First cook demographics and statistics in the US
First cook demographics research summary. Zippia estimates first cook demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our first cook estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about first cooks after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 11,647 first cooks currently employed in the United States.
- 22.8% of all first cooks are women, while 77.2% are men.
- The average first cook age is 38 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of first cooks is White (55.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (20.5%), Asian (9.3%) and Black or African American (8.8%).
- In 2022, women earned 96% of what men earned.
- 6% of all first cooks are LGBT.
- First cooks are 68% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
First cook demographics by:
First cook gender statistics
22.8% of first cooks are women and 77.2% of first cooks are men.
- Male, 77.2%
- Female, 22.8%
First cook gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 77.2% |
| Female | 22.8% |
First cook gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$35,190
Female income
$33,887
First cook gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in first cook positions over time. Currently, 22.8% of first cooks are female.
First cook gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 74.79% | 25.21% |
| 2011 | 75.15% | 24.85% |
| 2012 | 76.07% | 23.93% |
| 2013 | 76.15% | 23.85% |
| 2014 | 77.21% | 22.79% |
| 2015 | 76.56% | 23.44% |
| 2016 | 77.31% | 22.69% |
| 2017 | 77.34% | 22.66% |
| 2018 | 76.74% | 23.26% |
| 2019 | 76.51% | 23.49% |
| 2020 | 77.17% | 22.83% |
| 2021 | 77.21% | 22.79% |
First cook related jobs gender ratio
We compared first cooks with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, saucier and vacuum kettle cook have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Diet Clerk | 13% | 87% |
| Dietary Clerk | 16% | 84% |
| School Cafeteria Cook | 20% | 80% |
| First Cook | 77% | 23% |
| Line Cook/Dishwasher | 84% | 16% |
| Vacuum Kettle Cook | 87% | 13% |
| Saucier | 91% | 9% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
First cook demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among first cooks is White, which makes up 55.8% of all first cooks. Comparatively, 20.5% of first cooks are Hispanic or Latino and 9.3% of first cooks are Asian.
- White, 55.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 20.5%
- Asian, 9.3%
- Black or African American, 8.8%
- Unknown, 4.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
First cook race
| First cook race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 55.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20.5% |
| Asian | 9.3% |
| Black or African American | 8.8% |
| Unknown | 4.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.1% |
First cook race and ethnicity over time
See how first cook racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
First cook race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 60.18% | 10.43% | 8.24% | 18.80% |
| 2011 | 59.98% | 11.62% | 8.27% | 17.31% |
| 2012 | 59.65% | 11.15% | 8.07% | 18.27% |
| 2013 | 59.80% | 11.00% | 8.06% | 18.47% |
| 2014 | 59.37% | 10.87% | 8.34% | 18.42% |
| 2015 | 59.41% | 10.62% | 8.44% | 18.54% |
| 2016 | 59.10% | 10.27% | 8.36% | 19.00% |
| 2017 | 58.24% | 9.90% | 8.53% | 19.58% |
| 2018 | 59.34% | 9.88% | 8.41% | 19.07% |
| 2019 | 59.40% | 9.47% | 8.78% | 19.00% |
| 2020 | 57.38% | 8.82% | 9.03% | 19.19% |
| 2021 | 55.84% | 8.81% | 9.32% | 20.49% |
First cook wage gap by race
According to our data, asian first cooks have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american first cooks have the lowest average salary at $34,662.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $34,937 |
| White | $34,984 |
| Black or African American | $34,662 |
| Asian | $35,829 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $35,549 |
Average first cook age
See how the average age of first cooks varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
First cook age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 35 | 45 |
| Unknown | 27 | 36 |
| Asian | 42 | 49.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 35 | 42 |
| White | 29 | 44 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 31.5 | 49 |
First cook age breakdown
The average age of first cooks is 40+ years years old, representing 45% of the first cook population.
First cook age breakdown
| First Cook Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 45% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 26% |
First cook educational attainment
The most common degree for first cooks is associate degree, with 44% of first cooks earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 21% and bachelor's degree degree at 21%.
- Associate, 44%
- Bachelor's, 21%
- High School Diploma, 21%
- Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 6%
First cooks by degree level
| First cook degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 44% |
| Bachelor's | 21% |
| High School Diploma | 21% |
| Diploma | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
First cook jobs you might like
First cook wage gap by degree level
According to the data, first cooks with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $36,164 annually. With a Associate degree, first cooks earn a median annual income of $35,374 compared to $34,639 for first cooks with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $34,639 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $36,164 |
| No Education | $34,258 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $35,374 |
First cook employment statistics
Most first cooks work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where first cooks work
Below, you can see the size of companies where first cooks work.
First cook jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 15% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 23% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 21% |
First cook jobs by company type
Employees with the first cook job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most first cooks prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
First cook jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 11% |
| Public | 14% |
| Private | 68% |
| Government | 7% |
First cook jobs by industry
The most common industries for first cooks are hospitality, health care and education.
First cook industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 35% |
| Health Care | 17% |
| Education | 9% |
| Government | 5% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Fortune 500 | 4% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Media | 3% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Professional | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
First cook turnover and employment statistics
First cook unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for first cooks between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
First cook unemployment rate by year
| Year | First cook unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 13.74% |
| 2011 | 13.72% |
| 2012 | 12.24% |
| 2013 | 11.55% |
| 2014 | 9.93% |
| 2015 | 8.76% |
| 2016 | 8.73% |
| 2017 | 7.83% |
| 2018 | 7.48% |
| 2019 | 6.91% |
| 2020 | 10.00% |
| 2021 | 10.11% |
Average first cook tenure
The average first cook stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,195 first cooks resumes in Zippia's database.
First cook tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 12% |
| 1-2 years | 38% |
| 3-4 years | 19% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 11% |
First cook LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of first cooks 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 |
|---|---|---|
| First Cook | 5.53% | - |
| Dietary Assistant | 6.78% | 12,812 |
| Host/Waiter | 7.02% | 73,399 |
| Party Host | 7.29% | 10,198 |
| Deli Associate | 7.36% | 117,130 |
| Bartender Manager | 7.68% | 96,408 |
| Banquet Supervisor | 8.43% | 11,122 |
Similar first cook jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Dietary Assistant | 6.78% | 12,812 |
| Host/Waiter | 7.02% | 73,399 |
| Party Host | 7.29% | 10,198 |
| Deli Associate | 7.36% | 117,130 |
| Bartender Manager | 7.68% | 96,408 |
| Banquet Supervisor | 8.43% | 11,122 |
Foreign languages spoken by first cooks
The most common foreign language among first cooks is Spanish at 58.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 16.7% and Italian is the third-most popular at 16.7%.
- Spanish, 58.3%
- French, 16.7%
- Italian, 16.7%
- Greek, 4.2%
- Japanese, 4.2%
First cook languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 58.3% |
| French | 16.7% |
| Italian | 16.7% |
| Greek | 4.2% |
| Japanese | 4.2% |
