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Cafeteria assistant demographics and statistics in the US

Cafeteria assistant demographics research summary. Zippia estimates cafeteria assistant demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our cafeteria 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 cafeteria assistants after extensive research and analysis:

  • There are over 32,906 cafeteria assistants currently employed in the United States.
  • 78.7% of all cafeteria assistants are women, while 21.3% are men.
  • The average cafeteria assistant age is 38 years old.
  • The most common ethnicity of cafeteria assistants is White (57.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.9%), Black or African American (10.6%) and Asian (7.9%).
  • In 2022, women earned 95% of what men earned.
  • 6% of all cafeteria assistants are LGBT.
  • Cafeteria assistants are 72% more likely to work at education companies in comparison to private companies.
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Cafeteria assistant demographics by:

Cafeteria assistant gender statistics

78.7% of cafeteria assistants are women and 21.3% of cafeteria assistants are men.
  • Female, 78.7%
  • Male, 21.3%

Cafeteria assistant gender ratio

GenderPercentages
Female78.7%
Male21.3%

Cafeteria assistant gender pay gap

Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men

male-income
Male income
$30,976
female-income
Female income
$29,525

Cafeteria assistant gender ratio over time

This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in cafeteria assistant positions over time. Currently, 78.7% of cafeteria assistants are female.
Male
Female
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021

Cafeteria assistant gender ratio by year

YearMaleFemale
201021.91%78.09%
201123.86%76.14%
201225.72%74.28%
201326.17%73.83%
201425.06%74.94%
201524.77%75.23%
201624.77%75.23%
201728.23%71.77%
201826.45%73.55%
201926.30%73.70%
202026.62%73.38%
202121.34%78.66%

Cafeteria assistant related jobs gender ratio

We compared cafeteria assistants with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, banquet houseman and bus boy have the biggest gender ratio gaps.

Job titleMaleFemale
Lunchroom Worker4%96%
Lead Hostess6%94%
Dining Room Hostess7%93%
Cafeteria Assistant21%79%
Preacher92%8%
Bus Boy95%5%
Banquet Houseman97%3%

Cafeteria assistant demographics by race

The most common ethnicity among cafeteria assistants is White, which makes up 57.2% of all cafeteria assistants. Comparatively, 17.9% of cafeteria assistants are Hispanic or Latino and 10.6% of cafeteria assistants are Black or African American.
  • White, 57.2%
  • Hispanic or Latino, 17.9%
  • Black or African American, 10.6%
  • Asian, 7.9%
  • Unknown, 5.3%
  • American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%

Cafeteria assistant race

Cafeteria assistant racePercentages
White57.2%
Hispanic or Latino17.9%
Black or African American10.6%
Asian7.9%
Unknown5.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native1.1%

Cafeteria assistant race and ethnicity over time

See how cafeteria assistant racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.

Cafeteria assistant race and ethnicity by year

YearWhiteBlack or African AmericanAsianHispanic or Latino
201060.17%11.13%6.51%18.59%
201159.92%11.97%7.29%17.04%
201259.90%12.04%6.47%17.93%
201358.87%11.49%6.88%18.42%
201459.31%11.63%6.65%18.95%
201558.69%12.39%6.92%18.31%
201657.74%13.14%7.32%17.57%
201758.76%11.70%7.63%17.39%
201859.48%11.43%7.58%16.67%
201960.15%10.92%7.16%17.41%
202062.18%10.66%7.19%14.05%
202157.23%10.55%7.89%17.91%

Cafeteria assistant wage gap by race

According to our data, hispanic or latino cafeteria assistants have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White cafeteria assistants have the lowest average salary at $30,011.
$33,000
$32,000
$31,000
$30,000
Unknown
White
Black or African American
Asian
Hispanic or Latino
EthnicitySalary
Unknown$31,242
White$30,011
Black or African American$30,666
Asian$31,371
Hispanic or Latino$31,617

Average cafeteria assistant age

See how the average age of cafeteria assistants varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female

Cafeteria assistant age by race and gender

RaceMale ageFemale age
Unknown24.545.5
White2248.5
Black or African American38.541.5
Asian3352
Hispanic or Latino3546

Cafeteria assistant age breakdown

The average age of cafeteria assistants is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the cafeteria assistant population.

40+ years

30-40 years

20-30 years


Cafeteria assistant age breakdown

Cafeteria Assistant YearsPercentages
40+ years49%
30-40 years16%
20-30 years22%

Cafeteria assistant educational attainment

  • High School Diploma, 40%
  • Associate, 23%
  • Bachelor's, 17%
  • Diploma, 9%
  • Other Degrees, 11%

Cafeteria assistants by degree level

Cafeteria assistant degreePercentages
High School Diploma40%
Associate23%
Bachelor's17%
Diploma9%
Other Degrees11%

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Cafeteria assistant wage gap by degree level

$33,000
$32,000
$31,000
High School Diploma or Less
Some College/ Associate Degree
EducationSalary
High School Diploma or Less$31,349
Some College/ Associate Degree$31,095

Cafeteria assistant employment statistics

Most cafeteria assistants work for a education in the education industry.

Company size where cafeteria assistants work

Below, you can see the size of companies where cafeteria assistants work.

< 50 employees

50 - 100 employees

100 - 500 employees

500 - 1,000 employees

1,000 - 10,000 employees

> 10,000

Cafeteria assistant jobs by employer size

Company sizePercentages
< 50 employees10%
50 - 100 employees28%
100 - 500 employees27%
500 - 1,000 employees9%
1,000 - 10,000 employees22%
> 10,000 employees5%

Cafeteria assistant jobs by company type

Employees with the cafeteria assistant job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most cafeteria assistants prefer to work at education companies over private companies.

Education

Public

Private

Government

Cafeteria assistant jobs by sector

Company typePercentages
Education72%
Public2%
Private20%
Government5%

Cafeteria assistant jobs by industry

The most common industries for cafeteria assistants are education, health care and government.

Education

Health Care

Government

Professional

Non Profits

Cafeteria assistant industry statistics

Cafeteria assistant turnover and employment statistics

Cafeteria assistant unemployment rate over time

The unemployment rate for cafeteria assistants between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Cafeteria assistant unemployment rate by year

YearCafeteria assistant unemployment rate
201013.16%
201114.12%
201212.25%
201312.21%
20149.82%
20158.87%
20168.29%
20178.02%
20188.28%
20197.80%
202013.54%
202112.10%

Average cafeteria assistant tenure

The average cafeteria assistant stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,744 cafeteria assistants resumes in Zippia's database.

Less than one year

1-2 years

3-4 years

5-7 years

8-10 years

11+ years

Cafeteria assistant tenure statistics

Number of yearsPercentages
Less than 1 year31%
1-2 years31%
3-4 years12%
5-7 years14%
8-10 years5%
11+ years6%

Cafeteria assistant LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs

Review the percent of cafeteria assistants that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
Job titleLGBTJob openings
Utility Aide5.37%80,595
Cafeteria Assistant6.11%-
Food Service Worker6.78%169,323
Head Server7.02%64,405
Party Host7.29%10,198
Bartender Server7.68%106,784
Dining Room Supervisor8.43%30,925

Similar cafeteria assistant jobs LGBT demographics

ProfessionPercentages of LGBT Job openings
Utility Aide5.37%80,595
Food Service Worker6.78%169,323
Head Server7.02%64,405
Party Host7.29%10,198
Bartender Server7.68%106,784
Dining Room Supervisor8.43%30,925

Foreign languages spoken by cafeteria assistants

The most common foreign language among cafeteria assistants is Spanish at 77.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 5.6% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 2.8%.
  • Spanish, 77.8%
  • French, 5.6%
  • Portuguese, 2.8%
  • Chinese, 2.8%
  • Vietnamese, 2.8%
  • Other, 8.2%

Cafeteria assistant languages spoken

Foreign languagePercentages
Spanish77.8%
French5.6%
Portuguese2.8%
Chinese2.8%
Vietnamese2.8%
Other8.2%

Cafeteria assistant jobs

Cafeteria assistant location demographics

The amount you can make as a cafeteria assistant can depend on where you live. For example, the highest salary of cafeteria assistants is $33,024. Use our chart to find out where that salary is located.

Where do cafeteria assistants earn the most?

Cafeteria assistants earn the most in Washington, where the average cafeteria assistant salary is $40,080. The map here shows where cafeteria assistants earn the highest salaries in the U.S. The darker areas across the 50 states highlight the highest salaries.
Average salary

Which city has the most Cafeteria Assistants?

By looking through more than 1,744 resumes, we found that the most popular places for cafeteria assistants are Fort Wayne, IN and Nashville, TN.
Number of Cafeteria Assistants

Cafeteria assistant jobs by state

RankStateNumber of jobsAverage salary
1California552$32,654
2Texas550$22,085
3Florida441$22,840
4Ohio413$29,605
5New York270$36,340
6Pennsylvania258$26,199
7Illinois246$29,254
8Colorado227$34,419
9Arizona227$29,090
10Georgia211$22,989
11Michigan195$33,537
12New Jersey159$26,351
13Virginia157$23,699
14Washington148$40,080
15Massachusetts148$36,606
16North Carolina148$24,257
17Indiana146$28,211
18Wisconsin132$29,849
19Tennessee128$21,595
20Missouri121$26,326
21Minnesota115$34,294
22Maryland115$30,011
23Connecticut93$33,097
24Alabama92$20,189
25South Carolina89$22,013
26Kentucky87$25,369
27Utah77$21,627
28Nevada71$26,311
29Iowa70$30,196
30Oregon67$33,819
31Oklahoma60$24,113
32Kansas55$26,946
33Louisiana54$19,751
34Arkansas47$22,873
35Idaho44$38,945
36Mississippi43$16,761
37Nebraska41$21,518
38West Virginia40$26,744
39New Mexico35$24,430
40New Hampshire25$32,491
41Maine23$38,876
42North Dakota20$33,585
43Montana19$32,912
44South Dakota17$26,076
45Alaska16$29,802
46Rhode Island16$30,795
47Hawaii13$35,390
48Wyoming12$28,812
49Delaware12$28,975
50District of Columbia11$37,382
51Vermont10$36,312

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