Food handler demographics and statistics in the US
Food handler demographics research summary. Zippia estimates food handler demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our food handler estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about food handlers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 1,887,924 food handlers currently employed in the United States.
- 56.8% of all food handlers are women, while 43.2% are men.
- The average food handler age is 23 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of food handlers is White (57.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.6%), Black or African American (9.6%) and Unknown (6.9%).
- Food handlers are most in-demand in Lake Buena Vista, FL.
- The finance industry is the highest-paying for food handlers.
- Syracuse, NY pays an annual average wage of $39,413, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women food handlers earned 101% of what men earned.
- 8% of all food handlers are LGBT.
- Michigan is the best state for food handlers to live.
- Food handlers are 69% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Food handler demographics by:
Food handler gender statistics
56.8% of food handlers are women and 43.2% of food handlers are men.
- Female, 56.8%
- Male, 43.2%
Food handler gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 56.8% |
| Male | 43.2% |
Food handler gender pay gap
Women earn $1.01 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$33,123
Female income
$33,327
Food handler gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in food handler positions over time. Currently, 56.8% of food handlers are female.
Food handler gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 37.83% | 62.17% |
| 2011 | 37.82% | 62.18% |
| 2012 | 41.87% | 58.13% |
| 2013 | 41.03% | 58.97% |
| 2014 | 43.59% | 56.41% |
| 2015 | 40.90% | 59.10% |
| 2016 | 43.20% | 56.80% |
| 2017 | 44.11% | 55.89% |
| 2018 | 44.28% | 55.72% |
| 2019 | 45.45% | 54.55% |
| 2020 | 44.62% | 55.38% |
| 2021 | 43.22% | 56.78% |
Food handler related jobs gender ratio
We compared food handlers 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% |
| Food Handler | 43% | 57% |
| 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%
Food handler demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among food handlers is White, which makes up 57.5% of all food handlers. Comparatively, 18.6% of food handlers are Hispanic or Latino and 9.6% of food handlers 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%
Food handler race
| Food handler 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% |
Food handler race and ethnicity over time
See how food handler racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Food handler race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.31% | 13.07% | 3.29% | 14.66% |
| 2011 | 66.24% | 14.53% | 3.52% | 12.64% |
| 2012 | 65.06% | 14.43% | 3.94% | 13.05% |
| 2013 | 64.18% | 13.75% | 3.69% | 14.97% |
| 2014 | 64.11% | 14.58% | 3.91% | 13.79% |
| 2015 | 64.38% | 13.39% | 4.87% | 13.68% |
| 2016 | 63.01% | 13.46% | 4.15% | 14.93% |
| 2017 | 61.71% | 13.46% | 4.79% | 15.03% |
| 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% |
Food handler wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino food handlers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american food handlers have the lowest average salary at $32,732.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $33,004 |
| White | $33,100 |
| Black or African American | $32,732 |
| Asian | $33,373 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $33,411 |
Average food handler age
See how the average age of food handlers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Food handler 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 |
Food handler age breakdown
The average age of food handlers is 20-30 years years old, representing 51% of the food handler population.
Food handler age breakdown
| Food Handler Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 3% |
| 30-40 years | 12% |
| 20-30 years | 51% |
Food handler educational attainment
The most common degree for food handlers is high school diploma, with 47% of food handlers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 20% and bachelor's degree degree at 15%.
- High School Diploma, 47%
- Bachelor's, 20%
- Associate, 15%
- Diploma, 11%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Food handlers by degree level
| Food handler degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 47% |
| Bachelor's | 20% |
| Associate | 15% |
| Diploma | 11% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Food handler jobs you might like
Food handler wage gap by degree level
According to the data, food handlers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $34,015 annually. With a Associate degree, food handlers earn a median annual income of $33,659 compared to $32,506 for food handlers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $32,506 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $34,015 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $33,659 |
Food handler employment statistics
Most food handlers work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where food handlers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where food handlers work.
Food handler jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 13% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 12% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 31% |
| > 10,000 employees | 29% |
Food handler jobs by company type
Employees with the food handler job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most food handlers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Food handler jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 5% |
| Public | 22% |
| Private | 69% |
| Government | 4% |
Food handler jobs by industry
The most common industries for food handlers are hospitality, manufacturing and retail.
Food handler industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 43% |
| Manufacturing | 10% |
| Retail | 10% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Education | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Government | 3% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
Food handler turnover and employment statistics
Food handler unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for food handlers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Food handler unemployment rate by year
| Year | Food handler unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 14.75% |
| 2011 | 16.23% |
| 2012 | 13.34% |
| 2013 | 12.58% |
| 2014 | 10.04% |
| 2015 | 8.71% |
| 2016 | 10.19% |
| 2017 | 9.58% |
| 2018 | 9.31% |
| 2019 | 8.07% |
| 2020 | 9.90% |
| 2021 | 9.86% |
Average food handler tenure
The average food handler stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 4,448 food handlers resumes in Zippia's database.
Food handler tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 42% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 9% |
| 5-7 years | 9% |
| 8-10 years | 2% |
| 11+ years | 3% |
Food handler LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of food handlers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Head Waitress | 6.48% | 72,324 |
| Room Service Clerk | 6.98% | 93,459 |
| Barkeep | 7.82% | 25,046 |
| Food Handler | 7.82% | - |
Similar food handler jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Head Waitress | 6.48% | 72,324 |
| Room Service Clerk | 6.98% | 93,459 |
| Barkeep | 7.82% | 25,046 |
Foreign languages spoken by food handlers
The most common foreign language among food handlers is Spanish at 73.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 4.7% and Korean is the third-most popular at 2.9%.
- Spanish, 73.5%
- French, 4.7%
- Korean, 2.9%
- Tagalog, 2.4%
- Portuguese, 1.8%
- Other, 14.7%
Food handler languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 73.5% |
| French | 4.7% |
| Korean | 2.9% |
| Tagalog | 2.4% |
| Portuguese | 1.8% |
| Other | 14.7% |
