Contractor/consultant demographics and statistics in the US
Contractor/consultant demographics research summary. Zippia estimates contractor/consultant demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our contractor/consultant estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about contractor/consultants after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 261,691 contractor/consultants currently employed in the United States.
- 33.8% of all contractor/consultants are women, while 66.2% are men.
- The average contractor/consultant age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of contractor/consultants is White (70.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (9.4%), Asian (8.8%) and Black or African American (6.4%).
- In 2022, women earned 91% of what men earned.
- 11% of all contractor/consultants are LGBT.
- Contractor/consultants are 48% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Contractor/consultant demographics by:
Contractor/consultant gender statistics
33.8% of contractor/consultants are women and 66.2% of contractor/consultants are men.
- Male, 66.2%
- Female, 33.8%
Contractor/consultant gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 66.2% |
| Female | 33.8% |
Contractor/consultant gender pay gap
Women earn 91¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$86,296
Female income
$78,642
Contractor/consultant gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in contractor/consultant positions over time. Currently, 33.8% of contractor/consultants are female.
Contractor/consultant gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 58.89% | 41.11% |
| 2011 | 57.80% | 42.20% |
| 2012 | 59.39% | 40.61% |
| 2013 | 61.29% | 38.71% |
| 2014 | 59.38% | 40.62% |
| 2015 | 63.03% | 36.97% |
| 2016 | 61.25% | 38.75% |
| 2017 | 62.18% | 37.82% |
| 2018 | 69.77% | 30.23% |
| 2019 | 67.97% | 32.03% |
| 2020 | 69.13% | 30.87% |
| 2021 | 66.20% | 33.80% |
Contractor/consultant related jobs gender ratio
We compared contractor/consultants 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% |
| Contractor/Consultant | 66% | 34% |
| 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%
Contractor/consultant demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among contractor/consultants is White, which makes up 70.4% of all contractor/consultants. Comparatively, 9.4% of contractor/consultants are Hispanic or Latino and 8.8% of contractor/consultants are Asian.
- White, 70.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.4%
- Asian, 8.8%
- Black or African American, 6.4%
- Unknown, 4.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Contractor/consultant race
| Contractor/consultant race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 70.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.4% |
| Asian | 8.8% |
| Black or African American | 6.4% |
| Unknown | 4.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Contractor/consultant race and ethnicity over time
See how contractor/consultant racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Contractor/consultant race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71.64% | 9.14% | 7.50% | 9.18% |
| 2011 | 71.90% | 8.69% | 7.23% | 8.97% |
| 2012 | 69.84% | 10.88% | 7.75% | 9.10% |
| 2013 | 71.15% | 8.71% | 8.65% | 9.21% |
| 2014 | 70.05% | 9.83% | 9.19% | 8.22% |
| 2015 | 70.53% | 8.82% | 8.99% | 9.05% |
| 2016 | 70.07% | 8.42% | 8.90% | 9.52% |
| 2017 | 70.11% | 8.43% | 9.91% | 9.28% |
| 2018 | 74.70% | 6.12% | 8.75% | 7.78% |
| 2019 | 73.89% | 6.53% | 8.10% | 8.69% |
| 2020 | 71.54% | 6.02% | 8.75% | 8.96% |
| 2021 | 70.43% | 6.36% | 8.83% | 9.39% |
Contractor/consultant wage gap by race
According to our data, asian contractor/consultants have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino contractor/consultants have the lowest average salary at $82,792.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $86,410 |
| White | $86,105 |
| Black or African American | $83,056 |
| Asian | $93,543 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $82,792 |
Average contractor/consultant age
See how the average age of contractor/consultants varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Contractor/consultant age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 46 | 46 |
| Unknown | 44 | 43 |
| Asian | 42 | 41 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 40 | 40 |
| White | 44 | 43 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 52 | 48.5 |
Contractor/consultant age breakdown
The average age of contractor/consultants is 40+ years years old, representing 61% of the contractor/consultant population.
Contractor/consultant age breakdown
| Contractor/Consultant Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 61% |
| 30-40 years | 29% |
| 20-30 years | 9% |
Contractor/consultant educational attainment
The most common degree for contractor/consultants is bachelor's degree, with 64% of contractor/consultants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 16% and master's degree degree at 12%.
- Bachelor's, 64%
- Master's, 16%
- Associate, 12%
- Doctorate, 3%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Contractor/consultants by degree level
| Contractor/consultant degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 64% |
| Master's | 16% |
| Associate | 12% |
| Doctorate | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Contractor/consultant jobs you might like
Contractor/consultant wage gap by degree level
According to the data, contractor/consultants with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $104,821 annually. With a Master's degree, contractor/consultants earn a median annual income of $102,617 compared to $91,144 for contractor/consultants with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $102,617 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $91,144 |
| Doctorate Degree | $104,821 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $76,695 |
Contractor/consultant employment statistics
Most contractor/consultants work for a private in the technology industry.
Company size where contractor/consultants work
Below, you can see the size of companies where contractor/consultants work.
Contractor/consultant jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 13% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 20% |
| > 10,000 employees | 46% |
Contractor/consultant jobs by company type
Employees with the contractor/consultant job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most contractor/consultants prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Contractor/consultant jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 44% |
| Private | 48% |
| Government | 4% |
Contractor/consultant jobs by industry
The most common industries for contractor/consultants are technology, professional and finance.
Contractor/consultant industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Fortune 500 | 23% |
| Technology | 14% |
| Professional | 12% |
| Finance | 11% |
| Health Care | 7% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Insurance | 3% |
| Education | 3% |
| Pharmaceutical | 2% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Government | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
Contractor/consultant turnover and employment statistics
Contractor/consultant unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for contractor/consultants between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Contractor/consultant unemployment rate by year
| Year | Contractor/consultant unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.91% |
| 2011 | 6.00% |
| 2012 | 5.43% |
| 2013 | 4.38% |
| 2014 | 4.31% |
| 2015 | 3.33% |
| 2016 | 3.41% |
| 2017 | 3.61% |
| 2018 | 2.68% |
| 2019 | 2.51% |
| 2020 | 3.52% |
| 2021 | 3.70% |
Average contractor/consultant tenure
The average contractor/consultant stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 12,223 contractor/consultants resumes in Zippia's database.
Contractor/consultant tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 29% |
| 1-2 years | 28% |
| 3-4 years | 10% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 13% |
Contractor/consultant LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of contractor/consultants 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Project Estimator | 4.41% | 56,513 |
| Logistics System Engineer | 8.65% | 33,781 |
| Engineering Recruiter | 8.93% | 82,506 |
| Senior Marketing Coordinator | 10.00% | 83,804 |
| Contractor/Consultant | 11.05% | - |
| Regulatory Affairs Specialist | 11.64% | 9,915 |
| Capital Campaign Fundraiser | 19.25% | 2,012 |
Similar contractor/consultant jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Project Estimator | 4.41% | 56,513 |
| Logistics System Engineer | 8.65% | 33,781 |
| Engineering Recruiter | 8.93% | 82,506 |
| Senior Marketing Coordinator | 10.00% | 83,804 |
| Regulatory Affairs Specialist | 11.64% | 9,915 |
| Capital Campaign Fundraiser | 19.25% | 2,012 |
Foreign languages spoken by contractor/consultants
The most common foreign language among contractor/consultants is Spanish at 38.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 13.4% and German is the third-most popular at 7.7%.
- Spanish, 38.9%
- French, 13.4%
- German, 7.7%
- Italian, 4.9%
- Portuguese, 4.7%
- Other, 30.4%
Contractor/consultant languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 38.9% |
| French | 13.4% |
| German | 7.7% |
| Italian | 4.9% |
| Portuguese | 4.7% |
| Other | 30.4% |
