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Salary comparison

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

Parking Enforcement Workerss out-earn Security Guardss by $9K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Parking Enforcement Workerss land at $46,730 and Security Guardss 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 Workerss is Washington ($68,120); for Security Guardss 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)
N/A
N/A
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 Workerss or Security Guardss?

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

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

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

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 Workerss get paid the most?

Washington is the top-paying state for Parking Enforcement Workerss 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 Workerss earn $68,120 vs. $47,100 for Security Guardss. 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 Workerss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Security Guardss by take-home payExplore →How to become a parking enforcement workersGuide →How to become a security guardsGuide →