Food service specialist demographics and statistics in the US
Food service specialist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates food service specialist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our food service specialist 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 service specialists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 33,251 food service specialists currently employed in the United States.
- 42.9% of all food service specialists are women, while 57.1% are men.
- The average food service specialist age is 36 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of food service specialists is White (58.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.6%), Black or African American (11.7%) and Asian (6.7%).
- Food service specialists are most in-demand in Columbia, SC.
- The government industry is the highest-paying for food service specialists.
- New York, NY pays an annual average wage of $44,070, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women food service specialists earned 93% of what men earned.
- 10% of all food service specialists are LGBT.
- Minnesota is the best state for food service specialists to live.
- Food service specialists are 53% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Food service specialist demographics by:
Food service specialist gender statistics
42.9% of food service specialists are women and 57.1% of food service specialists are men.
- Male, 57.1%
- Female, 42.9%
Food service specialist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 57.1% |
| Female | 42.9% |
Food service specialist gender pay gap
Women earn 93¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$32,232
Female income
$30,041
Food service specialist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in food service specialist positions over time. Currently, 42.9% of food service specialists are female.
Food service specialist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 56.57% | 43.43% |
| 2011 | 56.85% | 43.15% |
| 2012 | 56.57% | 43.43% |
| 2013 | 60.22% | 39.78% |
| 2014 | 57.51% | 42.49% |
| 2015 | 58.32% | 41.68% |
| 2016 | 59.96% | 40.04% |
| 2017 | 59.55% | 40.45% |
| 2018 | 59.53% | 40.47% |
| 2019 | 58.78% | 41.22% |
| 2020 | 59.63% | 40.37% |
| 2021 | 57.11% | 42.89% |
Food service specialist related jobs gender ratio
We compared food service specialists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, corporate executive chef and chef de cuisine have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Lunchroom Monitor | 5% | 95% |
| Waiter/Waitress, Captain | 13% | 87% |
| Lunchroom Supervisor | 13% | 87% |
| Food Service Specialist | 57% | 43% |
| Executive Chef | 88% | 12% |
| Chef De Cuisine | 90% | 10% |
| Corporate Executive Chef | 91% | 9% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Food service specialist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among food service specialists is White, which makes up 58.0% of all food service specialists. Comparatively, 17.6% of food service specialists are Hispanic or Latino and 11.7% of food service specialists are Black or African American.
- White, 58.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.6%
- Black or African American, 11.7%
- Asian, 6.7%
- Unknown, 5.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Food service specialist race
| Food service specialist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 58.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.6% |
| Black or African American | 11.7% |
| Asian | 6.7% |
| Unknown | 5.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
Food service specialist race and ethnicity over time
See how food service specialist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Food service specialist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 64.57% | 11.91% | 6.69% | 14.10% |
| 2011 | 63.02% | 12.78% | 6.42% | 14.90% |
| 2012 | 63.27% | 11.70% | 6.65% | 15.21% |
| 2013 | 62.65% | 11.88% | 6.82% | 15.36% |
| 2014 | 61.49% | 12.70% | 6.47% | 16.03% |
| 2015 | 63.03% | 10.66% | 6.94% | 16.40% |
| 2016 | 62.40% | 11.68% | 6.83% | 15.42% |
| 2017 | 60.64% | 11.81% | 6.75% | 17.22% |
| 2018 | 61.65% | 10.52% | 6.92% | 16.77% |
| 2019 | 62.67% | 10.43% | 6.73% | 16.65% |
| 2020 | 58.60% | 10.81% | 7.07% | 17.47% |
| 2021 | 58.02% | 11.67% | 6.71% | 17.63% |
Food service specialist wage gap by race
According to our data, asian food service specialists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american food service specialists have the lowest average salary at $31,062.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $32,349 |
| White | $31,630 |
| Black or African American | $31,062 |
| Asian | $33,215 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $32,958 |
Average food service specialist age
See how the average age of food service specialists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Food service specialist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 34 | 40 |
| Unknown | 28 | 36 |
| Asian | 35 | 43 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 31 | 33 |
| White | 31 | 36 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 33 |
Food service specialist age breakdown
The average age of food service specialists is 40+ years years old, representing 39% of the food service specialist population.
Food service specialist age breakdown
| Food Service Specialist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 39% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 34% |
Food service specialist educational attainment
The most common degree for food service specialists is high school diploma, with 35% of food service specialists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 27% and bachelor's degree degree at 24%.
- High School Diploma, 35%
- Bachelor's, 27%
- Associate, 24%
- Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Food service specialists by degree level
| Food service specialist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 35% |
| Bachelor's | 27% |
| Associate | 24% |
| Diploma | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Food service specialist jobs you might like
Food service specialist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, food service specialists with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $33,872 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, food service specialists earn a median annual income of $33,676 compared to $30,187 for food service specialists with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $30,187 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $33,676 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $33,872 |
Food service specialist employment statistics
Most food service specialists work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where food service specialists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where food service specialists work.
Food service specialist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 13% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 19% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 24% |
| > 10,000 employees | 30% |
Food service specialist jobs by company type
Employees with the food service specialist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most food service specialists prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Food service specialist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 14% |
| Public | 19% |
| Private | 53% |
| Government | 14% |
Food service specialist jobs by industry
The most common industries for food service specialists are hospitality, education and retail.
Food service specialist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 20% |
| Education | 13% |
| Government | 12% |
| Retail | 12% |
| Health Care | 10% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Fortune 500 | 7% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
Food service specialist turnover and employment statistics
Food service specialist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for food service specialists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Food service specialist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Food service specialist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 8.32% |
| 2011 | 8.45% |
| 2012 | 7.13% |
| 2013 | 7.04% |
| 2014 | 5.72% |
| 2015 | 4.46% |
| 2016 | 4.74% |
| 2017 | 4.34% |
| 2018 | 4.18% |
| 2019 | 3.78% |
| 2020 | 7.32% |
| 2021 | 7.89% |
Average food service specialist tenure
The average food service specialist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 8,817 food service specialists resumes in Zippia's database.
Food service specialist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 12% |
| 1-2 years | 26% |
| 3-4 years | 27% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Food service specialist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of food service specialists 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen Staff | 6.78% | 154,513 |
| Host/Waiter | 7.02% | 73,399 |
| Lead Hostess | 7.29% | 9,634 |
| Food Service/Cashier | 7.36% | 247,779 |
| Bartender | 7.68% | 57,518 |
| Private Chef | 7.85% | 20,132 |
| Food Service Specialist | 10.00% | - |
Similar food service specialist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen Staff | 6.78% | 154,513 |
| Host/Waiter | 7.02% | 73,399 |
| Lead Hostess | 7.29% | 9,634 |
| Food Service/Cashier | 7.36% | 247,779 |
| Bartender | 7.68% | 57,518 |
| Private Chef | 7.85% | 20,132 |
Foreign languages spoken by food service specialists
The most common foreign language among food service specialists is Spanish at 67.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 6.5% and Korean is the third-most popular at 4.0%.
- Spanish, 67.3%
- French, 6.5%
- Korean, 4.0%
- Japanese, 3.0%
- Chinese, 2.5%
- Other, 16.7%
Food service specialist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 67.3% |
| French | 6.5% |
| Korean | 4.0% |
| Japanese | 3.0% |
| Chinese | 2.5% |
| Other | 16.7% |
