Cook/server demographics and statistics in the US
Cook/server demographics research summary. Zippia estimates cook/server demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our cook/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 cook/servers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 2,518,211 cook/servers currently employed in the United States.
- 54.1% of all cook/servers are women, while 45.9% are men.
- The average cook/server age is 23 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of cook/servers is White (57.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.6%), Black or African American (9.6%) and Unknown (6.9%).
- Cook/servers are most in-demand in Greenville, SC.
- The retail industry is the highest-paying for cook/servers.
- 8% of all cook/servers are LGBT.
On this page
Cook/server demographics by:
Cook/server gender statistics
54.1% of cook/servers are women and 45.9% of cook/servers are men.
- Female, 54.1%
- Male, 45.9%
Cook/server gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 54.1% |
| Male | 45.9% |
Cook/server gender pay gap
Women earn $1.01 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$30,339
Female income
$30,575
Cook/server gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in cook/server positions over time. Currently, 54.1% of cook/servers are female.
Cook/server gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 40.43% | 59.57% |
| 2011 | 40.43% | 59.57% |
| 2012 | 44.55% | 55.45% |
| 2013 | 43.70% | 56.30% |
| 2014 | 46.30% | 53.70% |
| 2015 | 43.57% | 56.43% |
| 2016 | 45.91% | 54.09% |
| 2017 | 46.83% | 53.17% |
| 2018 | 47.00% | 53.00% |
| 2019 | 48.18% | 51.82% |
| 2020 | 47.34% | 52.66% |
| 2021 | 45.92% | 54.08% |
Cook/server related jobs gender ratio
We compared cook/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% |
| Cook/Server | 46% | 54% |
| 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%
Cook/server demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among cook/servers is White, which makes up 57.5% of all cook/servers. Comparatively, 18.6% of cook/servers are Hispanic or Latino and 9.6% of cook/servers are Black or African American.
- White, 57.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.6%
- Black or African American, 9.6%
- Unknown, 6.9%
- Asian, 6.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Cook/server race
| Cook/server race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 57.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.6% |
| Black or African American | 9.6% |
| Unknown | 6.9% |
| Asian | 6.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
Cook/server race and ethnicity over time
See how cook/server racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Cook/server race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.31% | 13.07% | 3.29% | 14.66% |
| 2011 | 66.24% | 14.53% | 3.52% | 12.64% |
| 2012 | 65.06% | 14.43% | 3.94% | 13.05% |
| 2013 | 64.18% | 13.75% | 3.69% | 14.97% |
| 2014 | 64.11% | 14.58% | 3.91% | 13.79% |
| 2015 | 64.38% | 13.39% | 4.87% | 13.68% |
| 2016 | 63.01% | 13.46% | 4.15% | 14.93% |
| 2017 | 61.71% | 13.46% | 4.79% | 15.03% |
| 2018 | 64.11% | 11.49% | 5.21% | 15.12% |
| 2019 | 62.41% | 10.01% | 6.21% | 17.04% |
| 2020 | 59.95% | 9.82% | 6.36% | 16.74% |
| 2021 | 57.47% | 9.64% | 6.49% | 18.63% |
Cook/server wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino cook/servers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american cook/servers have the lowest average salary at $29,889.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $30,202 |
| White | $30,313 |
| Black or African American | $29,889 |
| Asian | $30,627 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $30,672 |
Average cook/server age
See how the average age of cook/servers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Cook/server age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 22.5 | 21 |
| Unknown | 21 | 20.5 |
| Asian | 21 | 22 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 21 | 22 |
| White | 21 | 21 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 21 |
Cook/server age breakdown
The average age of cook/servers is 20-30 years years old, representing 51% of the cook/server population.
Cook/server age breakdown
| Cook/Server Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 3% |
| 30-40 years | 12% |
| 20-30 years | 51% |
Cook/server educational attainment
The most common degree for cook/servers is high school diploma, with 52% of cook/servers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 15% and associate degree degree at 15%.
- High School Diploma, 52%
- Associate, 15%
- Bachelor's, 15%
- Diploma, 12%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Cook/servers by degree level
| Cook/server degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 52% |
| Associate | 15% |
| Bachelor's | 15% |
| Diploma | 12% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Cook/server jobs you might like
Cook/server wage gap by degree level
According to the data, cook/servers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $31,371 annually. With a Associate degree, cook/servers earn a median annual income of $30,958 compared to $29,630 for cook/servers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $29,630 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $31,371 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $30,958 |
Cook/server employment statistics
Most cook/servers work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where cook/servers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where cook/servers work.
Cook/server jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 14% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 32% |
| > 10,000 employees | 30% |
Cook/server jobs by company type
Employees with the cook/server job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most cook/servers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Cook/server jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 22% |
| Private | 76% |
| Government | 0% |
Cook/server jobs by industry
The most common industries for cook/servers are hospitality, retail and manufacturing.
Cook/server industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 58% |
| Retail | 12% |
| Fortune 500 | 6% |
| Media | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Energy | 3% |
| Professional | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Cook/server turnover and employment statistics
Cook/server unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for cook/servers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Cook/server unemployment rate by year
| Year | Cook/server unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 14.75% |
| 2011 | 16.23% |
| 2012 | 13.34% |
| 2013 | 12.58% |
| 2014 | 10.04% |
| 2015 | 8.71% |
| 2016 | 10.19% |
| 2017 | 9.58% |
| 2018 | 9.31% |
| 2019 | 8.07% |
| 2020 | 9.90% |
| 2021 | 9.86% |
Average cook/server tenure
The average cook/server stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 127,782 cook/servers resumes in Zippia's database.
Cook/server tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 39% |
| 1-2 years | 38% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 8% |
| 8-10 years | 2% |
| 11+ years | 2% |
Cook/server LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of cook/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 |
|---|---|---|
| Formal Waiter/Waitress | 6.48% | 3,660 |
| Room Service Clerk | 6.98% | 93,459 |
| Head Bartender | 7.82% | 34,561 |
| Cook/Server | 7.82% | - |
Similar cook/server jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Formal Waiter/Waitress | 6.48% | 3,660 |
| Room Service Clerk | 6.98% | 93,459 |
| Head Bartender | 7.82% | 34,561 |
Foreign languages spoken by cook/servers
The most common foreign language among cook/servers is Spanish at 77.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 6.5% and German is the third-most popular at 2.3%.
- Spanish, 77.3%
- French, 6.5%
- German, 2.3%
- Japanese, 1.6%
- Italian, 1.4%
- Other, 10.9%
Cook/server languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 77.3% |
| French | 6.5% |
| German | 2.3% |
| Japanese | 1.6% |
| Italian | 1.4% |
| Other | 10.9% |
