Assistant demographics and statistics in the US
Assistant demographics research summary. Zippia estimates assistant demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our assistant estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about assistants after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 285,028 assistants currently employed in the United States.
- 59.3% of all assistants are women, while 40.7% are men.
- The average assistant age is 50 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of assistants is White (65.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (16.4%), Black or African American (9.4%) and Unknown (3.9%).
- In 2022, women earned 84% of what men earned.
- 6% of all assistants are LGBT.
- Assistants are 52% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
On this page
Assistant demographics by:
Assistant gender statistics
59.3% of assistants are women and 40.7% of assistants are men.
- Female, 59.3%
- Male, 40.7%
Assistant gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 59.3% |
| Male | 40.7% |
Assistant gender pay gap
Women earn 84¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$47,390
Female income
$39,588
Assistant gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in assistant positions over time. Currently, 59.3% of assistants are female.
Assistant gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 28.49% | 71.51% |
| 2011 | 27.61% | 72.39% |
| 2012 | 29.68% | 70.32% |
| 2013 | 29.25% | 70.75% |
| 2014 | 30.25% | 69.75% |
| 2015 | 32.43% | 67.57% |
| 2016 | 32.18% | 67.82% |
| 2017 | 34.36% | 65.64% |
| 2018 | 36.01% | 63.99% |
| 2019 | 37.18% | 62.82% |
| 2020 | 38.57% | 61.43% |
| 2021 | 40.73% | 59.27% |
Assistant related jobs gender ratio
We compared assistants with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, administrative assistant engineering and assistant operator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Escrow Secretary | 3% | 97% |
| Placement Secretary | 3% | 97% |
| Administrative Assistant/Secretary/Receptionist | 4% | 96% |
| Assistant | 41% | 59% |
| Information Technology Assistant | 67% | 33% |
| Assistant Operator | 77% | 23% |
| Administrative Assistant Engineering | 78% | 22% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Assistant demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among assistants is White, which makes up 65.7% of all assistants. Comparatively, 16.4% of assistants are Hispanic or Latino and 9.4% of assistants are Black or African American.
- White, 65.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 16.4%
- Black or African American, 9.4%
- Unknown, 3.9%
- Asian, 3.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Assistant race
| Assistant race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 65.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.4% |
| Black or African American | 9.4% |
| Unknown | 3.9% |
| Asian | 3.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Assistant race and ethnicity over time
See how assistant racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Assistant race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71.41% | 9.91% | 3.16% | 13.41% |
| 2011 | 71.22% | 10.18% | 3.05% | 13.39% |
| 2012 | 70.91% | 10.18% | 3.13% | 13.48% |
| 2013 | 70.97% | 9.80% | 3.33% | 13.66% |
| 2014 | 70.63% | 9.92% | 3.30% | 13.96% |
| 2015 | 70.10% | 9.92% | 3.31% | 14.43% |
| 2016 | 69.40% | 9.79% | 3.65% | 14.77% |
| 2017 | 69.47% | 9.53% | 3.42% | 15.18% |
| 2018 | 69.51% | 9.26% | 3.46% | 15.47% |
| 2019 | 69.98% | 8.97% | 3.51% | 15.26% |
| 2020 | 68.15% | 8.72% | 3.59% | 15.07% |
| 2021 | 65.69% | 9.40% | 3.85% | 16.45% |
Assistant wage gap by race
According to our data, asian assistants have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White assistants have the lowest average salary at $45,381.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $45,490 |
| White | $45,381 |
| Black or African American | $46,724 |
| Asian | $52,411 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $47,278 |
Average assistant age
See how the average age of assistants varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Assistant age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 47 | 52 |
| Unknown | 36 | 49 |
| Asian | 43 | 47 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 38 | 45 |
| White | 45 | 54 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 51 |
Assistant age breakdown
The average age of assistants is 40+ years years old, representing 78% of the assistant population.
Assistant age breakdown
| Assistant Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 78% |
| 30-40 years | 16% |
| 20-30 years | 6% |
Assistant educational attainment
The most common degree for assistants is bachelor's degree, with 49% of assistants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 19% and high school diploma degree at 17%.
- Bachelor's, 49%
- High School Diploma, 19%
- Associate, 17%
- Master's, 5%
- Other Degrees, 10%
Assistants by degree level
| Assistant degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 49% |
| High School Diploma | 19% |
| Associate | 17% |
| Master's | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 10% |
Assistant jobs you might like
Assistant wage gap by degree level
According to the data, assistants with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $57,301 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, assistants earn a median annual income of $51,262 compared to $45,080 for assistants with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $57,301 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $43,461 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $51,262 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $45,080 |
Assistant employment statistics
Most assistants work for a private in the education industry.
Company size where assistants work
Below, you can see the size of companies where assistants work.
Assistant jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 11% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 15% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 28% |
| > 10,000 employees | 32% |
Assistant jobs by company type
Employees with the assistant job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most assistants prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Assistant jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 23% |
| Public | 21% |
| Private | 52% |
| Government | 4% |
Assistant jobs by industry
The most common industries for assistants are education, retail and professional.
Assistant industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 18% |
| Retail | 12% |
| Fortune 500 | 12% |
| Professional | 10% |
| Health Care | 8% |
| Hospitality | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Government | 3% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
Assistant turnover and employment statistics
Assistant unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for assistants between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Assistant unemployment rate by year
| Year | Assistant unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.58% |
| 2011 | 7.01% |
| 2012 | 5.80% |
| 2013 | 5.28% |
| 2014 | 4.11% |
| 2015 | 3.32% |
| 2016 | 2.98% |
| 2017 | 2.93% |
| 2018 | 2.79% |
| 2019 | 2.48% |
| 2020 | 3.48% |
| 2021 | 4.29% |
Average assistant tenure
The average assistant stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 347,272 assistants resumes in Zippia's database.
Assistant tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 35% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 11% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Assistant LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of assistants 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Assistant | 5.70% | - |
| Medical Office Worker | 9.17% | 98,358 |
| Administrative And Program Specialist | 10.06% | 121,601 |
| Senior Legal Secretary | 14.76% | 11,223 |
Similar assistant jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Office Worker | 9.17% | 98,358 |
| Administrative And Program Specialist | 10.06% | 121,601 |
| Senior Legal Secretary | 14.76% | 11,223 |
Foreign languages spoken by assistants
The most common foreign language among assistants is Spanish at 53.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 10.8% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 5.2%.
- Spanish, 53.5%
- French, 10.8%
- Chinese, 5.2%
- Mandarin, 4.8%
- German, 3.8%
- Other, 21.9%
Assistant languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 53.5% |
| French | 10.8% |
| Chinese | 5.2% |
| Mandarin | 4.8% |
| German | 3.8% |
| Other | 21.9% |
