First sergeant demographics and statistics in the US
First sergeant demographics research summary. Zippia estimates first sergeant demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our first sergeant 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 sergeants after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 27,321 first sergeants currently employed in the United States.
- 9.6% of all first sergeants are women, while 90.4% are men.
- The average first sergeant age is 46 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of first sergeants is White (66.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (14.9%), Black or African American (11.9%) and Unknown (3.9%).
- In 2022, women earned 94% of what men earned.
- 11% of all first sergeants are LGBT.
- First sergeants are 59% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
First sergeant demographics by:
First sergeant gender statistics
9.6% of first sergeants are women and 90.4% of first sergeants are men.
- Male, 90.4%
- Female, 9.6%
First sergeant gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 90.4% |
| Female | 9.6% |
First sergeant gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$106,605
Female income
$100,394
First sergeant gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in first sergeant positions over time. Currently, 9.6% of first sergeants are female.
First sergeant gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 89.83% | 10.17% |
| 2011 | 89.56% | 10.44% |
| 2012 | 91.75% | 8.25% |
| 2013 | 91.15% | 8.85% |
| 2014 | 89.61% | 10.39% |
| 2015 | 90.10% | 9.90% |
| 2016 | 90.64% | 9.36% |
| 2017 | 90.46% | 9.54% |
| 2018 | 90.33% | 9.67% |
| 2019 | 91.40% | 8.60% |
| 2020 | 89.26% | 10.74% |
| 2021 | 90.44% | 9.56% |
First sergeant related jobs gender ratio
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| First Sergeant | 90% | 10% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
First sergeant demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among first sergeants is White, which makes up 66.1% of all first sergeants. Comparatively, 14.9% of first sergeants are Hispanic or Latino and 11.9% of first sergeants are Black or African American.
- White, 66.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 14.9%
- Black or African American, 11.9%
- Unknown, 3.9%
- Asian, 1.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%
First sergeant race
| First sergeant race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 66.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.9% |
| Black or African American | 11.9% |
| Unknown | 3.9% |
| Asian | 1.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.4% |
First sergeant race and ethnicity over time
See how first sergeant racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
First sergeant race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 72.90% | 10.99% | 1.18% | 12.46% |
| 2011 | 70.62% | 12.66% | 0.90% | 13.15% |
| 2012 | 71.56% | 11.98% | 1.57% | 11.92% |
| 2013 | 70.08% | 13.89% | 1.60% | 11.59% |
| 2014 | 69.57% | 13.70% | 1.40% | 13.33% |
| 2015 | 70.24% | 13.42% | 1.34% | 12.18% |
| 2016 | 68.83% | 14.98% | 1.04% | 12.95% |
| 2017 | 69.64% | 12.33% | 1.81% | 13.33% |
| 2018 | 69.65% | 12.43% | 1.19% | 14.08% |
| 2019 | 68.69% | 10.55% | 1.75% | 15.08% |
| 2020 | 66.95% | 10.90% | 2.03% | 15.05% |
| 2021 | 66.09% | 11.92% | 1.77% | 14.93% |
First sergeant wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino first sergeants have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown first sergeants have the lowest average salary at $100,302.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $100,302 |
| White | $102,873 |
| Black or African American | $100,668 |
| Asian | $113,948 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $116,328 |
Average first sergeant age
See how the average age of first sergeants varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
First sergeant age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 47 | |
| White | 47 | 46 |
| Black or African American | 52 | 41.5 |
| Asian | 42 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 46 | 53.5 |
First sergeant age breakdown
The average age of first sergeants is 40+ years years old, representing 78% of the first sergeant population.
First sergeant age breakdown
| First Sergeant Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 78% |
| 30-40 years | 21% |
| 20-30 years | 1% |
First sergeant educational attainment
The most common degree for first sergeants is bachelor's degree, with 42% of first sergeants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 40% and associate degree degree at 9%.
- Bachelor's, 42%
- Associate, 40%
- Master's, 9%
- High School Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 4%
First sergeants by degree level
| First sergeant degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 42% |
| Associate | 40% |
| Master's | 9% |
| High School Diploma | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
First sergeant jobs you might like
First sergeant wage gap by degree level
According to the data, first sergeants with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $120,409 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, first sergeants earn a median annual income of $113,142 compared to $95,696 for first sergeants with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $120,409 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $91,028 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $113,142 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $95,696 |
First sergeant employment statistics
Most first sergeants work for a private in the government industry.
Company size where first sergeants work
Below, you can see the size of companies where first sergeants work.
First sergeant jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 10% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 19% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 33% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 17% |
| > 10,000 employees | 13% |
First sergeant jobs by company type
Employees with the first sergeant job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most first sergeants prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
First sergeant jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 11% |
| Public | 5% |
| Private | 59% |
| Government | 25% |
First sergeant jobs by industry
The most common industries for first sergeants are government, manufacturing and education.
First sergeant industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 23% |
| Manufacturing | 11% |
| Education | 11% |
| Transportation | 8% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Start-up | 6% |
| Technology | 6% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Media | 3% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
First sergeant turnover and employment statistics
First sergeant unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for first sergeants between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
First sergeant unemployment rate by year
| Year | First sergeant unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.01% |
| 2011 | 1.35% |
| 2012 | 1.64% |
| 2013 | 1.96% |
| 2014 | 1.46% |
| 2015 | 1.58% |
| 2016 | 1.04% |
| 2017 | 0.77% |
| 2018 | 0.86% |
| 2019 | 0.93% |
| 2020 | 0.81% |
| 2021 | 0.90% |
Average first sergeant tenure
The average first sergeant stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 4,503 first sergeants resumes in Zippia's database.
First sergeant tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 10% |
| 1-2 years | 40% |
| 3-4 years | 18% |
| 5-7 years | 8% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 20% |
First sergeant LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of first sergeants 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Fire Fighter | 6.87% | 3,398 |
| Animal Control Supervisor | 6.90% | 34,268 |
| First Sergeant | 10.94% | - |
| Jail Supervisor | 18.30% | 931 |
Similar first sergeant jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Fire Fighter | 6.87% | 3,398 |
| Animal Control Supervisor | 6.90% | 34,268 |
| Jail Supervisor | 18.30% | 931 |
Foreign languages spoken by first sergeants
The most common foreign language among first sergeants is Spanish at 33.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is German at 10.6% and Korean is the third-most popular at 10.6%.
- Spanish, 33.3%
- German, 10.6%
- Korean, 10.6%
- Hebrew, 9.1%
- Italian, 6.1%
- Other, 30.3%
First sergeant languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 33.3% |
| German | 10.6% |
| Korean | 10.6% |
| Hebrew | 9.1% |
| Italian | 6.1% |
| Other | 30.3% |
