Food preparation worker demographics and statistics in the US
Food preparation worker demographics research summary. Zippia estimates food preparation worker demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our food preparation worker 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 preparation workers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 7,861 food preparation workers currently employed in the United States.
- 53.4% of all food preparation workers are women, while 46.6% are men.
- The average food preparation worker age is 36 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of food preparation workers is White (56.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.2%), Black or African American (12.9%) and Asian (7.3%).
- Food preparation workers are most in-demand in Wilmington, DE.
- The retail industry is the highest-paying for food preparation workers.
- Rochester, NY pays an annual average wage of $34,721, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women food preparation workers earned 98% of what men earned.
- 6% of all food preparation workers are LGBT.
- New York is the best state for food preparation workers to live.
- Food preparation workers are 68% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Food preparation worker demographics by:
Food preparation worker gender statistics
53.4% of food preparation workers are women and 46.6% of food preparation workers are men.
- Female, 53.4%
- Male, 46.6%
Food preparation worker gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 53.4% |
| Male | 46.6% |
Food preparation worker gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$25,859
Female income
$25,284
Food preparation worker gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in food preparation worker positions over time. Currently, 53.4% of food preparation workers are female.
Food preparation worker gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 44.77% | 55.23% |
| 2011 | 45.82% | 54.18% |
| 2012 | 45.12% | 54.88% |
| 2013 | 47.56% | 52.44% |
| 2014 | 45.49% | 54.51% |
| 2015 | 47.99% | 52.01% |
| 2016 | 45.83% | 54.17% |
| 2017 | 45.54% | 54.46% |
| 2018 | 44.78% | 55.22% |
| 2019 | 46.51% | 53.49% |
| 2020 | 47.25% | 52.75% |
| 2021 | 46.58% | 53.42% |
Food preparation worker related jobs gender ratio
We compared food preparation workers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, saucier and vacuum kettle cook have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Diet Clerk | 13% | 87% |
| Dietary Clerk | 16% | 84% |
| School Cafeteria Cook | 20% | 80% |
| Food Preparation Worker | 47% | 53% |
| Line Cook/Dishwasher | 84% | 16% |
| Vacuum Kettle Cook | 87% | 13% |
| Saucier | 91% | 9% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Food preparation worker demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among food preparation workers is White, which makes up 56.6% of all food preparation workers. Comparatively, 17.2% of food preparation workers are Hispanic or Latino and 12.9% of food preparation workers are Black or African American.
- White, 56.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.2%
- Black or African American, 12.9%
- Asian, 7.3%
- Unknown, 5.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Food preparation worker race
| Food preparation worker race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 56.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.2% |
| Black or African American | 12.9% |
| Asian | 7.3% |
| Unknown | 5.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Food preparation worker race and ethnicity over time
See how food preparation worker racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Food preparation worker race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 63.91% | 12.05% | 6.37% | 14.68% |
| 2011 | 63.00% | 12.59% | 6.62% | 14.71% |
| 2012 | 62.63% | 12.89% | 6.05% | 14.98% |
| 2013 | 62.59% | 12.34% | 6.10% | 15.56% |
| 2014 | 62.05% | 12.65% | 6.32% | 15.46% |
| 2015 | 61.87% | 12.39% | 6.53% | 15.61% |
| 2016 | 61.03% | 12.28% | 6.68% | 16.14% |
| 2017 | 61.40% | 11.46% | 7.03% | 16.17% |
| 2018 | 62.72% | 11.44% | 6.46% | 15.29% |
| 2019 | 61.43% | 12.28% | 6.84% | 15.62% |
| 2020 | 58.47% | 12.98% | 7.43% | 15.40% |
| 2021 | 56.58% | 12.89% | 7.28% | 17.19% |
Food preparation worker wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino food preparation workers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american food preparation workers have the lowest average salary at $25,532.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $25,951 |
| White | $25,660 |
| Black or African American | $25,532 |
| Asian | $26,071 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $26,088 |
Average food preparation worker age
See how the average age of food preparation workers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Food preparation worker age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 33 | 41 |
| Unknown | 23.5 | 30.5 |
| Asian | 40 | 51 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 28 | 41 |
| White | 26 | 39 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 32.5 |
Food preparation worker age breakdown
The average age of food preparation workers is 40+ years years old, representing 41% of the food preparation worker population.
Food preparation worker age breakdown
| Food Preparation Worker Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 41% |
| 30-40 years | 17% |
| 20-30 years | 29% |
Food preparation worker educational attainment
The most common degree for food preparation workers is high school diploma, with 46% of food preparation workers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 18% and associate degree degree at 17%.
- High School Diploma, 46%
- Associate, 18%
- Bachelor's, 17%
- Diploma, 13%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Food preparation workers by degree level
| Food preparation worker degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 46% |
| Associate | 18% |
| Bachelor's | 17% |
| Diploma | 13% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Food preparation worker jobs you might like
Food preparation worker wage gap by degree level
According to the data, food preparation workers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $26,410 annually. With a Associate degree, food preparation workers earn a median annual income of $25,755 compared to $25,550 for food preparation workers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $25,550 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $26,410 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $25,755 |
Food preparation worker employment statistics
Most food preparation workers work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where food preparation workers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where food preparation workers work.
Food preparation worker jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 19% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 24% |
| > 10,000 employees | 36% |
Food preparation worker jobs by company type
Employees with the food preparation worker job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most food preparation workers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Food preparation worker jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 27% |
| Private | 68% |
| Government | 1% |
Food preparation worker jobs by industry
The most common industries for food preparation workers are hospitality, retail and professional.
Food preparation worker industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 48% |
| Retail | 16% |
| Fortune 500 | 7% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Education | 3% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Food preparation worker turnover and employment statistics
Food preparation worker unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for food preparation workers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Food preparation worker unemployment rate by year
| Year | Food preparation worker unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 14.59% |
| 2011 | 13.33% |
| 2012 | 12.38% |
| 2013 | 11.18% |
| 2014 | 9.76% |
| 2015 | 8.87% |
| 2016 | 8.75% |
| 2017 | 8.82% |
| 2018 | 8.52% |
| 2019 | 7.91% |
| 2020 | 10.18% |
| 2021 | 8.94% |
Average food preparation worker tenure
The average food preparation worker stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 3,502 food preparation workers resumes in Zippia's database.
Food preparation worker tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 47% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 9% |
| 5-7 years | 7% |
| 8-10 years | 2% |
| 11+ years | 3% |
Food preparation worker LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of food preparation workers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Vacuum Kettle Cook | 4.90% | 130,910 |
| Food Preparation Worker | 5.52% | - |
| Waiter And Cashier | 7.02% | 133,966 |
| Party Host | 7.29% | 10,198 |
| Barista | 7.36% | 93,290 |
| Bar Back & Bartender | 7.68% | 57,420 |
| Concessions Supervisor | 8.43% | 42,068 |
Similar food preparation worker jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Vacuum Kettle Cook | 4.90% | 130,910 |
| Waiter And Cashier | 7.02% | 133,966 |
| Party Host | 7.29% | 10,198 |
| Barista | 7.36% | 93,290 |
| Bar Back & Bartender | 7.68% | 57,420 |
| Concessions Supervisor | 8.43% | 42,068 |
Foreign languages spoken by food preparation workers
The most common foreign language among food preparation workers is Spanish at 56.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 7.3% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 6.3%.
- Spanish, 56.3%
- French, 7.3%
- Arabic, 6.3%
- German, 3.1%
- Polish, 3.1%
- Other, 23.9%
Food preparation worker languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 56.3% |
| French | 7.3% |
| Arabic | 6.3% |
| German | 3.1% |
| Polish | 3.1% |
| Other | 23.9% |
