisiana, $23,280) shows how much geography alone can move the number, before experience or specialization.

About 134,650 people work as parking attendants in the United States. At $34,600 a year, the job pays below the $49,500 median for all U.S. jobs.

Parking attendant salary FAQ

How much does a parking attendant make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a parking attendant is $16.63. The middle half of parking attendants earn between $14.23 and $17.90 per hour.

What is the highest parking attendant salary?

The highest paid 10 percent of parking attendants earn more than $43,840 per year. Top earners usually have the most experience and work in the best paying regions and industries.

How much does a parking attendant make a year?

The median annual salary for a parking attendant is $34,600. The average (mean) wage is $34,190, close to the median.

Is being a parking attendant a well paid job?

At $34,600 a year, a parking attendant earns below the $49,500 median for all U.S. jobs. About 134,650 people work as parking attendants in the United States.

Which state pays parking attendants the most?

Washington has the highest median salary for parking attendants at $41,200 a year. Oregon ($39,150) and Colorado ($38,800) follow. State medians come from the BLS OEWS state files, May 2024.

Is being a parking attendant a good career?

Employment of parking attendants is projected to grow 2% from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the 3.5% average for all occupations. The BLS projects about 16,400 openings each year, from growth and from workers leaving the occupation.

Do you need a degree to become a parking attendant?

No. The BLS lists the typical entry-level education for parking attendants as no formal educational credential, so a four-year degree is usually not required to start.

Related salaries

See more in Transportation salaries or browse the highest paying jobs in the U.S.

Sources. National and state wage and employment figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 and the OEWS state files. Growth, openings, education, and training: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2025–2035). Every figure on this page is published by the BLS and is shown without adjustment. View the originals at bls.gov/oes and bls.gov/emp. Last updated 2025-04-02.