It’s a more dangerous job than you might expect. There’s traffic involved, managing small children, adults in vehicles who never listen to you, and often absolutely crazy work hours. What job could this possibly be? That of a crossing guard. We’re at a time where so many people are looking into changing careers. Maybe you’ve always sought to recreate the drama of indie film legend Martin Donovan in a 1992 special episode of The Adventures of Pete & Pete. Or maybe not. But you want to find a way to serve your community and not work all day, every day. And help out folks, as pedestrian deaths have increased almost 53% in the last ten years, corresponding to a huge rise in the use & ownership of smartphones. Here’s a little bit of information as to how you might do that, and how to go about it in different places.
Crossing guards in Ontario province
Living in Toronto and need a temporary job to get on your feet? If you live in the province of Ontario, then you can get started and make around $16.10 per hour. This hourly rate matches much of the rest of Canada for crossing guard salaries. While safety experts are hugely concerned about a slight uptick in pedestrian deaths, Toronto has a much lower rate of pedestrian deaths than comparable major cities in the US. In order to get started as a crossing guard and helping people stay safe, you can
Crossing guards in New York City
As a crossing guard in NYC, you are part of the NYPD. The average salary for crossing guards in NYC is $22,443. This is obviously not fantastic, considering how expensive housing is in the city. This number is also much lower than how much crossing guards make in other, often less expensive, large cities. Other negative aspects of becoming a crossing guard in NYC are the absolutely insane traffic circumstances and often dangerous crosswalks. Although many New Yorkers are more adept at following traffic laws, NYC was behind only LA in terms of number of pedestrian deaths in 2019.
Crossing guards in Philadelphia
In the City of Brotherly Love, crossing guards make an average of $28,442. Crossing guard salaries range between $23,059 and $35,176. That salary can qualify for low income housing, of which there seems to be a good deal of in Philadelphia. However, housing is becoming a little less affordable nowadays, so this is still a concern.
Crossing guards in Orlando
The hourly rate for crossing guards in Orlando is $13.09 per hour, going up to about $19.65 an hour in some circumstances. The good news here is that for cities in Florida, Orlando has one of the best quality of life to housing costs ratio. The bad news is that the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford metro area is the worst in the country for pedestrian safety by a large measure. Much more so than in NYC, you are paid a rate that you can live off of. However, the increased danger of working in a city so dangerous for pedestrians is a huge concern.
Regardless of how much a crossing guard makes, they make a big difference in the world around them. And for a part time job, that is a pretty good deal.
