Catering staff demographics and statistics in the US
Catering staff demographics research summary. Zippia estimates catering staff demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our catering staff estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about catering staff after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 24,375 catering staff currently employed in the United States.
- 61.3% of all catering staff are women, while 38.7% are men.
- The average catering staff age is 36 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of catering staff is White (58.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.3%), Black or African American (10.9%) and Asian (6.9%).
- Catering staff are most in-demand in Cambridge, MA.
- North Andover, MA pays an annual average wage of $39,319, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women catering staff earned 96% of what men earned.
- Massachusetts is the best state for catering staff to live.
- Catering staff are 62% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
On this page
Catering staff demographics by:
Catering staff gender statistics
61.3% of catering staff are women and 38.7% of catering staff are men.
- Female, 61.3%
- Male, 38.7%
Catering staff gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 61.3% |
| Male | 38.7% |
Catering staff gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$32,901
Female income
$31,573
Catering staff gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in catering staff positions over time. Currently, 61.3% of catering staff are female.
Catering staff gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 38.14% | 61.86% |
| 2011 | 38.41% | 61.59% |
| 2012 | 38.14% | 61.86% |
| 2013 | 41.75% | 58.25% |
| 2014 | 39.05% | 60.95% |
| 2015 | 39.85% | 60.15% |
| 2016 | 41.49% | 58.51% |
| 2017 | 41.07% | 58.93% |
| 2018 | 41.05% | 58.95% |
| 2019 | 40.30% | 59.70% |
| 2020 | 41.15% | 58.85% |
| 2021 | 38.66% | 61.34% |
Catering staff related jobs gender ratio
We compared catering staff with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, corporate executive chef and chef de cuisine have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Lunchroom Monitor | 5% | 95% |
| Waiter/Waitress, Captain | 13% | 87% |
| Lunchroom Supervisor | 13% | 87% |
| Catering Staff | 39% | 61% |
| Executive Chef | 88% | 12% |
| Chef De Cuisine | 90% | 10% |
| Corporate Executive Chef | 91% | 9% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Catering staff demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among catering staff is White, which makes up 58.8% of all catering staff. Comparatively, 17.3% of catering staff are Hispanic or Latino and 10.9% of catering staff are Black or African American.
- White, 58.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.3%
- Black or African American, 10.9%
- Asian, 6.9%
- Unknown, 5.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Catering staff race
| Catering staff race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 58.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.3% |
| Black or African American | 10.9% |
| Asian | 6.9% |
| Unknown | 5.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
Catering staff race and ethnicity over time
See how catering staff racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Catering staff race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.40% | 11.14% | 6.85% | 13.77% |
| 2011 | 63.85% | 12.02% | 6.58% | 14.57% |
| 2012 | 64.10% | 10.93% | 6.81% | 14.89% |
| 2013 | 63.48% | 11.12% | 6.98% | 15.03% |
| 2014 | 62.32% | 11.93% | 6.63% | 15.70% |
| 2015 | 63.86% | 9.89% | 7.10% | 16.07% |
| 2016 | 63.23% | 10.91% | 6.99% | 15.09% |
| 2017 | 61.47% | 11.04% | 6.91% | 16.90% |
| 2018 | 62.48% | 9.75% | 7.08% | 16.45% |
| 2019 | 63.50% | 9.67% | 6.89% | 16.33% |
| 2020 | 59.43% | 10.04% | 7.23% | 17.14% |
| 2021 | 58.85% | 10.90% | 6.87% | 17.31% |
Catering staff wage gap by race
According to our data, asian catering staff have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american catering staff have the lowest average salary at $32,196.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $32,970 |
| White | $32,539 |
| Black or African American | $32,196 |
| Asian | $33,483 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $33,331 |
Average catering staff age
See how the average age of catering staff varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Catering staff age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 34 | 40 |
| Unknown | 28 | 36 |
| Asian | 35 | 43 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 31 | 33 |
| White | 31 | 36 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 33 |
Catering staff age breakdown
The average age of catering staff is 40+ years years old, representing 39% of the catering staff population.
Catering staff age breakdown
| Catering Staff Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 39% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 34% |
Catering staff educational attainment
The most common degree for catering staff is bachelor's degree, with 61% of catering staff earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 15% and associate degree degree at 14%.
- Bachelor's, 61%
- Associate, 15%
- High School Diploma, 14%
- Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Catering staff by degree level
| Catering staff degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 61% |
| Associate | 15% |
| High School Diploma | 14% |
| Diploma | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Catering staff jobs you might like
Catering staff wage gap by degree level
According to the data, catering staff with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $33,869 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, catering staff earn a median annual income of $33,754 compared to $31,663 for catering staff with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $31,663 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $33,754 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $33,869 |
Catering staff employment statistics
Most catering staff work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where catering staff work
Below, you can see the size of companies where catering staff work.
Catering staff jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 17% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 25% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 15% |
Catering staff jobs by company type
Employees with the catering staff job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most catering staff prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Catering staff jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 26% |
| Public | 10% |
| Private | 62% |
| Government | 1% |
Catering staff jobs by industry
The most common industries for catering staff are hospitality, education and professional.
Catering staff industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 30% |
| Education | 23% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Catering staff turnover and employment statistics
Catering staff unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for catering staff between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Catering staff unemployment rate by year
| Year | Catering staff unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 8.32% |
| 2011 | 8.45% |
| 2012 | 7.13% |
| 2013 | 7.04% |
| 2014 | 5.72% |
| 2015 | 4.46% |
| 2016 | 4.74% |
| 2017 | 4.34% |
| 2018 | 4.18% |
| 2019 | 3.78% |
| 2020 | 7.32% |
| 2021 | 7.89% |
Average catering staff tenure
The average catering staff stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,063 catering staff resumes in Zippia's database.
Catering staff tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 31% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 10% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
Catering staff LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of catering staff 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bakery Associate | 6.78% | 52,105 |
| Bartender, Cook, And Waitress | 7.02% | 162,319 |
| Event Host | 7.29% | 15,092 |
| Snack Bar Attendant | 7.36% | 49,616 |
| Lead Bartender | 7.68% | 28,748 |
| Cake Froster | 7.85% | 1,940 |
| Catering Staff | 10.00% | - |
Similar catering staff jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Bakery Associate | 6.78% | 52,105 |
| Bartender, Cook, And Waitress | 7.02% | 162,319 |
| Event Host | 7.29% | 15,092 |
| Snack Bar Attendant | 7.36% | 49,616 |
| Lead Bartender | 7.68% | 28,748 |
| Cake Froster | 7.85% | 1,940 |
Foreign languages spoken by catering staff
The most common foreign language among catering staff is Spanish at 47.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Chinese at 9.0% and French is the third-most popular at 9.0%.
- Spanish, 47.8%
- Chinese, 9.0%
- French, 9.0%
- Mandarin, 7.5%
- Japanese, 4.5%
- Other, 22.2%
Catering staff languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 47.8% |
| Chinese | 9.0% |
| French | 9.0% |
| Mandarin | 7.5% |
| Japanese | 4.5% |
| Other | 22.2% |
