Business owner/operator demographics and statistics in the US
Business owner/operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates business owner/operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our business owner/operator estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about business owner/operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 751,070 business owner/operators currently employed in the United States.
- 41.0% of all business owner/operators are women, while 59.0% are men.
- The average business owner/operator age is 44 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of business owner/operators is White (67.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (15.0%), Asian (6.3%) and Black or African American (6.1%).
- In 2022, women earned 89% of what men earned.
- 10% of all business owner/operators are LGBT.
- Business owner/operators are 74% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Business owner/operator demographics by:
Business owner/operator gender statistics
41.0% of business owner/operators are women and 59.0% of business owner/operators are men.
- Male, 59.0%
- Female, 41.0%
Business owner/operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 59.0% |
| Female | 41.0% |
Business owner/operator gender pay gap
Women earn 89¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$34,786
Female income
$31,005
Business owner/operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in business owner/operator positions over time. Currently, 41.0% of business owner/operators are female.
Business owner/operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 64.88% | 35.12% |
| 2011 | 64.21% | 35.79% |
| 2012 | 63.39% | 36.61% |
| 2013 | 63.93% | 36.07% |
| 2014 | 65.74% | 34.26% |
| 2015 | 64.46% | 35.54% |
| 2016 | 65.36% | 34.64% |
| 2017 | 62.73% | 37.27% |
| 2018 | 62.65% | 37.35% |
| 2019 | 60.66% | 39.34% |
| 2020 | 60.78% | 39.22% |
| 2021 | 59.03% | 40.97% |
Business owner/operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared business owner/operators with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, district commercial superintendent and street superintendent have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant To General Manager | 9% | 91% |
| Manager Stylist | 9% | 91% |
| Salon Manager | 12% | 88% |
| Business Owner/Operator | 59% | 41% |
| General Superintendent | 97% | 3% |
| Street Superintendent | 97% | 3% |
| District Commercial Superintendent | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Business owner/operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among business owner/operators is White, which makes up 67.8% of all business owner/operators. Comparatively, 15.0% of business owner/operators are Hispanic or Latino and 6.3% of business owner/operators are Asian.
- White, 67.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 15.0%
- Asian, 6.3%
- Black or African American, 6.1%
- Unknown, 4.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
Business owner/operator race
| Business owner/operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 67.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 15.0% |
| Asian | 6.3% |
| Black or African American | 6.1% |
| Unknown | 4.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5% |
Business owner/operator race and ethnicity over time
See how business owner/operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Business owner/operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 75.46% | 6.23% | 5.20% | 10.83% |
| 2011 | 75.30% | 6.39% | 5.22% | 10.54% |
| 2012 | 74.95% | 5.96% | 5.36% | 11.62% |
| 2013 | 75.46% | 5.78% | 5.40% | 10.98% |
| 2014 | 74.35% | 5.75% | 5.30% | 12.34% |
| 2015 | 74.36% | 5.81% | 5.24% | 12.26% |
| 2016 | 72.03% | 6.32% | 5.69% | 13.47% |
| 2017 | 73.39% | 5.80% | 5.43% | 12.97% |
| 2018 | 72.95% | 5.58% | 6.00% | 12.84% |
| 2019 | 71.57% | 5.85% | 6.04% | 13.91% |
| 2020 | 69.81% | 5.89% | 5.69% | 13.80% |
| 2021 | 67.76% | 6.12% | 6.32% | 15.00% |
Business owner/operator wage gap by race
According to our data, asian business owner/operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american business owner/operators have the lowest average salary at $33,164.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $34,232 |
| White | $35,635 |
| Black or African American | $33,164 |
| Asian | $36,248 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $34,733 |
Average business owner/operator age
See how the average age of business owner/operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Business owner/operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 42 | 45 |
| Unknown | 42 | 41 |
| Asian | 43 | 41 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 42 | 40 |
| White | 45 | 44 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 43 | 44 |
Business owner/operator age breakdown
The average age of business owner/operators is 40+ years years old, representing 64% of the business owner/operator population.
Business owner/operator age breakdown
| Business Owner/Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 64% |
| 30-40 years | 30% |
| 20-30 years | 6% |
Business owner/operator educational attainment
- Bachelor's, 46%
- Associate, 24%
- High School Diploma, 14%
- Master's, 7%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Business owner/operators by degree level
| Business owner/operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 46% |
| Associate | 24% |
| High School Diploma | 14% |
| Master's | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Business owner/operator jobs you might like
Business owner/operator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, business owner/operators with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $44,292 annually. With a Doctorate degree, business owner/operators earn a median annual income of $42,499 compared to $37,592 for business owner/operators with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $44,292 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $30,052 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $37,592 |
| Doctorate Degree | $42,499 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $31,072 |
Business owner/operator employment statistics
Most business owner/operators work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where business owner/operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where business owner/operators work.
Business owner/operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 29% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 24% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 18% |
| > 10,000 employees | 15% |
Business owner/operator jobs by company type
Employees with the business owner/operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most business owner/operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Business owner/operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 23% |
| Private | 74% |
Business owner/operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for business owner/operators are manufacturing, technology and retail.
Business owner/operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 12% |
| Technology | 12% |
| Retail | 10% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Health Care | 8% |
| Hospitality | 8% |
| Fortune 500 | 8% |
| Media | 5% |
| Transportation | 5% |
| Construction | 4% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Telecommunication | 3% |
| Education | 3% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Business owner/operator turnover and employment statistics
Business owner/operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for business owner/operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Business owner/operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Business owner/operator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.02% |
| 2011 | 5.17% |
| 2012 | 4.50% |
| 2013 | 3.74% |
| 2014 | 3.19% |
| 2015 | 2.83% |
| 2016 | 2.57% |
| 2017 | 2.68% |
| 2018 | 2.15% |
| 2019 | 2.22% |
| 2020 | 3.68% |
| 2021 | 4.01% |
Average business owner/operator tenure
The average business owner/operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 5,272 business owner/operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Business owner/operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 4% |
| 1-2 years | 17% |
| 3-4 years | 17% |
| 5-7 years | 20% |
| 8-10 years | 10% |
| 11+ years | 32% |
Business owner/operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of business owner/operators 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative Manager | 7.93% | 42,602 |
| Inventory Management Specialist | 8.41% | 108,982 |
| Inbound Sale Representative | 9.38% | 118,186 |
| Business Owner/Operator | 10.39% | - |
| Finance Responsibility Division Director | 11.63% | 74,370 |
| Senior Human Resources Generalist | 13.02% | 47,037 |
| Promotion Manager | 14.95% | 8,515 |
Similar business owner/operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative Manager | 7.93% | 42,602 |
| Inventory Management Specialist | 8.41% | 108,982 |
| Inbound Sale Representative | 9.38% | 118,186 |
| Finance Responsibility Division Director | 11.63% | 74,370 |
| Senior Human Resources Generalist | 13.02% | 47,037 |
| Promotion Manager | 14.95% | 8,515 |
Foreign languages spoken by business owner/operators
The most common foreign language among business owner/operators is Spanish at 54.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is German at 7.8% and French is the third-most popular at 6.8%.
- Spanish, 54.4%
- German, 7.8%
- French, 6.8%
- Italian, 5.8%
- Chinese, 3.9%
- Other, 21.3%
Business owner/operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 54.4% |
| German | 7.8% |
| French | 6.8% |
| Italian | 5.8% |
| Chinese | 3.9% |
| Other | 21.3% |
