Anchor demographics and statistics in the US
Anchor demographics research summary. Zippia estimates anchor demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our anchor estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about anchors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 4,033 anchors currently employed in the United States.
- 44.1% of all anchors are women, while 55.9% are men.
- The average anchor age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of anchors is White (67.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.3%), Asian (9.5%) and Black or African American (6.3%).
- In 2022, women earned 97% of what men earned.
- 10% of all anchors are LGBT.
- Anchors are 65% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
On this page
Anchor demographics by:
Anchor gender statistics
44.1% of anchors are women and 55.9% of anchors are men.
- Male, 55.9%
- Female, 44.1%
Anchor gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 55.9% |
| Female | 44.1% |
Anchor gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$65,936
Female income
$64,139
Anchor gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in anchor positions over time. Currently, 44.1% of anchors are female.
Anchor gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 57.51% | 42.49% |
| 2011 | 57.08% | 42.92% |
| 2012 | 57.05% | 42.95% |
| 2013 | 60.01% | 39.99% |
| 2014 | 62.43% | 37.57% |
| 2015 | 56.69% | 43.31% |
| 2016 | 58.61% | 41.39% |
| 2017 | 55.44% | 44.56% |
| 2018 | 59.98% | 40.02% |
| 2019 | 56.52% | 43.48% |
| 2020 | 60.42% | 39.58% |
| 2021 | 55.89% | 44.11% |
Anchor related jobs gender ratio
We compared anchors with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, public address announcer and track announcer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Paraprofessional Interpreter | 12% | 88% |
| Deaf Interpreter | 15% | 85% |
| Fashion Journalist | 15% | 85% |
| Anchor | 56% | 44% |
| Sports Announcer | 91% | 9% |
| Track Announcer | 92% | 8% |
| Public Address Announcer | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Anchor demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among anchors is White, which makes up 67.2% of all anchors. Comparatively, 12.3% of anchors are Hispanic or Latino and 9.5% of anchors are Asian.
- White, 67.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.3%
- Asian, 9.5%
- Black or African American, 6.3%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Anchor race
| Anchor race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 67.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.3% |
| Asian | 9.5% |
| Black or African American | 6.3% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Anchor race and ethnicity over time
See how anchor racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Anchor race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 74.30% | 7.18% | 6.06% | 10.36% |
| 2011 | 76.70% | 5.34% | 5.77% | 9.21% |
| 2012 | 74.28% | 7.10% | 6.70% | 9.78% |
| 2013 | 73.29% | 6.88% | 6.32% | 11.56% |
| 2014 | 72.73% | 6.32% | 6.66% | 11.22% |
| 2015 | 71.57% | 7.85% | 5.82% | 11.62% |
| 2016 | 74.59% | 4.59% | 6.54% | 9.97% |
| 2017 | 72.30% | 5.84% | 6.54% | 12.35% |
| 2018 | 70.31% | 7.37% | 6.81% | 13.37% |
| 2019 | 71.22% | 5.27% | 8.44% | 11.79% |
| 2020 | 71.86% | 6.38% | 7.25% | 11.42% |
| 2021 | 67.21% | 6.26% | 9.55% | 12.33% |
Anchor wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino anchors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american anchors have the lowest average salary at $58,215.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $65,111 |
| White | $65,287 |
| Black or African American | $58,215 |
| Asian | $70,008 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $71,939 |
Average anchor age
See how the average age of anchors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Anchor age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 50 | 36 |
| White | 39 | 38 |
| Black or African American | 29 | 27.5 |
| Asian | 38 | 33 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 38 | 36 |
Anchor age breakdown
The average age of anchors is 40+ years years old, representing 44% of the anchor population.
Anchor age breakdown
| Anchor Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 44% |
| 30-40 years | 32% |
| 20-30 years | 24% |
Anchor educational attainment
The most common degree for anchors is bachelor's degree, with 66% of anchors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 11% and associate degree degree at 10%.
- Bachelor's, 66%
- Associate, 11%
- High School Diploma, 10%
- Master's, 6%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Anchors by degree level
| Anchor degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 66% |
| Associate | 11% |
| High School Diploma | 10% |
| Master's | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Anchor jobs you might like
Anchor wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $77,331 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $73,435 |
Anchor employment statistics
Most anchors work for a private in the media industry.
Company size where anchors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where anchors work.
Anchor jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 17% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 25% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 12% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 26% |
| > 10,000 employees | 16% |
Anchor jobs by company type
Employees with the anchor job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most anchors prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Anchor jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 19% |
| Public | 14% |
| Private | 65% |
| Government | 2% |
Anchor jobs by industry
The most common industries for anchors are media, education and professional.
Anchor industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Media | 24% |
| Education | 16% |
| Fortune 500 | 7% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Construction | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Government | 2% |
| Automotive | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Anchor turnover and employment statistics
Anchor unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for anchors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Anchor unemployment rate by year
| Year | Anchor unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.18% |
| 2011 | 5.45% |
| 2012 | 5.99% |
| 2013 | 3.17% |
| 2014 | 4.18% |
| 2015 | 4.87% |
| 2016 | 2.80% |
| 2017 | 2.13% |
| 2018 | 2.79% |
| 2019 | 4.35% |
| 2020 | 5.70% |
| 2021 | 3.87% |
Average anchor tenure
The average anchor stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 5,418 anchors resumes in Zippia's database.
Anchor tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 26% |
| 1-2 years | 35% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 12% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 7% |
Anchor LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of anchors that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Anchor | 10.10% | - |
| Radio Host | 10.34% | 12,568 |
| Public Relations Specialist | 12.01% | 29,698 |
| Publisher | 12.38% | 10,303 |
| Deaf/Hard Of Hearing Specialist | 14.90% | 1,470 |
| Film Writer | 16.36% | 10,245 |
| Emcee | 16.36% | 58 |
Similar anchor jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Radio Host | 10.34% | 12,568 |
| Public Relations Specialist | 12.01% | 29,698 |
| Publisher | 12.38% | 10,303 |
| Deaf/Hard Of Hearing Specialist | 14.90% | 1,470 |
| Film Writer | 16.36% | 10,245 |
| Emcee | 16.36% | 58 |
Foreign languages spoken by anchors
The most common foreign language among anchors is Spanish at 60.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 12.5% and German is the third-most popular at 4.5%.
- Spanish, 60.0%
- French, 12.5%
- German, 4.5%
- Chinese, 3.5%
- Mandarin, 3.0%
- Other, 16.5%
Anchor languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 60.0% |
| French | 12.5% |
| German | 4.5% |
| Chinese | 3.5% |
| Mandarin | 3.0% |
| Other | 16.5% |
