Why We Love It
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$27,730Potential Avg. Salary
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6.3%Job Growth Rate
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Growing DemandJob Outlook
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High Job SatisfactionCareer Attribute
A school crossing guard serves an important function – ensuring that children who walk or cycle to school cross the street safely at key locations. Candidates are expected to serve their community while earning extra income as a school crossing guard.
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What is a School Crossing Guard?
- Ensure that school children cross municipal roadways safely in compliance with City Policy and Procedure, Operational Matters and Health and Safety Matters.
- Discourage children from behaving unsafely near traffic, such as darting into the street without paying attention to incoming traffic.
- Observe and report any incidents or conditions that present a potential safety hazard to the school children or the School Crossing Supervisor.
- Direct traffic on specified streets around the school precinct, using an issued regulated Stop Sign and perform daily safety checks.
Day in the life
The school crossing guard has to monitor students as they cross busy intersections to and from school, with the purpose of preventing traffic accidents. This role involves directing both vehicular and pedestrian traffic as required, at an assigned school crossing.
Other related tasks include but are not limited to, regulating the traffic in accordance with traffic lights, reporting traffic violations and notifying the supervisor of any defective traffic lights or signs. The individual is provided all safety equipment at no cost, e.g. a safety vest, stop sign, rain jacket, rain boots, whistle and non-slip soles.
Work schedule and typical hours
School crossing guards are hired part-time or full-time during the 180-day school calendar and are placed at high-frequency intersections. They work five-hour days for a maximum of 25 hours per week excluding summers or school holidays. Schedules may vary by school, but are generally from 7:00 am to 9:30 am, and 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm.
A school crossing guard can be a paid employee or a volunteer member of a community. Paid employment ensures training and evaluation opportunities for the hiring party. This is keeping in mind with the fact that this role serves as a positive role model for children.
Growth of the job
With more schools being constructed in the country and the population of school children on the rise, crossing guards will be required to work across new schools. Many roads will be constructed or refinished each year and school crossing guards will be needed for directing traffic in areas close to school zones.
Demand for those in this job sector is expected to increase as fast as average, with an expected 7,770 new jobs filled by 2018. This represents an annual increase of 1.41 percent over the next few years.
Typical employers
Major employers of school crossing guards are local government agencies in charge of school construction, local law enforcement agencies, traffic engineering departments, individual schools or school districts, and other local communities. Typically, guards are assigned to a school crossing within the confines of the resident precinct or a neighboring precinct.
Preserving the health and welfare of a school crossing guard is vital for their work. To this end, school crossing guards become eligible to sign up for a city-sponsored health insurance program if they work twenty hours a week on a steady basis.
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How To Become a School Crossing Guard
There is no formal requirement of education or experience needed, but he or she has to be at least 18 years of age. Some employers may prefer a high school diploma or its equivalent, as minimum education credentials. However, all candidates must be able to comprehend and clearly communicate in both verbal and written English.
School crossing guards primarily learn their skills on the job, with new guards working with experienced ones for a few days to get a feel for the day-to-day duties. Prospective candidates must pass a qualifying medical examination and a character investigation. One has to be able to work in adverse conditions such as bad weather, heavy traffic and so on. Having superior vision, hearing and mobility is important to perform the duties well.
There are certain local communities as well as city police departments that offer adult school crossing guard training. Training covers topics like traffic laws, school zone signage, traffic signals and signs, crossing procedures, traffic hazards and professional responsibilities such as the chain of command.
For instance, the Orlando Police Department’s School Crossing Guard Program uses both classroom instruction and field exercises. At present, it has 104 crossing guards covering 37 schools across the city. School crossing guards here are trained according to the State of Florida Standards.
School Crossing Guard Salary Data
We’ve provided you the following to learn more about this career. The salary and growth data on this page comes from recently published Bureau of Labor Statistics data while the recommendations and editorial content are based on our research.
National Anual Salary
Low Range
$19,680Average
$27,730High Range
$39,540National Hourly Wage
Low Range
$9/hrAverage
$13/hrHigh Range
$19/hrHow do School Crossing Guard salaries stack up to other jobs across the country? Based on the latest jobs data nationwide, School Crossing Guard's can make an average annual salary of $27,730, or $13 per hour. This makes it an Above Average Salary. On the lower end, they can make $19,680 or $9 per hour, perhaps when just starting out or based on the state you live in.
Salary Rankings And Facts
#734 Nationally for All Careers
Highest Education Among School Crossing Guards
- 0.4% Doctorate
- 1.5% Masters
- 6.5% Bachelors
- 6.2% Associates
- 23.9% College
- 42.2% High School
- 19.3% Less than High School
Job Growth Projections and Forecast
2014 Total Jobs
69,8002024 Est. Jobs
74,200Job Growth Rate
6.3%Est. New Jobs
4,400How does School Crossing Guard job growth stack up to other jobs across the country? By 2024, there will be a change of 4,400 jobs for a total of 74,200 people employed in the career nationwide. This is a 6.3% change in growth over the next ten years, giving the career a growth rate nationwide of Below Average.
Growth Rankings And Facts
#356 Nationally for All Careers
What Companies Employ The Most School Crossing Guards
| Industry | Current Jobs | New Jobs Needed | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 46,200 | 2,600 | 3% |
| Elementary and secondary schools; local | 9,900 | 500 | 1% |
| Other support services | 8,500 | 700 | 1% |
