Cocktail server demographics and statistics in the US
Cocktail server demographics research summary. Zippia estimates cocktail server demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our cocktail server estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about cocktail servers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 1,489,845 cocktail servers currently employed in the United States.
- 87.0% of all cocktail servers are women, while 13.0% are men.
- The average cocktail server age is 28 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of cocktail servers is White (51.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (22.8%), Black or African American (10.7%) and Asian (8.1%).
- Cocktail servers are most in-demand in Las Vegas, NV.
- The media industry is the highest-paying for cocktail servers.
- Seattle, WA pays an annual average wage of $35,439, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women cocktail servers earned 96% of what men earned.
- 6% of all cocktail servers are LGBT.
- Arizona is the best state for cocktail servers to live.
- Cocktail servers are 81% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Cocktail server demographics by:
Cocktail server gender statistics
87.0% of cocktail servers are women and 13.0% of cocktail servers are men.
- Female, 87.0%
- Male, 13.0%
Cocktail server gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 87.0% |
| Male | 13.0% |
Cocktail server gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$27,614
Female income
$26,448
Cocktail server gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in cocktail server positions over time. Currently, 87.0% of cocktail servers are female.
Cocktail server gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 11.48% | 88.52% |
| 2011 | 11.57% | 88.43% |
| 2012 | 11.75% | 88.25% |
| 2013 | 12.38% | 87.62% |
| 2014 | 12.21% | 87.79% |
| 2015 | 12.62% | 87.38% |
| 2016 | 13.56% | 86.44% |
| 2017 | 13.02% | 86.98% |
| 2018 | 13.00% | 87.00% |
| 2019 | 12.93% | 87.07% |
| 2020 | 13.44% | 86.56% |
| 2021 | 13.03% | 86.97% |
Cocktail server related jobs gender ratio
We compared cocktail servers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, busboy/waiter and host/waiter have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Barmaid | 5% | 95% |
| Head Waitress | 5% | 95% |
| Bartender, Cook, And Waitress | 5% | 95% |
| Cocktail Server | 13% | 87% |
| Bar Back & Bartender | 86% | 14% |
| Host/Waiter | 90% | 10% |
| Busboy/Waiter | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Cocktail server demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among cocktail servers is White, which makes up 51.4% of all cocktail servers. Comparatively, 22.8% of cocktail servers are Hispanic or Latino and 10.7% of cocktail servers are Black or African American.
- White, 51.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 22.8%
- Black or African American, 10.7%
- Asian, 8.1%
- Unknown, 6.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Cocktail server race
| Cocktail server race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 51.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 22.8% |
| Black or African American | 10.7% |
| Asian | 8.1% |
| Unknown | 6.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Cocktail server race and ethnicity over time
See how cocktail server racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Cocktail server race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 63.53% | 9.86% | 5.17% | 17.86% |
| 2011 | 62.18% | 10.92% | 5.48% | 17.77% |
| 2012 | 61.49% | 10.73% | 5.70% | 18.26% |
| 2013 | 60.83% | 10.51% | 5.69% | 19.18% |
| 2014 | 60.12% | 10.30% | 6.12% | 19.36% |
| 2015 | 57.92% | 10.62% | 6.35% | 20.82% |
| 2016 | 57.65% | 10.67% | 6.39% | 20.80% |
| 2017 | 57.12% | 10.66% | 6.45% | 21.22% |
| 2018 | 56.02% | 10.99% | 6.97% | 21.65% |
| 2019 | 56.83% | 10.58% | 7.17% | 21.05% |
| 2020 | 52.54% | 11.33% | 7.38% | 22.18% |
| 2021 | 51.38% | 10.72% | 8.12% | 22.82% |
Cocktail server wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino cocktail servers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american cocktail servers have the lowest average salary at $26,843.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $27,543 |
| White | $27,605 |
| Black or African American | $26,843 |
| Asian | $27,664 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $28,437 |
Average cocktail server age
See how the average age of cocktail servers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Cocktail server age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 24 | 25 |
| Unknown | 24 | 24 |
| Asian | 28 | 32 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 26 | 26 |
| White | 24 | 25 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 31 | 25 |
Cocktail server age breakdown
The average age of cocktail servers is 20-30 years years old, representing 48% of the cocktail server population.
Cocktail server age breakdown
| Cocktail Server Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 15% |
| 30-40 years | 20% |
| 20-30 years | 48% |
Cocktail server educational attainment
The most common degree for cocktail servers is bachelor's degree, with 41% of cocktail servers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 25% and high school diploma degree at 22%.
- Bachelor's, 41%
- High School Diploma, 25%
- Associate, 22%
- Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Cocktail servers by degree level
| Cocktail server degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 41% |
| High School Diploma | 25% |
| Associate | 22% |
| Diploma | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Cocktail server jobs you might like
Cocktail server wage gap by degree level
According to the data, cocktail servers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $31,844 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, cocktail servers earn a median annual income of $30,522 compared to $28,640 for cocktail servers with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $31,844 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $26,876 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $30,522 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $28,640 |
Cocktail server employment statistics
Most cocktail servers work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where cocktail servers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where cocktail servers work.
Cocktail server jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 14% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 17% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 33% |
| > 10,000 employees | 16% |
Cocktail server jobs by company type
Employees with the cocktail server job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most cocktail servers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Cocktail server jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 17% |
| Private | 81% |
| Government | 1% |
Cocktail server jobs by industry
The most common industries for cocktail servers are hospitality, media and retail.
Cocktail server industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 74% |
| Media | 5% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Professional | 2% |
| Education | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
Cocktail server turnover and employment statistics
Cocktail server unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for cocktail servers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Cocktail server unemployment rate by year
| Year | Cocktail server unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 12.70% |
| 2011 | 12.69% |
| 2012 | 11.74% |
| 2013 | 10.91% |
| 2014 | 9.64% |
| 2015 | 7.91% |
| 2016 | 7.56% |
| 2017 | 7.32% |
| 2018 | 6.98% |
| 2019 | 6.26% |
| 2020 | 13.68% |
| 2021 | 12.67% |
Average cocktail server tenure
The average cocktail server stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 10,902 cocktail servers resumes in Zippia's database.
Cocktail server tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 31% |
| 1-2 years | 36% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 12% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 4% |
Cocktail server LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of cocktail servers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cocktail Server | 6.48% | - |
| Dietary Aide, Serving | 6.98% | 45,822 |
| Cupola Tender | 7.82% | 24,005 |
| Soda Jerker | 7.82% | 553 |
Similar cocktail server jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Dietary Aide, Serving | 6.98% | 45,822 |
| Cupola Tender | 7.82% | 24,005 |
| Soda Jerker | 7.82% | 553 |
Foreign languages spoken by cocktail servers
The most common foreign language among cocktail servers is Spanish at 65.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 7.1% and German is the third-most popular at 3.3%.
- Spanish, 65.1%
- French, 7.1%
- German, 3.3%
- Italian, 3.1%
- Russian, 3.1%
- Other, 18.3%
Cocktail server languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 65.1% |
| French | 7.1% |
| German | 3.3% |
| Italian | 3.1% |
| Russian | 3.1% |
| Other | 18.3% |
