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Career

Parking Attendants

Typical education: High school diplomaLower pressure

What they do

Park vehicles or issue tickets for customers in a parking lot or garage. May park or tend vehicles in environments such as a car dealership or rental car facility. May collect fee.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $35,150 Median per year · $16.90/hr Most earn $27,040–$44,550

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Provide customer assistance and information, such as giving directions or handling wheelchairs.
  • Issue ticket stubs or place numbered tags on windshields, log tags or attach tag to customers' keys, and give customers matching tags for locating parked vehicles.
  • Perform cash handling tasks, such as making change, balancing and recording cash drawer, or distributing tips.
  • Patrol parking areas to prevent vehicle damage and vehicle or property thefts.
  • Call emergency responders or the proper authorities and provide motorist assistance, such as giving directions or helping jump start a stalled vehicle.
  • Explain and calculate parking charges, collect fees from customers, and respond to customer complaints.

Job outlook

United States
2% more jobs by 2035, slower than average · about 16,400 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Other personal services51.7%
  • Automobile dealers16.1%
  • Temporary help services4.0%
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals2.7%
  • Automotive equipment rental and leasing2.3%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: Up to 1 month

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: Up to 1 monthEntry-level

This is an entry-level job. You can usually start with a high school diploma and learn the work on the job, typically in up to about a month.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finishing high school gives you the basic education most parking attendant employers ask for, and it's the only formal requirement for this job.

  2. Parking Attendant

    Up to 1 month of on-the-job training

    You learn to park and retrieve vehicles safely, handle tickets and payments, and work with customers. This is the job itself, so it's where the path ends.

Where it can lead

  1. Parking Supervisor

    1-3 years of experience first

    You would oversee a team of attendants, schedule shifts, handle customer complaints, and make sure the lot runs smoothly. Showing reliability and good customer service as an attendant helps you get noticed for this role.

  2. Shuttle Driver or Chauffeur

    2-4 years of related work experience of experience first

    This role involves driving passengers safely and often requires a valid driver's license and a clean driving record. It usually takes more experience than parking work, so it's a longer-term move if you enjoy driving.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and business or accounting classesHandling fees, tickets, and cash regularly uses basic math and money skills.
  • Get a starter job in customer serviceA part-time job at a store, restaurant, or front desk teaches you how to stay calm and friendly with customers.
  • Get your driver's license and practice safe drivingMany attendant jobs involve moving cars, and a license shows employers you're ready to drive.
  • Volunteer at a local event or community centerHelping direct people or manage crowds builds the reliability and communication skills this job needs.
  • Build a simple resumeListing your school activities and any job or volunteer work helps you apply for your first parking job with confidence.

In college

  • Take customer service or business coursesClasses in customer service, business basics, or hospitality help you understand how parking operations and customer relations work.
  • Work a part-time job that involves cash or customer contactJobs in retail, food service, or event work build the money handling and people skills employers look for.
  • Get a valid driver's license and a clean driving recordMost parking employers check driving history, and a clean record makes it easier to be hired and to move up to roles that require driving.
  • Apply for a summer or part-time job at a parking facility or car dealershipReal experience at a lot or garage gives you a head start and a reference for future jobs.
  • Consider a certification in customer service or first aidShort certifications, often offered by community colleges or local organizations, show employers you take safety and service seriously.

Tips for getting started

  • Keep a clean record and show up on time. Parking jobs often value reliability above all, and a steady record makes it easier to earn more responsibility later.
  • Get comfortable with customer service and basic cash or card handling. These skills are used every shift and show employers you're ready for the job.
  • Learn to drive a manual or automatic car smoothly and confidently. Many parking attendant jobs involve moving vehicles, so this is a useful skill to build early.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

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