Climber demographics and statistics in the US
Climber demographics research summary. Zippia estimates climber demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our climber estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about climbers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 9,483 climbers currently employed in the United States.
- 3.2% of all climbers are women, while 96.8% are men.
- The average climber age is 41 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of climbers is White (62.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (20.8%), Black or African American (9.8%) and Unknown (3.9%).
- In 2022, women earned 96% of what men earned.
- 3% of all climbers are LGBT.
- Climbers are 84% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Climber demographics by:
Climber gender statistics
3.2% of climbers are women and 96.8% of climbers are men.
- Male, 96.8%
- Female, 3.2%
Climber gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 96.8% |
| Female | 3.2% |
Climber gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$43,303
Female income
$41,759
Climber gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in climber positions over time. Currently, 3.2% of climbers are female.
Climber gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 96.71% | 3.29% |
| 2011 | 97.40% | 2.60% |
| 2012 | 97.39% | 2.61% |
| 2013 | 97.21% | 2.79% |
| 2014 | 97.31% | 2.69% |
| 2015 | 97.26% | 2.74% |
| 2016 | 97.05% | 2.95% |
| 2017 | 97.31% | 2.69% |
| 2018 | 96.93% | 3.07% |
| 2019 | 96.85% | 3.15% |
| 2020 | 96.95% | 3.05% |
| 2021 | 96.81% | 3.19% |
Climber related jobs gender ratio
We compared climbers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, tree climber and chemical mixer/loader have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Mall Plant Caretaker | 32% | 68% |
| Climber | 97% | 3% |
| Ground Crewman | 98% | 2% |
| Chemical Mixer/Loader | 98% | 2% |
| Tree Climber | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Climber demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among climbers is White, which makes up 62.7% of all climbers. Comparatively, 20.8% of climbers are Hispanic or Latino and 9.8% of climbers are Black or African American.
- White, 62.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 20.8%
- Black or African American, 9.8%
- Unknown, 3.9%
- Asian, 1.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
Climber race
| Climber race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 62.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20.8% |
| Black or African American | 9.8% |
| Unknown | 3.9% |
| Asian | 1.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.3% |
Climber race and ethnicity over time
See how climber racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Climber race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.92% | 10.78% | 1.45% | 19.05% |
| 2011 | 65.37% | 11.84% | 1.45% | 18.25% |
| 2012 | 66.61% | 11.77% | 1.47% | 16.99% |
| 2013 | 66.50% | 11.02% | 1.37% | 18.11% |
| 2014 | 67.22% | 10.92% | 1.36% | 17.22% |
| 2015 | 67.55% | 11.00% | 1.79% | 16.78% |
| 2016 | 67.59% | 10.94% | 1.49% | 16.75% |
| 2017 | 68.97% | 10.30% | 1.41% | 16.08% |
| 2018 | 67.50% | 10.46% | 1.50% | 17.53% |
| 2019 | 68.47% | 10.01% | 1.64% | 16.45% |
| 2020 | 66.15% | 11.11% | 1.81% | 15.92% |
| 2021 | 62.66% | 9.76% | 1.53% | 20.82% |
Climber wage gap by race
According to our data, white climbers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american climbers have the lowest average salary at $42,157.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $42,962 |
| White | $44,236 |
| Black or African American | $42,157 |
| Asian | $43,503 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $43,686 |
Average climber age
See how the average age of climbers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Climber age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 46 | 45 |
| Unknown | 39 | 33 |
| Asian | 49 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 41 | 43 |
| White | 39 | 43 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 39 |
Climber age breakdown
The average age of climbers is 40+ years years old, representing 53% of the climber population.
Climber age breakdown
| Climber Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 53% |
| 30-40 years | 25% |
| 20-30 years | 21% |
Climber educational attainment
The most common degree for climbers is high school diploma, with 55% of climbers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are diploma degree at 15% and diploma degree at 12%.
- High School Diploma, 55%
- Diploma, 15%
- Associate, 12%
- Bachelor's, 11%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Climbers by degree level
| Climber degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 55% |
| Diploma | 15% |
| Associate | 12% |
| Bachelor's | 11% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Climber jobs you might like
Climber wage gap by degree level
According to the data, climbers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $46,070 annually. With a Associate degree, climbers earn a median annual income of $44,222 compared to $43,040 for climbers with an Master's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $43,040 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $41,905 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $46,070 |
| No Education | $40,760 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $44,222 |
Climber employment statistics
Most climbers work for a private in the construction industry.
Company size where climbers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where climbers work.
Climber jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 17% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 24% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 17% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 6% |
Climber jobs by company type
Employees with the climber job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most climbers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Climber jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 10% |
| Private | 84% |
| Government | 5% |
Climber jobs by industry
The most common industries for climbers are construction, manufacturing and professional.
Climber industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Construction | 23% |
| Manufacturing | 11% |
| Professional | 11% |
| Health Care | 6% |
| Government | 5% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Telecommunication | 5% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Utilities | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Start-up | 4% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Real Estate | 3% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Automotive | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
Climber turnover and employment statistics
Climber unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for climbers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Climber unemployment rate by year
| Year | Climber unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 17.48% |
| 2011 | 16.48% |
| 2012 | 15.70% |
| 2013 | 14.62% |
| 2014 | 13.12% |
| 2015 | 11.22% |
| 2016 | 9.88% |
| 2017 | 9.97% |
| 2018 | 9.13% |
| 2019 | 7.84% |
| 2020 | 10.49% |
| 2021 | 8.73% |
Average climber tenure
The average climber stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,052 climbers resumes in Zippia's database.
Climber tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 29% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Climber LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of climbers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Grounds Maintenance Supervisor | 2.17% | 63,289 |
| Climber | 3.35% | - |
| Tree Care Foreman | 3.47% | 67,229 |
| Environmental Services Worker | 4.45% | 90,029 |
| Sanitation Worker | 4.88% | 27,943 |
| Hydro Sprayer Operator | 5.27% | 26,153 |
| Housekeeping Assistant Manager | 7.41% | 80,622 |
Similar climber jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Grounds Maintenance Supervisor | 2.17% | 63,289 |
| Tree Care Foreman | 3.47% | 67,229 |
| Environmental Services Worker | 4.45% | 90,029 |
| Sanitation Worker | 4.88% | 27,943 |
| Hydro Sprayer Operator | 5.27% | 26,153 |
| Housekeeping Assistant Manager | 7.41% | 80,622 |
Foreign languages spoken by climbers
The most common foreign language among climbers is Spanish at 45.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Chinese at 9.1% and Finnish is the third-most popular at 9.1%.
- Spanish, 45.5%
- Chinese, 9.1%
- Finnish, 9.1%
- Japanese, 9.1%
- Carrier, 9.1%
- Other, 18.1%
Climber languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 45.5% |
| Chinese | 9.1% |
| Finnish | 9.1% |
| Japanese | 9.1% |
| Carrier | 9.1% |
| Other | 18.1% |
