Food inspector demographics and statistics in the US
Food inspector demographics research summary. Zippia estimates food inspector demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our food inspector 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 inspectors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 8,581 food inspectors currently employed in the United States.
- 47.1% of all food inspectors are women, while 52.9% are men.
- The average food inspector age is 50 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of food inspectors is White (56.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (20.9%), Black or African American (13.2%) and Asian (5.5%).
- Food inspectors are most in-demand in Monroe, NY.
- The government industry is the highest-paying for food inspectors.
- Harrisburg, PA pays an annual average wage of $50,755, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women food inspectors earned 87% of what men earned.
- 8% of all food inspectors are LGBT.
- Alaska is the best state for food inspectors to live.
- Food inspectors are 65% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Food inspector demographics by:
Food inspector gender statistics
47.1% of food inspectors are women and 52.9% of food inspectors are men.
- Male, 52.9%
- Female, 47.1%
Food inspector gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 52.9% |
| Female | 47.1% |
Food inspector gender pay gap
Women earn 87¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$48,094
Female income
$42,040
Food inspector gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in food inspector positions over time. Currently, 47.1% of food inspectors are female.
Food inspector gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 53.85% | 46.15% |
| 2011 | 56.56% | 43.44% |
| 2012 | 53.36% | 46.64% |
| 2013 | 49.67% | 50.33% |
| 2014 | 52.91% | 47.09% |
| 2015 | 49.85% | 50.15% |
| 2016 | 40.65% | 59.35% |
| 2017 | 44.72% | 55.28% |
| 2018 | 49.10% | 50.90% |
| 2019 | 56.38% | 43.62% |
| 2020 | 54.85% | 45.15% |
| 2021 | 52.94% | 47.06% |
Food inspector related jobs gender ratio
We compared food inspectors with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, ditch rider and custom harvester have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Groom | 19% | 81% |
| Stable Hand | 20% | 80% |
| Nursery Worker | 22% | 78% |
| Food Inspector | 53% | 47% |
| Hay Baler | 94% | 6% |
| Custom Harvester | 96% | 4% |
| Ditch Rider | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Food inspector demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among food inspectors is White, which makes up 56.0% of all food inspectors. Comparatively, 20.9% of food inspectors are Hispanic or Latino and 13.2% of food inspectors are Black or African American.
- White, 56.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 20.9%
- Black or African American, 13.2%
- Asian, 5.5%
- Unknown, 3.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Food inspector race
| Food inspector race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 56.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20.9% |
| Black or African American | 13.2% |
| Asian | 5.5% |
| Unknown | 3.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Food inspector race and ethnicity over time
See how food inspector racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Food inspector race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 61.46% | 12.23% | 6.41% | 17.73% |
| 2011 | 60.87% | 12.41% | 5.51% | 17.06% |
| 2012 | 59.67% | 12.14% | 3.93% | 21.70% |
| 2013 | 59.43% | 10.77% | 5.83% | 20.79% |
| 2014 | 62.65% | 13.21% | 6.83% | 15.55% |
| 2015 | 58.82% | 11.78% | 4.93% | 21.82% |
| 2016 | 56.74% | 18.12% | 6.81% | 15.29% |
| 2017 | 58.82% | 10.62% | 6.39% | 20.56% |
| 2018 | 68.73% | 7.78% | 4.45% | 15.84% |
| 2019 | 66.22% | 10.29% | 4.43% | 16.28% |
| 2020 | 63.18% | 9.06% | 7.18% | 15.15% |
| 2021 | 55.96% | 13.24% | 5.52% | 20.92% |
Food inspector wage gap by race
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $47,544 |
| White | $50,760 |
| Black or African American | $48,578 |
| Asian | $47,297 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $46,403 |
Food inspector age breakdown
The average age of food inspectors is 40+ years years old, representing 75% of the food inspector population.
Food inspector age breakdown
| Food Inspector Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 75% |
| 30-40 years | 20% |
| 20-30 years | 5% |
Food inspector educational attainment
The most common degree for food inspectors is bachelor's degree, with 47% of food inspectors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 19% and associate degree degree at 18%.
- Bachelor's, 47%
- Associate, 19%
- High School Diploma, 18%
- Master's, 7%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Food inspectors by degree level
| Food inspector degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 47% |
| Associate | 19% |
| High School Diploma | 18% |
| Master's | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Food inspector jobs you might like
Food inspector wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $45,384 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $49,429 |
| No Education | $43,517 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $49,192 |
Food inspector employment statistics
Most food inspectors work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where food inspectors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where food inspectors work.
Food inspector jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 3% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 23% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 23% |
Food inspector jobs by company type
Employees with the food inspector job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most food inspectors prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Food inspector jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 15% |
| Private | 65% |
| Government | 18% |
Food inspector jobs by industry
The most common industries for food inspectors are manufacturing, government and professional.
Food inspector industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 26% |
| Government | 16% |
| Professional | 10% |
| Retail | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 6% |
| Hospitality | 6% |
| Agriculture | 6% |
| Non Profits | 5% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Construction | 3% |
| Media | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Food inspector turnover and employment statistics
Food inspector unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for food inspectors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Food inspector unemployment rate by year
| Year | Food inspector unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 4.98% |
| 2011 | 4.59% |
| 2012 | 3.08% |
| 2013 | 3.80% |
| 2014 | 5.19% |
| 2015 | 3.52% |
| 2016 | 6.21% |
| 2017 | 8.07% |
| 2018 | 4.27% |
| 2019 | 2.76% |
| 2020 | 0.81% |
| 2021 | 5.22% |
Average food inspector tenure
The average food inspector stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 962 food inspectors resumes in Zippia's database.
Food inspector tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 23% |
| 1-2 years | 28% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 12% |
Food inspector LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of food inspectors 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ginner | 2.30% | 155 |
| Peanut Grader | 4.58% | 334 |
| Food Inspector | 8.23% | - |
| Kennel Manager | 8.43% | 4,989 |
Similar food inspector jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Ginner | 2.30% | 155 |
| Peanut Grader | 4.58% | 334 |
| Kennel Manager | 8.43% | 4,989 |
Foreign languages spoken by food inspectors
The most common foreign language among food inspectors is Spanish at 58.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 5.9% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 2.9%.
- Spanish, 58.8%
- French, 5.9%
- Portuguese, 2.9%
- Chinese, 2.9%
- German, 2.9%
- Other, 26.6%
Food inspector languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 58.8% |
| French | 5.9% |
| Portuguese | 2.9% |
| Chinese | 2.9% |
| German | 2.9% |
| Other | 26.6% |
