Crossing Guards and Flaggers: Career Profile
Guide or control vehicular or pedestrian traffic at such places as streets, schools, railroad crossings, or construction sites.
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The Daily Work of Crossing Guards and Flaggers Perform?
Typical responsibilities of crossing guards and flaggers cover:
- Direct or escort pedestrians across streets, stopping traffic, as necessary.
- Guide or control vehicular or pedestrian traffic at such places as street and railroad crossings and construction sites.
- Monitor traffic flow to locate safe gaps through which pedestrians can cross streets.
- Communicate traffic and crossing rules and other information to students and adults.
- Direct traffic movement or warn of hazards, using signs, flags, lanterns, and hand signals.
- Report unsafe behavior of children to school officials.
- Record license numbers of vehicles disregarding traffic signals, and report infractions to appropriate authorities.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective crossing guards and flaggers rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Crossing Guards and Flaggers Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Adult Crossing Guard
- Campus Supervisor
- Community Service Officer
- Construction Site Crossing Guard
- Crossing Flagman
- Crossing Gateman
- Crossing Guard
- Crossing Tender
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 181,969 crossing guards and flaggers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +10.8% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Crossing Guards and Flaggers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $58,496 |
| Hourly median | $28.12 |
| 10th percentile | $36,789 |
| 25th percentile | $47,642 |
| 75th percentile | $69,349 |
| 90th percentile | $80,203 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Crossing Guards and Flaggers Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| North Dakota | $60,940 |
| Washington | $59,680 |
| Hawaii | $53,940 |
| South Dakota | $50,260 |
| California | $49,310 |
| Minnesota | $48,590 |
| Oregon | $47,140 |
| Vermont | $45,670 |
| New Hampshire | $44,960 |
| New York | $44,180 |
| Rhode Island | $42,930 |
| Montana | $42,300 |
| New Jersey | $42,270 |
| Maine | $42,130 |
| Massachusetts | $41,010 |
| Idaho | $40,000 |
| District of Columbia | $39,610 |
| Iowa | $39,380 |
| Illinois | $38,820 |
| Connecticut | $38,490 |
| Tennessee | $37,770 |
| Colorado | $37,660 |
| Virginia | $37,360 |
| Nebraska | $37,240 |
| Wisconsin | $36,780 |
| Wyoming | $36,400 |
| Maryland | $36,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,240 |
| Delaware | $36,120 |
| Indiana | $36,100 |
| Florida | $35,480 |
| North Carolina | $35,290 |
| Ohio | $34,850 |
| Georgia | $34,850 |
| Utah | $34,480 |
| Arizona | $34,020 |
| Kentucky | $33,870 |
| Missouri | $33,190 |
| Nevada | $32,860 |
| Texas | $32,730 |
| Kansas | $32,720 |
| South Carolina | $32,480 |
| West Virginia | $31,800 |
| Michigan | $31,200 |
| New Mexico | $31,110 |
| Arkansas | $30,590 |
| Mississippi | $30,160 |
| Oklahoma | $28,300 |
| Alabama | $25,480 |
| Louisiana | $22,980 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Pay for crossing guards and flaggers vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $50,653 | 15.7% | 1.15 |
| Plains States | $41,823 | 1.3% | 0.20 |
| New England | $41,130 | 6.0% | 1.65 |
| Middle Atlantic | $40,248 | 33.4% | 2.27 |
| Rocky Mountains | $36,877 | 5.0% | 1.33 |
| Great Lakes | $35,757 | 10.9% | 0.83 |
| Southeast | $34,949 | 20.2% | 1.08 |
| Southwest | $32,861 | 7.5% | 0.67 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Crossing Guards and Flaggers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | SC | $99,060 | 160 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | GA | $82,400 | 30 |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $80,720 | 210 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | WA | $66,410 | 60 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | WA | $64,060 | 420 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | WA | $63,510 | 40 |
| Bellingham, WA | WA | $61,280 | 40 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $61,170 | 440 |
Top Industries Employing Crossing Guards and Flaggers
The bulk of crossing guards and flaggers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 38,570 | $37,740 |
| Educational Services | 7,540 | $34,950 |
| Construction | 6,090 | $46,840 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 910 | $35,330 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 690 | $33,190 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 510 | $35,890 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 200 | $29,590 |
| Manufacturing | 170 | $42,680 |
Below are examples of industries where crossing guards and flaggers work:
Tech Stack
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for crossing guards and flaggers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Spend Time Standing
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
- Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
- Exposed to Contaminants
Getting Started in This Career
Typical crossing guards and flaggers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Parking Enforcement Workers (Primary-Short)
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (Supplemental)
- Transit and Railroad Police (Primary-Short)
- Security Guards (Primary-Short)
- Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers (Supplemental)
- Transportation Security Screeners (Primary-Long)
- School Bus Monitors (Supplemental)
- Public Safety Telecommunicators (Supplemental)
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 33-9091.00 (Crossing Guards and Flaggers).