Columnist demographics and statistics in the US
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Columnist demographics by:
Columnist gender statistics
46.8% of columnists are women and 53.2% of columnists are men.
- Male, 53.2%
- Female, 46.8%
Columnist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 53.2% |
| Female | 46.8% |
Columnist gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$48,090
Female income
$47,098
Columnist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in columnist positions over time. Currently, 46.8% of columnists are female.
Columnist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 54.87% | 45.13% |
| 2011 | 54.44% | 45.56% |
| 2012 | 54.41% | 45.59% |
| 2013 | 57.40% | 42.60% |
| 2014 | 59.88% | 40.12% |
| 2015 | 54.04% | 45.96% |
| 2016 | 55.99% | 44.01% |
| 2017 | 52.78% | 47.22% |
| 2018 | 57.38% | 42.62% |
| 2019 | 53.87% | 46.13% |
| 2020 | 57.83% | 42.17% |
| 2021 | 53.23% | 46.77% |
Columnist related jobs gender ratio
We compared columnists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, public address announcer and track announcer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Paraprofessional Interpreter | 12% | 88% |
| Deaf Interpreter | 15% | 85% |
| Fashion Journalist | 15% | 85% |
| Columnist | 53% | 47% |
| Sports Announcer | 91% | 9% |
| Track Announcer | 92% | 8% |
| Public Address Announcer | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Columnist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among columnists is White, which makes up 66.5% of all columnists. Comparatively, 12.7% of columnists are Hispanic or Latino and 9.7% of columnists are Asian.
- White, 66.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.7%
- Asian, 9.7%
- Black or African American, 6.4%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Columnist race
| Columnist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 66.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.7% |
| Asian | 9.7% |
| Black or African American | 6.4% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Columnist race and ethnicity over time
See how columnist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Columnist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.61% | 7.32% | 6.22% | 10.72% |
| 2011 | 76.01% | 5.48% | 5.92% | 9.57% |
| 2012 | 73.59% | 7.25% | 6.85% | 10.14% |
| 2013 | 72.61% | 7.02% | 6.47% | 11.92% |
| 2014 | 72.04% | 6.46% | 6.82% | 11.57% |
| 2015 | 70.88% | 7.99% | 5.97% | 11.98% |
| 2016 | 73.90% | 4.74% | 6.70% | 10.32% |
| 2017 | 71.61% | 5.98% | 6.69% | 12.70% |
| 2018 | 69.62% | 7.51% | 6.97% | 13.72% |
| 2019 | 70.53% | 5.41% | 8.60% | 12.14% |
| 2020 | 71.17% | 6.52% | 7.41% | 11.78% |
| 2021 | 66.52% | 6.40% | 9.71% | 12.69% |
Columnist wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino columnists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american columnists have the lowest average salary at $43,779.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $47,636 |
| White | $47,733 |
| Black or African American | $43,779 |
| Asian | $50,313 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $51,357 |
Average columnist age
See how the average age of columnists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Columnist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 50 | 36 |
| White | 39 | 38 |
| Black or African American | 29 | 27.5 |
| Asian | 38 | 33 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 38 | 36 |
Columnist age breakdown
The average age of columnists is 40+ years years old, representing 44% of the columnist population.
Columnist age breakdown
| Columnist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 44% |
| 30-40 years | 32% |
| 20-30 years | 24% |
Columnist educational attainment
The most common degree for columnists is bachelor's degree, with 77% of columnists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 11% and master's degree degree at 6%.
- Bachelor's, 77%
- Master's, 11%
- Associate, 6%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Columnists by degree level
| Columnist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 77% |
| Master's | 11% |
| Associate | 6% |
| High School Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Columnist jobs you might like
Columnist wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $54,234 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $52,160 |
Columnist employment statistics
Most columnists work for a private in the media industry.
Company size where columnists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where columnists work.
Columnist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 28% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 30% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 18% |
| > 10,000 employees | 7% |
Columnist jobs by company type
Employees with the columnist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most columnists prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Columnist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 15% |
| Public | 6% |
| Private | 72% |
| Government | 6% |
Columnist jobs by industry
The most common industries for columnists are media, education and manufacturing.
Columnist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Media | 50% |
| Education | 10% |
| Government | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
Columnist turnover and employment statistics
Columnist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for columnists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Columnist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Columnist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.18% |
| 2011 | 5.45% |
| 2012 | 5.99% |
| 2013 | 3.17% |
| 2014 | 4.18% |
| 2015 | 4.87% |
| 2016 | 2.80% |
| 2017 | 2.13% |
| 2018 | 2.79% |
| 2019 | 4.35% |
| 2020 | 5.70% |
| 2021 | 3.87% |
Average columnist tenure
The average columnist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 5,984 columnists resumes in Zippia's database.
Columnist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 24% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 11% |
Columnist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of columnists 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Columnist | 10.10% | - |
| Radio Announcer | 10.34% | 2,870 |
| Publications Coordinator | 12.01% | 27,541 |
| Assistant Managing Editor | 12.38% | 15,154 |
| Historical Interpreter | 14.90% | 3,552 |
| Content Writer | 16.36% | 19,621 |
| Emcee | 16.36% | 58 |
Similar columnist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Radio Announcer | 10.34% | 2,870 |
| Publications Coordinator | 12.01% | 27,541 |
| Assistant Managing Editor | 12.38% | 15,154 |
| Historical Interpreter | 14.90% | 3,552 |
| Content Writer | 16.36% | 19,621 |
| Emcee | 16.36% | 58 |
Foreign languages spoken by columnists
The most common foreign language among columnists is Spanish at 41.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 16.2% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 5.6%.
- Spanish, 41.5%
- French, 16.2%
- Chinese, 5.6%
- German, 4.9%
- Mandarin, 4.9%
- Other, 26.9%
Columnist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 41.5% |
| French | 16.2% |
| Chinese | 5.6% |
| German | 4.9% |
| Mandarin | 4.9% |
| Other | 26.9% |
