Food prep demographics and statistics in the US
Food prep demographics research summary. Zippia estimates food prep demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our food prep 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 preps after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 446,618 food preps currently employed in the United States.
- 48.9% of all food preps are women, while 51.1% are men.
- The average food prep age is 23 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of food preps is White (57.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.6%), Black or African American (9.6%) and Unknown (6.9%).
- Food preps are most in-demand in Austin, TX.
- Boston, MA pays an annual average wage of $32,273, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women food preps earned 101% of what men earned.
- New Jersey is the best state for food preps to live.
- Food preps are 71% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Food prep demographics by:
Food prep gender statistics
48.9% of food preps are women and 51.1% of food preps are men.
- Male, 51.1%
- Female, 48.9%
Food prep gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 51.1% |
| Female | 48.9% |
Food prep gender pay gap
Women earn $1.01 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$26,524
Female income
$26,784
Food prep gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in food prep positions over time. Currently, 48.9% of food preps are female.
Food prep gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 45.53% | 54.47% |
| 2011 | 45.53% | 54.47% |
| 2012 | 49.74% | 50.26% |
| 2013 | 48.88% | 51.12% |
| 2014 | 51.51% | 48.49% |
| 2015 | 48.74% | 51.26% |
| 2016 | 51.11% | 48.89% |
| 2017 | 52.03% | 47.97% |
| 2018 | 52.20% | 47.80% |
| 2019 | 53.38% | 46.62% |
| 2020 | 52.55% | 47.45% |
| 2021 | 51.12% | 48.88% |
Food prep related jobs gender ratio
We compared food preps 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 Prep | 51% | 49% |
| 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 prep demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among food preps is White, which makes up 57.5% of all food preps. Comparatively, 18.6% of food preps are Hispanic or Latino and 9.6% of food preps 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 prep race
| Food prep 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 prep race and ethnicity over time
See how food prep racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Food prep 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 prep wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino food preps have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american food preps have the lowest average salary at $26,029.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $26,373 |
| White | $26,495 |
| Black or African American | $26,029 |
| Asian | $26,842 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $26,891 |
Average food prep age
See how the average age of food preps varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Food prep 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 prep age breakdown
The average age of food preps is 20-30 years years old, representing 51% of the food prep population.
Food prep age breakdown
| Food Prep Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 3% |
| 30-40 years | 12% |
| 20-30 years | 51% |
Food prep educational attainment
The most common degree for food preps is high school diploma, with 48% of food preps earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 16% and bachelor's degree degree at 16%.
- High School Diploma, 48%
- Bachelor's, 16%
- Associate, 16%
- Diploma, 12%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Food preps by degree level
| Food prep degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 48% |
| Bachelor's | 16% |
| Associate | 16% |
| Diploma | 12% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Food prep jobs you might like
Food prep wage gap by degree level
According to the data, food preps with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $27,666 annually. With a Associate degree, food preps earn a median annual income of $27,208 compared to $25,745 for food preps with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $25,745 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $27,666 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $27,208 |
Food prep employment statistics
Most food preps work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where food preps work
Below, you can see the size of companies where food preps work.
Food prep jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 11% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 13% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 33% |
| > 10,000 employees | 29% |
Food prep jobs by company type
Employees with the food prep job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most food preps prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Food prep jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 7% |
| Public | 20% |
| Private | 71% |
| Government | 3% |
Food prep jobs by industry
The most common industries for food preps are hospitality, retail and education.
Food prep industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 47% |
| Retail | 13% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Education | 6% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Government | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Food prep turnover and employment statistics
Food prep unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for food preps between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Food prep unemployment rate by year
| Year | Food prep 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 prep tenure
The average food prep stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 28,858 food preps resumes in Zippia's database.
Food prep tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 43% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 10% |
| 5-7 years | 10% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 4% |
Food prep LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of food preps 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Host/Waiter | 6.48% | 73,399 |
| Cotton Candy Maker | 6.98% | 6,985 |
| Lead Bartender | 7.82% | 28,748 |
| Food Prep | 7.82% | - |
Similar food prep jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Host/Waiter | 6.48% | 73,399 |
| Cotton Candy Maker | 6.98% | 6,985 |
| Lead Bartender | 7.82% | 28,748 |
Foreign languages spoken by food preps
The most common foreign language among food preps is Spanish at 69.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 6.7% and German is the third-most popular at 3.4%.
- Spanish, 69.4%
- French, 6.7%
- German, 3.4%
- Mandarin, 2.8%
- Chinese, 2.5%
- Other, 15.2%
Food prep languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 69.4% |
| French | 6.7% |
| German | 3.4% |
| Mandarin | 2.8% |
| Chinese | 2.5% |
| Other | 15.2% |
