Breaker demographics and statistics in the US
Breaker demographics research summary. Zippia estimates breaker demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our breaker estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about breakers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 6,855 breakers currently employed in the United States.
- 33.0% of all breakers are women, while 67.0% are men.
- The average breaker age is 38 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of breakers is White (50.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (30.2%), Black or African American (10.2%) and Unknown (4.3%).
- In 2022, women earned 94% of what men earned.
- 2% of all breakers are LGBT.
- Breakers are 70% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Breaker demographics by:
Breaker gender statistics
33.0% of breakers are women and 67.0% of breakers are men.
- Male, 67.0%
- Female, 33.0%
Breaker gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 67.0% |
| Female | 33.0% |
Breaker gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$32,213
Female income
$30,416
Breaker gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in breaker positions over time. Currently, 33.0% of breakers are female.
Breaker gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 74.30% | 25.70% |
| 2011 | 74.14% | 25.86% |
| 2012 | 74.52% | 25.48% |
| 2013 | 74.40% | 25.60% |
| 2014 | 74.46% | 25.54% |
| 2015 | 73.87% | 26.13% |
| 2016 | 72.82% | 27.18% |
| 2017 | 71.64% | 28.36% |
| 2018 | 69.47% | 30.53% |
| 2019 | 67.74% | 32.26% |
| 2020 | 68.49% | 31.51% |
| 2021 | 67.05% | 32.95% |
Breaker related jobs gender ratio
We compared breakers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, water softener installer and insulation worker have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Composition Floor Setter | 34% | 66% |
| Breaker | 67% | 33% |
| Gas Fitter | 97% | 3% |
| Insulation Worker | 97% | 2% |
| Water Softener Installer | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Breaker demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among breakers is White, which makes up 50.6% of all breakers. Comparatively, 30.2% of breakers are Hispanic or Latino and 10.2% of breakers are Black or African American.
- White, 50.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 30.2%
- Black or African American, 10.2%
- Unknown, 4.3%
- Asian, 3.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7%
Breaker race
| Breaker race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 50.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 30.2% |
| Black or African American | 10.2% |
| Unknown | 4.3% |
| Asian | 3.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.7% |
Breaker race and ethnicity over time
See how breaker racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Breaker race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 60.83% | 10.70% | 2.45% | 22.66% |
| 2011 | 60.20% | 11.92% | 2.40% | 21.61% |
| 2012 | 60.03% | 11.36% | 2.53% | 21.69% |
| 2013 | 60.68% | 10.96% | 2.40% | 22.09% |
| 2014 | 59.80% | 10.78% | 2.62% | 22.93% |
| 2015 | 58.14% | 10.46% | 2.63% | 24.96% |
| 2016 | 57.77% | 10.23% | 2.79% | 25.29% |
| 2017 | 57.47% | 10.34% | 2.77% | 25.62% |
| 2018 | 58.25% | 9.75% | 2.85% | 25.04% |
| 2019 | 56.40% | 9.79% | 2.89% | 26.99% |
| 2020 | 53.99% | 10.98% | 2.90% | 26.32% |
| 2021 | 50.62% | 10.16% | 2.98% | 30.20% |
Breaker wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown breakers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american breakers have the lowest average salary at $30,919.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $32,968 |
| White | $32,966 |
| Black or African American | $30,919 |
| Asian | $32,451 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $31,807 |
Average breaker age
See how the average age of breakers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Breaker age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 41 | 46 |
| Unknown | 35 | 43.5 |
| Asian | 39 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 40 |
| White | 38 | 39 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 42 |
Breaker age breakdown
The average age of breakers is 40+ years years old, representing 47% of the breaker population.
Breaker age breakdown
| Breaker Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 47% |
| 30-40 years | 26% |
| 20-30 years | 25% |
Breaker educational attainment
The most common degree for breakers is high school diploma, with 40% of breakers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 27% and bachelor's degree degree at 15%.
- High School Diploma, 40%
- Bachelor's, 27%
- Associate, 15%
- Diploma, 10%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Breakers by degree level
| Breaker degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 40% |
| Bachelor's | 27% |
| Associate | 15% |
| Diploma | 10% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Breaker jobs you might like
Breaker wage gap by degree level
According to the data, breakers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $33,745 annually. With a Associate degree, breakers earn a median annual income of $33,475 compared to $32,175 for breakers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $32,175 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $33,745 |
| No Education | $30,641 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $33,475 |
Breaker employment statistics
Most breakers work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where breakers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where breakers work.
Breaker jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 13% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 30% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 23% |
| > 10,000 employees | 18% |
Breaker jobs by company type
Employees with the breaker job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most breakers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Breaker jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 5% |
| Public | 23% |
| Private | 70% |
| Government | 2% |
Breaker jobs by industry
The most common industries for breakers are manufacturing, retail and professional.
Breaker industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 28% |
| Retail | 15% |
| Professional | 13% |
| Transportation | 8% |
| Non Profits | 5% |
| Education | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Hospitality | 5% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Government | 2% |
| Media | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
Breaker turnover and employment statistics
Breaker unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for breakers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Breaker unemployment rate by year
| Year | Breaker unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 23.53% |
| 2011 | 21.66% |
| 2012 | 18.27% |
| 2013 | 15.84% |
| 2014 | 13.34% |
| 2015 | 11.55% |
| 2016 | 10.81% |
| 2017 | 9.34% |
| 2018 | 8.78% |
| 2019 | 7.68% |
| 2020 | 11.20% |
| 2021 | 10.19% |
Average breaker tenure
The average breaker stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 798 breakers resumes in Zippia's database.
Breaker tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 42% |
| 1-2 years | 27% |
| 3-4 years | 10% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 4% |
Breaker LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of breakers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mason Liner | 1.40% | 343 |
| Sheet Metal Roofer | 1.43% | 3,940 |
| Sheet Rock Installer | 1.75% | 16,963 |
| Breaker | 2.24% | - |
| Inside Wireman | 2.76% | 25,856 |
| Ceramic Tile Setter | 3.39% | 1,941 |
| Metal Hanger | 4.07% | 2,790 |
Similar breaker jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Mason Liner | 1.40% | 343 |
| Sheet Metal Roofer | 1.43% | 3,940 |
| Sheet Rock Installer | 1.75% | 16,963 |
| Inside Wireman | 2.76% | 25,856 |
| Ceramic Tile Setter | 3.39% | 1,941 |
| Metal Hanger | 4.07% | 2,790 |
Foreign languages spoken by breakers
The most common foreign language among breakers is Spanish at 73.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Greek at 6.7% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 6.7%.
- Spanish, 73.3%
- Greek, 6.7%
- Arabic, 6.7%
- Carrier, 6.7%
- Italian, 6.7%
Breaker languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 73.3% |
| Greek | 6.7% |
| Arabic | 6.7% |
| Carrier | 6.7% |
| Italian | 6.7% |
