Contract worker demographics and statistics in the US
Contract worker demographics research summary. Zippia estimates contract worker demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our contract worker estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about contract workers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 8,692 contract workers currently employed in the United States.
- 40.8% of all contract workers are women, while 59.2% are men.
- The average contract worker age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of contract workers is White (65.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.5%), Black or African American (9.1%) and Asian (7.4%).
- In 2022, women earned 96% of what men earned.
- 7% of all contract workers are LGBT.
- Contract workers are 67% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Contract worker demographics by:
Contract worker gender statistics
40.8% of contract workers are women and 59.2% of contract workers are men.
- Male, 59.2%
- Female, 40.8%
Contract worker gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 59.2% |
| Female | 40.8% |
Contract worker gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$74,034
Female income
$71,197
Contract worker gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in contract worker positions over time. Currently, 40.8% of contract workers are female.
Contract worker gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 58.55% | 41.45% |
| 2011 | 57.32% | 42.68% |
| 2012 | 59.14% | 40.86% |
| 2013 | 60.22% | 39.78% |
| 2014 | 59.20% | 40.80% |
| 2015 | 58.37% | 41.63% |
| 2016 | 58.88% | 41.12% |
| 2017 | 59.06% | 40.94% |
| 2018 | 59.78% | 40.22% |
| 2019 | 58.37% | 41.63% |
| 2020 | 58.66% | 41.34% |
| 2021 | 59.24% | 40.76% |
Contract worker related jobs gender ratio
We compared contract workers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, timber buyer and chief estimator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Wedding Coordinator | 9% | 91% |
| Conference Planning Manager | 9% | 91% |
| Human Resources Administrative Assistant | 9% | 91% |
| Contract Worker | 59% | 41% |
| Electronic Security Specialist | 94% | 6% |
| Chief Estimator | 95% | 5% |
| Timber Buyer | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Contract worker demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among contract workers is White, which makes up 65.8% of all contract workers. Comparatively, 12.5% of contract workers are Hispanic or Latino and 9.1% of contract workers are Black or African American.
- White, 65.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.5%
- Black or African American, 9.1%
- Asian, 7.4%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Contract worker race
| Contract worker race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 65.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.5% |
| Black or African American | 9.1% |
| Asian | 7.4% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Contract worker race and ethnicity over time
See how contract worker racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Contract worker race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.87% | 8.95% | 4.86% | 10.50% |
| 2011 | 72.23% | 10.04% | 5.83% | 10.10% |
| 2012 | 72.42% | 9.42% | 5.31% | 10.64% |
| 2013 | 73.09% | 9.76% | 5.84% | 8.86% |
| 2014 | 71.99% | 8.92% | 6.89% | 9.51% |
| 2015 | 73.42% | 8.78% | 6.24% | 9.40% |
| 2016 | 70.74% | 9.74% | 6.05% | 10.98% |
| 2017 | 72.11% | 8.12% | 7.45% | 10.06% |
| 2018 | 71.52% | 8.82% | 6.79% | 10.64% |
| 2019 | 70.70% | 8.65% | 6.92% | 11.35% |
| 2020 | 66.30% | 9.61% | 6.80% | 12.74% |
| 2021 | 65.77% | 9.14% | 7.38% | 12.51% |
Contract worker wage gap by race
According to our data, asian contract workers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown contract workers have the lowest average salary at $72,342.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $72,342 |
| White | $73,326 |
| Black or African American | $75,016 |
| Asian | $75,465 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $74,064 |
Average contract worker age
See how the average age of contract workers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Contract worker age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 55 | 48 |
| Unknown | 44 | 43 |
| Asian | 43 | 43.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 41 | 47 |
| White | 50 | 50 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 52 |
Contract worker age breakdown
The average age of contract workers is 40+ years years old, representing 72% of the contract worker population.
Contract worker age breakdown
| Contract Worker Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 72% |
| 30-40 years | 21% |
| 20-30 years | 7% |
Contract worker educational attainment
The most common degree for contract workers is bachelor's degree, with 47% of contract workers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 20% and associate degree degree at 15%.
- Bachelor's, 47%
- Associate, 20%
- High School Diploma, 15%
- Master's, 8%
- Other Degrees, 10%
Contract workers by degree level
| Contract worker degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 47% |
| Associate | 20% |
| High School Diploma | 15% |
| Master's | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 10% |
Contract worker jobs you might like
Contract worker wage gap by degree level
According to the data, contract workers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $87,638 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, contract workers earn a median annual income of $78,421 compared to $66,645 for contract workers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $87,638 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $66,645 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $78,421 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $64,841 |
Contract worker employment statistics
Most contract workers work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where contract workers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where contract workers work.
Contract worker jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 12% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 23% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 23% |
| > 10,000 employees | 28% |
Contract worker jobs by company type
Employees with the contract worker job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most contract workers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Contract worker jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 27% |
| Private | 67% |
| Government | 2% |
Contract worker jobs by industry
The most common industries for contract workers are professional, technology and manufacturing.
Contract worker industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 25% |
| Fortune 500 | 16% |
| Technology | 13% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Education | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Government | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Contract worker turnover and employment statistics
Contract worker unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for contract workers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Contract worker unemployment rate by year
| Year | Contract worker unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.44% |
| 2011 | 5.64% |
| 2012 | 5.01% |
| 2013 | 4.52% |
| 2014 | 2.61% |
| 2015 | 2.75% |
| 2016 | 1.99% |
| 2017 | 1.76% |
| 2018 | 1.71% |
| 2019 | 1.90% |
| 2020 | 2.63% |
| 2021 | 3.60% |
Average contract worker tenure
The average contract worker stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 5,337 contract workers resumes in Zippia's database.
Contract worker tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 38% |
| 1-2 years | 27% |
| 3-4 years | 10% |
| 5-7 years | 12% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Contract worker LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of contract workers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Estimating Assistant | 4.41% | 18,548 |
| Contract Worker | 7.17% | - |
| Sustainment Logistics Analyst | 8.65% | 14,598 |
| Senior Market Analyst | 10.00% | 49,647 |
| Business Development Internship | 11.05% | 147,302 |
| Immigration Investigator | 11.64% | 4,690 |
| Fund Raiser | 19.25% | 927 |
Similar contract worker jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Estimating Assistant | 4.41% | 18,548 |
| Sustainment Logistics Analyst | 8.65% | 14,598 |
| Senior Market Analyst | 10.00% | 49,647 |
| Business Development Internship | 11.05% | 147,302 |
| Immigration Investigator | 11.64% | 4,690 |
| Fund Raiser | 19.25% | 927 |
Foreign languages spoken by contract workers
The most common foreign language among contract workers is Spanish at 55.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 11.0% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 5.1%.
- Spanish, 55.1%
- French, 11.0%
- Chinese, 5.1%
- German, 4.4%
- Mandarin, 3.7%
- Other, 20.7%
Contract worker languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 55.1% |
| French | 11.0% |
| Chinese | 5.1% |
| German | 4.4% |
| Mandarin | 3.7% |
| Other | 20.7% |
