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Hotels & Resorts
Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt
Parking Attendants
Parking attendants keep cars moving, track where vehicles are parked, collect fees, and help drivers get in and out quickly. The work is unusually hands-on and public-facing: part traffic control, part customer service, part damage prevention. The tradeoff is that the job is easy to enter and always needed, but the pay is modest and the work can be physically demanding, stressful, and exposed to weather.
Also known as Valet AttendantParking Lot AttendantParking Garage AttendantGarage AttendantCar Park Attendant
Median Salary
$34,600
Mean $34,190
U.S. Workforce
~135K
18.5K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+3%
135.7K to 139.8K
Entry Education
No formal educational credential
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Parking Attendants sits in the Business category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~135K workers, with a median annual pay of $34,600 and roughly 18.5K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 135.7 K in 2024 to 139.8K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with No formal educational credential, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Parking Lot Attendant and can progress toward Parking Operations Manager. High-value skills usually include Parking Management Systems & Ticketing Software, POS Cash Handling & Receipt Systems, and Two-Way Radios & Dispatch Logs, paired with soft skills such as Speaking, Service Orientation, and Active Listening.
Core Responsibilities
- Welcome drivers, open car doors, and help people who need extra assistance getting in and out of the vehicle.
- Tag each parked car so the staff can find it later and match vehicles to the right customer.
- Move cars into parking spaces or bring them back when customers leave, while keeping traffic flowing in the lot or garage.
- Explain parking rates, take payment, and deal with questions or complaints at the counter or curb.
Keep exploring: more Business careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Welcome drivers, open car doors, and help people who need extra assistance getting in and out of the vehicle.
02 Tag each parked car so the staff can find it later and match vehicles to the right customer.
03 Move cars into parking spaces or bring them back when customers leave, while keeping traffic flowing in the lot or garage.
04 Explain parking rates, take payment, and deal with questions or complaints at the counter or curb.
05 Check vehicles for visible damage before and after parking so problems can be documented.
06 Keep the parking area orderly and call for help if there is an emergency, a stalled car, or another roadside problem.
Industries That Hire
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Airports & Transportation Hubs
Sodexo Live!, Delaware North, ABM
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Hospitals & Medical Centers
Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, HCA Healthcare
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Parking Management Companies
LAZ Parking, SP Plus, Reimagined Parking
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Casinos & Entertainment Venues
MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, Wynn Resorts
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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It is a low-barrier job: BLS says no formal credential is typical, and many workers start after only short on-the-job training.
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There are steady hiring opportunities, with about 18.5K annual openings projected each year.
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The work is active and hands-on, which suits people who do not want to sit at a desk all day.
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Customer service skills matter right away, so reliable workers can stand out quickly without a long résumé.
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It can lead into hotel, security, or parking operations work if you want a practical first job with a foot in the door.
Challenges
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Pay is modest for a full-time job, with average pay around $34,190 and a median of $34,600 a year.
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Growth is slow: employment is projected to rise only 3% from 2024 to 2034, so the role is not expanding quickly.
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A lot of the work happens outdoors or in garages, so you may deal with heat, cold, rain, and constant standing or walking.
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The job has a real ceiling; many of the higher-paying steps are supervisory, so there are only so many promotions available.
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Automation and self-parking systems can reduce demand in some locations, especially where garages add kiosks, app payments, or license plate readers.
Career Progression
Parking Lot Attendant
0-1 years
$28K-$31K
New workers learn the layout, how to tag vehicles, how to collect fees, and how to move cars safely without slowing down traffic.
Parking Attendant
1-3 years
$32K-$36K
At this stage, the worker handles customers more smoothly, solves small problems on the spot, and works the busiest shifts with less supervision.
Lead Parking Attendant THIS ROLE
3-5 years
$37K-$44K
The lead keeps the line moving, answers tougher customer issues, checks for damage reports, and helps train newer staff.
Parking Supervisor
5-8 years
$45K-$56K
Supervisors manage schedules, make sure payments are handled correctly, and coordinate staff during rushes, events, and weather problems.
Parking Operations Manager
8+ years
$57K-$75K
Managers oversee multiple lots or garages, set procedures, handle vendor and client issues, and focus on efficiency, safety, and revenue.
Education Paths
No formal educational credential
BLS lists this as the typical entry point, and 38.29% of workers in the O*NET data have less than a high school diploma, so employers often hire for reliability and train on the job.
High school diploma
The largest educational group, at 60.75% of workers in the O*NET distribution, and a common fit for employers that want basic reading, math, and customer service skills.
Short-term on-the-job training
This is the usual training setup for the role, with most workers learning ticketing, fee collection, lot rules, and customer handling quickly on site.
Key Skills
Technical
Parking Management Systems & Ticketing Software 60%
POS Cash Handling & Receipt Systems 58%
Two-Way Radios & Dispatch Logs 52%
Vehicle Inspection & Damage Reporting Forms 48%
Lot Flow Control, Cones & Barrier Setup 44%
Soft Skills
SpeakingService OrientationActive ListeningSocial PerceptivenessJudgment and Decision MakingCoordination Job Outlook and Trends
+3%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
18.5K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 135.7K to 139.8 K over the next decade, representing 3% growth. Around 18.5 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.