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Salary comparison

Parking Enforcement Workers vs. Security Guards: Who Earns More?

Parking Enforcement Workers out-earn Security Guards by $9K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Parking Enforcement Workers land at $46,730 and Security Guards at $38,020. The education gap is real: parking enforcement worker programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while security guard programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Parking Enforcement Workers is Washington ($68,120); for Security Guards it's District of Columbia ($64,210).

Parking Enforcement Workers
Security Guards
Median salary
$46,730
$38,020
Hourly rate
$22.47/hr
$18.28/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$35,130
$30,210
Senior level (90th %)
$75,340
$58,840
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
9,050
1,283,470
Job growth (10-year)
-1.5%
0.4%
Category
Public Safety
Public Safety
Top-paying state
Washington
District of Columbia

Pay by state

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

State
Parking Enforcement Workers
Security Guards
Washington
$68,120
$47,100
California
$62,280
$43,240
Oregon
$59,810
$45,500
Utah
$52,670
$42,700
Massachusetts
$51,980
$44,670
New Hampshire
$51,580
$45,200
Colorado
$47,910
$45,150
New York
$47,590
$44,240
Vermont
$47,460
$45,550
Illinois
$47,080
$39,490
Virginia
$46,840
$43,640
Connecticut
$44,100
$39,920
Minnesota
$41,670
$43,380
Hawaii
$40,480
$42,820
Missouri
$39,040
$40,390

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Parking Enforcement Workers or Security Guards?

Parking Enforcement Workers earn more nationally. The median is $46,730 for Parking Enforcement Workers versus $38,020 for Security Guards, a difference of $9K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Parking Enforcement Workers or Security Guards?

Security Guards has the better 10-year outlook at 0.4% projected growth, compared to -1.5% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Parking Enforcement Workers or Security Guards?

Parking Enforcement Workers typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Security Guards 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. Security Guards pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Washington, Parking Enforcement Workers earn $68,120 vs. $47,100 for Security Guards. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Parking Enforcement Workers salary breakdownView →Full Security Guards salary breakdownView →Best cities for Parking Enforcement Workers by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Security Guards by take-home payExplore →How to become a parking enforcement workersGuide →How to become a security guardsGuide →