Cafeteria worker demographics and statistics in the US
Cafeteria worker demographics research summary. Zippia estimates cafeteria worker demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our cafeteria worker 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 workers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 29,431 cafeteria workers currently employed in the United States.
- 79.6% of all cafeteria workers are women, while 20.4% are men.
- The average cafeteria worker age is 38 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of cafeteria workers is White (61.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (13.5%), Black or African American (11.7%) and Asian (7.0%).
- In 2022, women earned 96% of what men earned.
- 6% of all cafeteria workers are LGBT.
- Cafeteria workers are 69% more likely to work at education companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Cafeteria worker demographics by:
Cafeteria worker gender statistics
79.6% of cafeteria workers are women and 20.4% of cafeteria workers are men.
- Female, 79.6%
- Male, 20.4%
Cafeteria worker gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 79.6% |
| Male | 20.4% |
Cafeteria worker gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$25,140
Female income
$24,122
Cafeteria worker gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in cafeteria worker positions over time. Currently, 79.6% of cafeteria workers are female.
Cafeteria worker gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 20.95% | 79.05% |
| 2011 | 22.84% | 77.16% |
| 2012 | 24.64% | 75.36% |
| 2013 | 25.08% | 74.92% |
| 2014 | 24.00% | 76.00% |
| 2015 | 23.72% | 76.28% |
| 2016 | 23.72% | 76.28% |
| 2017 | 27.08% | 72.92% |
| 2018 | 25.35% | 74.65% |
| 2019 | 25.20% | 74.80% |
| 2020 | 25.52% | 74.48% |
| 2021 | 20.40% | 79.60% |
Cafeteria worker related jobs gender ratio
We compared cafeteria workers 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 title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Lunchroom Worker | 4% | 96% |
| Lead Hostess | 6% | 94% |
| Dining Room Hostess | 7% | 93% |
| Cafeteria Worker | 20% | 80% |
| Preacher | 92% | 8% |
| Bus Boy | 95% | 5% |
| Banquet Houseman | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Cafeteria worker demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among cafeteria workers is White, which makes up 61.6% of all cafeteria workers. Comparatively, 13.5% of cafeteria workers are Hispanic or Latino and 11.7% of cafeteria workers are Black or African American.
- White, 61.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 13.5%
- Black or African American, 11.7%
- Asian, 7.0%
- Unknown, 5.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Cafeteria worker race
| Cafeteria worker race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 61.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 13.5% |
| Black or African American | 11.7% |
| Asian | 7.0% |
| Unknown | 5.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Cafeteria worker race and ethnicity over time
See how cafeteria worker racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Cafeteria worker race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 64.50% | 12.27% | 5.63% | 14.23% |
| 2011 | 64.25% | 13.10% | 6.41% | 12.67% |
| 2012 | 64.23% | 13.18% | 5.60% | 13.57% |
| 2013 | 63.20% | 12.62% | 6.00% | 14.06% |
| 2014 | 63.64% | 12.76% | 5.77% | 14.58% |
| 2015 | 63.02% | 13.52% | 6.04% | 13.94% |
| 2016 | 62.07% | 14.28% | 6.44% | 13.21% |
| 2017 | 63.09% | 12.83% | 6.75% | 13.03% |
| 2018 | 63.81% | 12.56% | 6.71% | 12.31% |
| 2019 | 64.48% | 12.05% | 6.28% | 13.05% |
| 2020 | 66.51% | 11.79% | 6.31% | 9.69% |
| 2021 | 61.56% | 11.68% | 7.01% | 13.55% |
Cafeteria worker wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino cafeteria workers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White cafeteria workers have the lowest average salary at $24,464.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $25,326 |
| White | $24,464 |
| Black or African American | $24,923 |
| Asian | $25,416 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $25,587 |
Average cafeteria worker age
See how the average age of cafeteria workers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Cafeteria worker age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 24.5 | 45.5 |
| White | 22 | 48.5 |
| Black or African American | 38.5 | 41.5 |
| Asian | 33 | 52 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 35 | 46 |
Cafeteria worker age breakdown
The average age of cafeteria workers is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the cafeteria worker population.
Cafeteria worker age breakdown
| Cafeteria Worker Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 49% |
| 30-40 years | 16% |
| 20-30 years | 22% |
Cafeteria worker educational attainment
The most common degree for cafeteria workers is high school diploma, with 45% of cafeteria workers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 18% and associate degree degree at 17%.
- High School Diploma, 45%
- Associate, 18%
- Bachelor's, 17%
- Diploma, 11%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Cafeteria workers by degree level
| Cafeteria worker degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 45% |
| Associate | 18% |
| Bachelor's | 17% |
| Diploma | 11% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Cafeteria worker jobs you might like
Cafeteria worker wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $25,400 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $25,223 |
Cafeteria worker employment statistics
Most cafeteria workers work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where cafeteria workers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where cafeteria workers work.
Cafeteria worker jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 23% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 28% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 23% |
| > 10,000 employees | 9% |
Cafeteria worker jobs by company type
Employees with the cafeteria worker job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most cafeteria workers prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Cafeteria worker jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 69% |
| Public | 4% |
| Private | 21% |
| Government | 6% |
Cafeteria worker jobs by industry
The most common industries for cafeteria workers are education, government and hospitality.
Cafeteria worker industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 66% |
| Government | 6% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Hospitality | 5% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Cafeteria worker turnover and employment statistics
Cafeteria worker unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for cafeteria workers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Cafeteria worker unemployment rate by year
| Year | Cafeteria worker unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 13.16% |
| 2011 | 14.12% |
| 2012 | 12.25% |
| 2013 | 12.21% |
| 2014 | 9.82% |
| 2015 | 8.87% |
| 2016 | 8.29% |
| 2017 | 8.02% |
| 2018 | 8.28% |
| 2019 | 7.80% |
| 2020 | 13.54% |
| 2021 | 12.10% |
Average cafeteria worker tenure
The average cafeteria worker stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 7,690 cafeteria workers resumes in Zippia's database.
Cafeteria worker tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 34% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
Cafeteria worker LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of cafeteria workers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Dishwasher/Busser | 5.37% | 69,122 |
| Cafeteria Worker | 6.11% | - |
| Diet Clerk | 6.78% | 68,546 |
| Waitress | 7.02% | 87,315 |
| Gallery Host | 7.29% | 9,545 |
| Bartender Server | 7.68% | 106,784 |
| Crew Leader Assistant | 8.43% | 117,028 |
Similar cafeteria worker jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Dishwasher/Busser | 5.37% | 69,122 |
| Diet Clerk | 6.78% | 68,546 |
| Waitress | 7.02% | 87,315 |
| Gallery Host | 7.29% | 9,545 |
| Bartender Server | 7.68% | 106,784 |
| Crew Leader Assistant | 8.43% | 117,028 |
Foreign languages spoken by cafeteria workers
The most common foreign language among cafeteria workers is Spanish at 62.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 6.9% and Russian is the third-most popular at 4.1%.
- Spanish, 62.1%
- French, 6.9%
- Russian, 4.1%
- German, 3.4%
- Mandarin, 3.4%
- Other, 20.1%
Cafeteria worker languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 62.1% |
| French | 6.9% |
| Russian | 4.1% |
| German | 3.4% |
| Mandarin | 3.4% |
| Other | 20.1% |
