Equipment operator demographics and statistics in the US
Equipment operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates equipment operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our equipment operator estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about equipment operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 606,553 equipment operators currently employed in the United States.
- 7.0% of all equipment operators are women, while 93.0% are men.
- The average equipment operator age is 45 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of equipment operators is White (66.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.9%), Black or African American (7.4%) and Unknown (4.3%).
- Equipment operators are most in-demand in North Mankato, MN.
- The energy industry is the highest-paying for equipment operators.
- 2% of all equipment operators are LGBT.
On this page
Equipment operator demographics by:
Equipment operator gender statistics
7.0% of equipment operators are women and 93.0% of equipment operators are men.
- Male, 93.0%
- Female, 7.0%
Equipment operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 93.0% |
| Female | 7.0% |
Equipment operator gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$32,154
Female income
$30,370
Equipment operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in equipment operator positions over time. Currently, 7.0% of equipment operators are female.
Equipment operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 93.99% | 6.01% |
| 2011 | 95.52% | 4.48% |
| 2012 | 94.35% | 5.65% |
| 2013 | 94.70% | 5.30% |
| 2014 | 94.35% | 5.65% |
| 2015 | 93.29% | 6.71% |
| 2016 | 91.15% | 8.85% |
| 2017 | 92.36% | 7.64% |
| 2018 | 94.08% | 5.92% |
| 2019 | 93.25% | 6.75% |
| 2020 | 93.00% | 7.00% |
| 2021 | 92.96% | 7.04% |
Equipment operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared equipment operators with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, water softener installer and insulation worker have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Composition Floor Setter | 34% | 66% |
| Equipment Operator | 93% | 7% |
| Gas Fitter | 97% | 3% |
| Insulation Worker | 97% | 2% |
| Water Softener Installer | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Equipment operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among equipment operators is White, which makes up 66.6% of all equipment operators. Comparatively, 18.9% of equipment operators are Hispanic or Latino and 7.4% of equipment operators are Black or African American.
- White, 66.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.9%
- Black or African American, 7.4%
- Unknown, 4.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9%
- Asian, 0.9%
Equipment operator race
| Equipment operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 66.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.9% |
| Black or African American | 7.4% |
| Unknown | 4.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.9% |
| Asian | 0.9% |
Equipment operator race and ethnicity over time
See how equipment operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Equipment operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.86% | 6.87% | 0.70% | 15.94% |
| 2011 | 72.80% | 7.30% | 0.52% | 15.95% |
| 2012 | 72.98% | 7.00% | 0.80% | 16.05% |
| 2013 | 73.44% | 6.64% | 0.90% | 15.38% |
| 2014 | 72.24% | 6.58% | 0.72% | 16.74% |
| 2015 | 72.03% | 6.53% | 0.78% | 16.93% |
| 2016 | 72.96% | 6.55% | 0.52% | 16.68% |
| 2017 | 71.61% | 6.06% | 1.08% | 17.36% |
| 2018 | 71.15% | 7.29% | 0.64% | 17.53% |
| 2019 | 72.19% | 6.29% | 0.55% | 17.88% |
| 2020 | 70.17% | 6.56% | 0.77% | 16.70% |
| 2021 | 66.57% | 7.39% | 0.93% | 18.91% |
Equipment operator wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown equipment operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american equipment operators have the lowest average salary at $30,896.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $33,242 |
| White | $32,361 |
| Black or African American | $30,896 |
| Asian | $32,705 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $31,622 |
Average equipment operator age
See how the average age of equipment operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Equipment operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 49.5 | |
| Unknown | 45 | |
| Asian | 46.5 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 44 | 45.5 |
| White | 47 | 42 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 53 |
Equipment operator age breakdown
The average age of equipment operators is 40+ years years old, representing 64% of the equipment operator population.
Equipment operator age breakdown
| Equipment Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 64% |
| 30-40 years | 21% |
| 20-30 years | 14% |
Equipment operator educational attainment
The most common degree for equipment operators is high school diploma, with 46% of equipment operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 19% and associate degree degree at 18%.
- High School Diploma, 46%
- Associate, 19%
- Bachelor's, 18%
- Diploma, 10%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Equipment operators by degree level
| Equipment operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 46% |
| Associate | 19% |
| Bachelor's | 18% |
| Diploma | 10% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Equipment operator jobs you might like
Equipment operator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, equipment operators with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $32,699 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, equipment operators earn a median annual income of $32,095 compared to $32,001 for equipment operators with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $32,001 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $32,095 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $32,699 |
Equipment operator employment statistics
Most equipment operators work for a private in the government industry.
Company size where equipment operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where equipment operators work.
Equipment operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 11% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 16% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 33% |
| > 10,000 employees | 29% |
Equipment operator jobs by company type
Employees with the equipment operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most equipment operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Equipment operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 33% |
| Private | 49% |
| Government | 16% |
Equipment operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for equipment operators are government, construction and manufacturing.
Equipment operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Fortune 500 | 15% |
| Government | 13% |
| Construction | 13% |
| Manufacturing | 11% |
| Energy | 10% |
| Retail | 9% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Transportation | 4% |
| Utilities | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Agriculture | 2% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Equipment operator turnover and employment statistics
Equipment operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for equipment operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Equipment operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Equipment operator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 16.28% |
| 2011 | 14.22% |
| 2012 | 12.70% |
| 2013 | 11.88% |
| 2014 | 8.77% |
| 2015 | 7.31% |
| 2016 | 6.72% |
| 2017 | 6.69% |
| 2018 | 6.46% |
| 2019 | 5.55% |
| 2020 | 8.40% |
| 2021 | 7.84% |
Average equipment operator tenure
The average equipment operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 55,062 equipment operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Equipment operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 25% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 9% |
Equipment operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of equipment operators 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Monument Mason | 1.40% | 214 |
| Drywall Metal Stud Worker | 1.75% | 22,024 |
| Equipment Operator | 2.22% | - |
| Air Hammer Operator | 2.24% | 27,025 |
| Sign Installer | 2.76% | 17,563 |
| Floor Refinisher | 3.39% | 16,290 |
| Sheet Metal Technician | 4.07% | 8,416 |
Similar equipment operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Monument Mason | 1.40% | 214 |
| Drywall Metal Stud Worker | 1.75% | 22,024 |
| Air Hammer Operator | 2.24% | 27,025 |
| Sign Installer | 2.76% | 17,563 |
| Floor Refinisher | 3.39% | 16,290 |
| Sheet Metal Technician | 4.07% | 8,416 |
Foreign languages spoken by equipment operators
The most common foreign language among equipment operators is Spanish at 73.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Carrier at 3.9% and French is the third-most popular at 3.7%.
- Spanish, 73.8%
- Carrier, 3.9%
- French, 3.7%
- German, 3.4%
- Dakota, 2.6%
- Other, 12.6%
Equipment operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 73.8% |
| Carrier | 3.9% |
| French | 3.7% |
| German | 3.4% |
| Dakota | 2.6% |
| Other | 12.6% |
