Counter server demographics and statistics in the US
Counter server demographics research summary. Zippia estimates counter server demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our counter 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 counter servers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 1,166,424 counter servers currently employed in the United States.
- 72.0% of all counter servers are women, while 28.0% are men.
- The average counter server age is 23 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of counter servers is White (57.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.6%), Black or African American (9.6%) and Unknown (6.9%).
- In 2022, women earned 101% of what men earned.
- 8% of all counter servers are LGBT.
- Counter servers are 73% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Counter server demographics by:
Counter server gender statistics
72.0% of counter servers are women and 28.0% of counter servers are men.
- Female, 72.0%
- Male, 28.0%
Counter server gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 72.0% |
| Male | 28.0% |
Counter server gender pay gap
Women earn $1.01 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$33,234
Female income
$33,550
Counter server gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in counter server positions over time. Currently, 72.0% of counter servers are female.
Counter server gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 27.66% | 72.34% |
| 2011 | 27.32% | 72.68% |
| 2012 | 23.30% | 76.70% |
| 2013 | 27.20% | 72.80% |
| 2014 | 26.60% | 73.40% |
| 2015 | 25.85% | 74.15% |
| 2016 | 27.77% | 72.23% |
| 2017 | 30.41% | 69.59% |
| 2018 | 28.86% | 71.14% |
| 2019 | 29.84% | 70.16% |
| 2020 | 29.14% | 70.86% |
| 2021 | 27.98% | 72.02% |
Counter server related jobs gender ratio
We compared counter 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% |
| Counter Server | 28% | 72% |
| 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%
Counter server demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among counter servers is White, which makes up 57.5% of all counter servers. Comparatively, 18.6% of counter servers are Hispanic or Latino and 9.6% of counter 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%
Counter server race
| Counter 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% |
Counter server race and ethnicity over time
See how counter server racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Counter server race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71.34% | 9.13% | 3.69% | 11.95% |
| 2011 | 67.95% | 11.05% | 4.79% | 12.64% |
| 2012 | 69.94% | 10.13% | 3.56% | 13.08% |
| 2013 | 69.81% | 10.93% | 3.38% | 12.04% |
| 2014 | 71.49% | 9.14% | 3.34% | 12.38% |
| 2015 | 67.30% | 8.91% | 4.26% | 14.38% |
| 2016 | 66.28% | 8.97% | 3.80% | 15.92% |
| 2017 | 68.29% | 7.59% | 6.14% | 14.37% |
| 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% |
Counter server wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino counter servers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american counter servers have the lowest average salary at $32,636.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $33,052 |
| White | $33,197 |
| Black or African American | $32,636 |
| Asian | $33,618 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $33,680 |
Average counter server age
See how the average age of counter servers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Counter 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 |
Counter server age breakdown
The average age of counter servers is 20-30 years years old, representing 51% of the counter server population.
Counter server age breakdown
| Counter Server Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 3% |
| 30-40 years | 12% |
| 20-30 years | 51% |
Counter server educational attainment
- Bachelor's, 43%
- High School Diploma, 32%
- Associate, 17%
- Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Counter servers by degree level
| Counter server degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 43% |
| High School Diploma | 32% |
| Associate | 17% |
| Diploma | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Counter server jobs you might like
Counter server wage gap by degree level
According to the data, counter servers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $34,669 annually. With a Associate degree, counter servers earn a median annual income of $34,118 compared to $32,349 for counter servers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $32,349 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $34,669 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $34,118 |
Counter server employment statistics
Most counter servers work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where counter servers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where counter servers work.
Counter server jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 13% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 16% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 22% |
| > 10,000 employees | 23% |
Counter server jobs by company type
Employees with the counter server job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most counter servers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Counter server jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 6% |
| Public | 19% |
| Private | 73% |
| Government | 2% |
Counter server jobs by industry
The most common industries for counter servers are hospitality, retail and manufacturing.
Counter server industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 46% |
| Retail | 6% |
| Health Care | 6% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Start-up | 5% |
| Education | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Media | 4% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
Counter server turnover and employment statistics
Counter server unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for counter servers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Counter server unemployment rate by year
| Year | Counter server unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 18.11% |
| 2011 | 17.49% |
| 2012 | 16.09% |
| 2013 | 15.66% |
| 2014 | 13.47% |
| 2015 | 10.82% |
| 2016 | 10.79% |
| 2017 | 9.38% |
| 2018 | 9.31% |
| 2019 | 8.07% |
| 2020 | 9.90% |
| 2021 | 9.86% |
Average counter server tenure
The average counter server stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,440 counter servers resumes in Zippia's database.
Counter server tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 40% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 11% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 3% |
Counter server LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of counter 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wine Steward | 6.48% | 2,835 |
| Curber | 6.98% | 493 |
| Bartender Manager | 7.82% | 96,408 |
| Counter Server | 7.82% | - |
Similar counter server jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Wine Steward | 6.48% | 2,835 |
| Curber | 6.98% | 493 |
| Bartender Manager | 7.82% | 96,408 |
Foreign languages spoken by counter servers
The most common foreign language among counter servers is Spanish at 59.6%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Portuguese at 5.3% and French is the third-most popular at 5.3%.
- Spanish, 59.6%
- Portuguese, 5.3%
- French, 5.3%
- Italian, 5.3%
- Russian, 3.5%
- Other, 21.0%
Counter server languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 59.6% |
| Portuguese | 5.3% |
| French | 5.3% |
| Italian | 5.3% |
| Russian | 3.5% |
| Other | 21.0% |
