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Salary comparison

Parking Enforcement Workers vs. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers: Who Earns More?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers out-earn Parking Enforcement Workers by $29K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Parking Enforcement Workers land at $46,730 and Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers at $76,210. The education gap is real: parking enforcement worker programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while police and sheriff's patrol officer programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Parking Enforcement Workers is Washington ($68,120); for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers it's California ($118,880).

Parking Enforcement Workers
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
Median salary
$46,730
$76,210
Hourly rate
$22.47/hr
$36.64/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$35,130
$47,510
Senior level (90th %)
$75,340
$115,120
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
9,050
670,520
Job growth (10-year)
-1.5%
3.1%
Category
Public Safety
Public Safety
Top-paying state
Washington
California

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Parking Enforcement Workers median pay.

State
Parking Enforcement Workers
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
Washington
$68,120
$102,080
California
$62,280
$118,880
Oregon
$59,810
$88,140
Nevada
$55,040
$78,140
Massachusetts
$51,980
$78,940
Wisconsin
$49,060
$78,090
Colorado
$47,910
$97,350
New York
$47,590
$92,790
Illinois
$47,080
$100,520
Pennsylvania
$45,770
$85,470
Connecticut
$44,100
$82,170
New Jersey
$43,920
$92,610
Minnesota
$41,670
$83,360
Hawaii
$40,480
$83,820
Delaware
$40,360
$92,970

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Parking Enforcement Workers or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers earn more nationally. The median is $46,730 for Parking Enforcement Workers versus $76,210 for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers, a difference of $29K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Parking Enforcement Workers or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers has the better 10-year outlook at 3.1% projected growth, compared to -1.5% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Parking Enforcement Workers or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

Parking Enforcement Workers typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Parking Enforcement Workers get paid the most?

Washington is the top-paying state for Parking Enforcement Workers at $68,120/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Parking Enforcement Workers vs. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Washington, Parking Enforcement Workers earn $68,120 vs. $102,080 for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Parking Enforcement Workers salary breakdownView →Full Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Parking Enforcement Workers by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers by take-home payExplore →How to become a parking enforcement workersGuide →How to become a police and sheriff's patrol officersGuide →