First officer demographics and statistics in the US
First officer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates first officer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our first officer 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 officers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 7,444 first officers currently employed in the United States.
- 12.1% of all first officers are women, while 87.9% are men.
- The average first officer age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of first officers is White (61.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.4%), Black or African American (11.3%) and Unknown (5.1%).
- First officers are most in-demand in Las Vegas, NV.
- The technology industry is the highest-paying for first officers.
- 7% of all first officers are LGBT.
On this page
First officer demographics by:
First officer gender statistics
12.1% of first officers are women and 87.9% of first officers are men.
- Male, 87.9%
- Female, 12.1%
First officer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 87.9% |
| Female | 12.1% |
First officer gender pay gap
Women earn 93¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$85,838
Female income
$79,437
First officer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in first officer positions over time. Currently, 12.1% of first officers are female.
First officer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 88.64% | 11.36% |
| 2011 | 88.61% | 11.39% |
| 2012 | 88.47% | 11.53% |
| 2013 | 88.94% | 11.06% |
| 2014 | 88.85% | 11.15% |
| 2015 | 89.18% | 10.82% |
| 2016 | 89.41% | 10.59% |
| 2017 | 89.19% | 10.81% |
| 2018 | 88.24% | 11.76% |
| 2019 | 87.79% | 12.21% |
| 2020 | 89.32% | 10.68% |
| 2021 | 87.90% | 12.10% |
First officer related jobs gender ratio
We compared first officers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, deputy sheriff-k9 handler and fugitive investigator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Matron | 8% | 92% |
| Deputy Treasurer | 19% | 81% |
| Unemployment Examiner | 29% | 71% |
| First Officer | 88% | 12% |
| Town Marshal | 96% | 4% |
| Fugitive Investigator | 97% | 3% |
| Deputy Sheriff-K9 Handler | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
First officer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among first officers is White, which makes up 61.5% of all first officers. Comparatively, 17.4% of first officers are Hispanic or Latino and 11.3% of first officers are Black or African American.
- White, 61.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.4%
- Black or African American, 11.3%
- Unknown, 5.1%
- Asian, 3.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
First officer race
| First officer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 61.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.4% |
| Black or African American | 11.3% |
| Unknown | 5.1% |
| Asian | 3.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.2% |
First officer race and ethnicity over time
See how first officer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
First officer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 67.35% | 11.58% | 2.82% | 14.83% |
| 2011 | 67.53% | 11.64% | 3.07% | 14.18% |
| 2012 | 67.22% | 11.69% | 2.62% | 14.25% |
| 2013 | 67.72% | 11.07% | 2.77% | 14.39% |
| 2014 | 67.10% | 11.15% | 2.96% | 14.65% |
| 2015 | 66.48% | 11.48% | 3.17% | 15.25% |
| 2016 | 66.33% | 11.60% | 2.83% | 15.61% |
| 2017 | 65.91% | 11.66% | 2.87% | 15.54% |
| 2018 | 65.03% | 10.94% | 3.36% | 16.49% |
| 2019 | 66.45% | 10.50% | 3.17% | 16.05% |
| 2020 | 63.41% | 11.74% | 3.39% | 16.02% |
| 2021 | 61.52% | 11.30% | 3.52% | 17.39% |
First officer wage gap by race
According to our data, asian first officers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american first officers have the lowest average salary at $80,509.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $83,592 |
| White | $84,886 |
| Black or African American | $80,509 |
| Asian | $90,537 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $90,103 |
Average first officer age
See how the average age of first officers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
First officer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 42 | 43 |
| Unknown | 38 | 37 |
| Asian | 38 | 43 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 36 |
| White | 39 | 39 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 41.5 |
First officer age breakdown
The average age of first officers is 40+ years years old, representing 50% of the first officer population.
First officer age breakdown
| First Officer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 50% |
| 30-40 years | 34% |
| 20-30 years | 16% |
First officer educational attainment
The most common degree for first officers is bachelor's degree, with 71% of first officers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 14% and associate degree degree at 8%.
- Bachelor's, 71%
- Associate, 14%
- Master's, 8%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 4%
First officers by degree level
| First officer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 71% |
| Associate | 14% |
| Master's | 8% |
| High School Diploma | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
First officer jobs you might like
First officer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, first officers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $98,709 annually. With a Doctorate degree, first officers earn a median annual income of $96,267 compared to $91,726 for first officers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $98,709 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $76,490 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $91,726 |
| Doctorate Degree | $96,267 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $85,648 |
First officer employment statistics
Most first officers work for a private in the transportation industry.
Company size where first officers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where first officers work.
First officer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 22% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 28% |
| > 10,000 employees | 18% |
First officer jobs by company type
Employees with the first officer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most first officers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
First officer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 25% |
| Private | 67% |
| Government | 6% |
First officer jobs by industry
The most common industries for first officers are transportation, manufacturing and hospitality.
First officer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Transportation | 42% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Hospitality | 5% |
| Government | 5% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
First officer turnover and employment statistics
First officer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for first officers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
First officer unemployment rate by year
| Year | First officer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.07% |
| 2011 | 2.19% |
| 2012 | 1.94% |
| 2013 | 1.72% |
| 2014 | 1.41% |
| 2015 | 1.11% |
| 2016 | 1.02% |
| 2017 | 1.12% |
| 2018 | 0.98% |
| 2019 | 1.03% |
| 2020 | 1.37% |
| 2021 | 1.40% |
Average first officer tenure
The average first officer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,071 first officers resumes in Zippia's database.
First officer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 23% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 9% |
First officer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of first officers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Corrections Caseworker | 5.55% | 1,302 |
| First Officer | 7.15% | - |
| Intelligence Specialist | 8.65% | 10,759 |
| Bailiff | 11.11% | 130 |
Similar first officer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Corrections Caseworker | 5.55% | 1,302 |
| Intelligence Specialist | 8.65% | 10,759 |
| Bailiff | 11.11% | 130 |
Foreign languages spoken by first officers
The most common foreign language among first officers is Spanish at 41.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 10.3% and Italian is the third-most popular at 7.7%.
- Spanish, 41.0%
- French, 10.3%
- Italian, 7.7%
- Carrier, 7.7%
- Russian, 5.1%
- Other, 28.2%
First officer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 41.0% |
| French | 10.3% |
| Italian | 7.7% |
| Carrier | 7.7% |
| Russian | 5.1% |
| Other | 28.2% |
