Cocktail waitress demographics and statistics in the US
Cocktail waitress demographics research summary. Zippia estimates cocktail waitress demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our cocktail waitress 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 waitresses after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 1,591,226 cocktail waitresses currently employed in the United States.
- 94.3% of all cocktail waitresses are women, while 5.7% are men.
- The average cocktail waitress age is 28 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of cocktail waitresses is White (53.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (21.6%), Black or African American (10.7%) and Asian (7.8%).
- In 2022, women earned 97% of what men earned.
- 6% of all cocktail waitresses are LGBT.
- Cocktail waitresses are 83% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Cocktail waitress demographics by:
Cocktail waitress gender statistics
94.3% of cocktail waitresses are women and 5.7% of cocktail waitresses are men.
- Female, 94.3%
- Male, 5.7%
Cocktail waitress gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 94.3% |
| Male | 5.7% |
Cocktail waitress gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$27,702
Female income
$26,986
Cocktail waitress gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in cocktail waitress positions over time. Currently, 94.3% of cocktail waitresses are female.
Cocktail waitress gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 4.99% | 95.01% |
| 2011 | 5.04% | 94.96% |
| 2012 | 5.12% | 94.88% |
| 2013 | 5.42% | 94.58% |
| 2014 | 5.34% | 94.66% |
| 2015 | 5.53% | 94.47% |
| 2016 | 5.98% | 94.02% |
| 2017 | 5.72% | 94.28% |
| 2018 | 5.71% | 94.29% |
| 2019 | 5.68% | 94.32% |
| 2020 | 5.92% | 94.08% |
| 2021 | 5.73% | 94.27% |
Cocktail waitress related jobs gender ratio
We compared cocktail waitresses 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 Waitress | 6% | 94% |
| 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 waitress demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among cocktail waitresses is White, which makes up 53.0% of all cocktail waitresses. Comparatively, 21.6% of cocktail waitresses are Hispanic or Latino and 10.7% of cocktail waitresses are Black or African American.
- White, 53.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 21.6%
- Black or African American, 10.7%
- Asian, 7.8%
- Unknown, 6.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Cocktail waitress race
| Cocktail waitress race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 53.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 21.6% |
| Black or African American | 10.7% |
| Asian | 7.8% |
| Unknown | 6.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
Cocktail waitress race and ethnicity over time
See how cocktail waitress racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Cocktail waitress race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.14% | 9.85% | 4.82% | 16.69% |
| 2011 | 63.79% | 10.90% | 5.12% | 16.59% |
| 2012 | 63.11% | 10.72% | 5.34% | 17.09% |
| 2013 | 62.45% | 10.50% | 5.33% | 18.00% |
| 2014 | 61.74% | 10.28% | 5.76% | 18.18% |
| 2015 | 59.54% | 10.61% | 5.99% | 19.64% |
| 2016 | 59.26% | 10.65% | 6.03% | 19.62% |
| 2017 | 58.73% | 10.65% | 6.09% | 20.04% |
| 2018 | 57.63% | 10.98% | 6.61% | 20.47% |
| 2019 | 58.45% | 10.57% | 6.81% | 19.87% |
| 2020 | 54.16% | 11.32% | 7.02% | 21.00% |
| 2021 | 53.00% | 10.71% | 7.76% | 21.64% |
Cocktail waitress wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino cocktail waitresses have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american cocktail waitresses have the lowest average salary at $27,230.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $27,659 |
| White | $27,696 |
| Black or African American | $27,230 |
| Asian | $27,733 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $28,200 |
Average cocktail waitress age
See how the average age of cocktail waitresses varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Cocktail waitress 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 waitress age breakdown
The average age of cocktail waitresses is 20-30 years years old, representing 48% of the cocktail waitress population.
Cocktail waitress age breakdown
| Cocktail Waitress Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 15% |
| 30-40 years | 20% |
| 20-30 years | 48% |
Cocktail waitress educational attainment
The most common degree for cocktail waitresses is bachelor's degree, with 35% of cocktail waitresses earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 33% and high school diploma degree at 20%.
- Bachelor's, 35%
- High School Diploma, 33%
- Associate, 20%
- Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Cocktail waitresses by degree level
| Cocktail waitress degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 35% |
| High School Diploma | 33% |
| Associate | 20% |
| Diploma | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Cocktail waitress jobs you might like
Cocktail waitress wage gap by degree level
According to the data, cocktail waitresses with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $30,203 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, cocktail waitresses earn a median annual income of $29,437 compared to $28,322 for cocktail waitresses with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $30,203 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $27,250 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $29,437 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $28,322 |
Cocktail waitress employment statistics
Most cocktail waitresses work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where cocktail waitresses work
Below, you can see the size of companies where cocktail waitresses work.
Cocktail waitress jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 13% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 20% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 13% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 32% |
| > 10,000 employees | 15% |
Cocktail waitress jobs by company type
Employees with the cocktail waitress job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most cocktail waitresses prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Cocktail waitress jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 0% |
| Public | 15% |
| Private | 83% |
| Government | 1% |
Cocktail waitress jobs by industry
The most common industries for cocktail waitresses are hospitality, media and manufacturing.
Cocktail waitress industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 66% |
| Media | 6% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Government | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Professional | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
Cocktail waitress turnover and employment statistics
Cocktail waitress unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for cocktail waitresses between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Cocktail waitress unemployment rate by year
| Year | Cocktail waitress 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 waitress tenure
The average cocktail waitress stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 12,289 cocktail waitresses resumes in Zippia's database.
Cocktail waitress tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 37% |
| 1-2 years | 35% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 10% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 3% |
Cocktail waitress LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of cocktail waitresses 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 Waitress | 6.48% | - |
| Cotton Candy Maker | 6.98% | 6,985 |
| Barmaid | 7.82% | 79,746 |
| Soda Fountain Operator | 7.82% | 35,897 |
Similar cocktail waitress jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Cotton Candy Maker | 6.98% | 6,985 |
| Barmaid | 7.82% | 79,746 |
| Soda Fountain Operator | 7.82% | 35,897 |
Foreign languages spoken by cocktail waitresses
The most common foreign language among cocktail waitresses is Spanish at 66.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 9.7% and Russian is the third-most popular at 3.7%.
- Spanish, 66.0%
- French, 9.7%
- Russian, 3.7%
- Italian, 3.5%
- Portuguese, 3.0%
- Other, 14.1%
Cocktail waitress languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 66.0% |
| French | 9.7% |
| Russian | 3.7% |
| Italian | 3.5% |
| Portuguese | 3.0% |
| Other | 14.1% |
