Informal waiter/waitress demographics and statistics in the US
Informal waiter/waitress demographics research summary. Zippia estimates informal waiter/waitress demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our informal waiter/waitress estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about informal waiter/waitresses after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 401,326 informal waiter/waitresses currently employed in the United States.
- 76.7% of all informal waiter/waitresses are women, while 23.3% are men.
- The average informal waiter/waitress age is 28 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of informal waiter/waitresses is White (54.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.8%), Black or African American (11.8%) and Asian (8.7%).
- Informal waiter/waitresses are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- Saratoga Springs, NY pays an annual average wage of $34,674, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women informal waiter/waitresses earned 97% of what men earned.
- Arizona is the best state for informal waiter/waitresses to live.
- Informal waiter/waitresses are 80% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Informal waiter/waitress demographics by:
Informal waiter/waitress gender statistics
76.7% of informal waiter/waitresses are women and 23.3% of informal waiter/waitresses are men.
- Female, 76.7%
- Male, 23.3%
Informal waiter/waitress gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 76.7% |
| Male | 23.3% |
Informal waiter/waitress gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$25,412
Female income
$24,554
Informal waiter/waitress gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in informal waiter/waitress positions over time. Currently, 76.7% of informal waiter/waitresses are female.
Informal waiter/waitress gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 20.77% | 79.23% |
| 2011 | 20.92% | 79.08% |
| 2012 | 21.22% | 78.78% |
| 2013 | 22.23% | 77.77% |
| 2014 | 21.95% | 78.05% |
| 2015 | 22.61% | 77.39% |
| 2016 | 24.09% | 75.91% |
| 2017 | 23.24% | 76.76% |
| 2018 | 23.21% | 76.79% |
| 2019 | 23.10% | 76.90% |
| 2020 | 23.90% | 76.10% |
| 2021 | 23.25% | 76.75% |
Informal waiter/waitress related jobs gender ratio
We compared informal waiter/waitresses 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% |
| Informal Waiter/Waitress | 23% | 77% |
| 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%
Informal waiter/waitress demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among informal waiter/waitresses is White, which makes up 54.4% of all informal waiter/waitresses. Comparatively, 18.8% of informal waiter/waitresses are Hispanic or Latino and 11.8% of informal waiter/waitresses are Black or African American.
- White, 54.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.8%
- Black or African American, 11.8%
- Asian, 8.7%
- Unknown, 5.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Informal waiter/waitress race
| Informal waiter/waitress race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 54.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.8% |
| Black or African American | 11.8% |
| Asian | 8.7% |
| Unknown | 5.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Informal waiter/waitress race and ethnicity over time
See how informal waiter/waitress racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Informal waiter/waitress race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.52% | 10.92% | 5.72% | 13.80% |
| 2011 | 65.17% | 11.97% | 6.02% | 13.70% |
| 2012 | 64.48% | 11.78% | 6.25% | 14.20% |
| 2013 | 63.83% | 11.56% | 6.24% | 15.11% |
| 2014 | 63.12% | 11.35% | 6.67% | 15.29% |
| 2015 | 60.92% | 11.67% | 6.90% | 16.75% |
| 2016 | 60.64% | 11.72% | 6.94% | 16.73% |
| 2017 | 60.11% | 11.71% | 6.99% | 17.15% |
| 2018 | 59.01% | 12.04% | 7.51% | 17.59% |
| 2019 | 59.82% | 11.63% | 7.72% | 16.98% |
| 2020 | 55.54% | 12.38% | 7.93% | 18.11% |
| 2021 | 54.38% | 11.77% | 8.67% | 18.75% |
Informal waiter/waitress wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino informal waiter/waitresses have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american informal waiter/waitresses have the lowest average salary at $24,846.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $25,360 |
| White | $25,405 |
| Black or African American | $24,846 |
| Asian | $25,449 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $26,014 |
Average informal waiter/waitress age
See how the average age of informal waiter/waitresses varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Informal waiter/waitress age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 24 | 25 |
| Unknown | 24 | 24 |
| Asian | 28 | 32 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 26 | 26 |
| White | 24 | 25 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 31 | 25 |
Informal waiter/waitress age breakdown
The average age of informal waiter/waitresses is 20-30 years years old, representing 48% of the informal waiter/waitress population.
Informal waiter/waitress age breakdown
| Informal Waiter/Waitress Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 15% |
| 30-40 years | 20% |
| 20-30 years | 48% |
Informal waiter/waitress educational attainment
The most common degree for informal waiter/waitresses is high school diploma, with 40% of informal waiter/waitresses earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 29% and associate degree degree at 20%.
- High School Diploma, 40%
- Associate, 29%
- Bachelor's, 20%
- Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Informal waiter/waitresses by degree level
| Informal waiter/waitress degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 40% |
| Associate | 29% |
| Bachelor's | 20% |
| Diploma | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Informal waiter/waitress jobs you might like
Informal waiter/waitress wage gap by degree level
According to the data, informal waiter/waitresses with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $28,467 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, informal waiter/waitresses earn a median annual income of $27,522 compared to $26,162 for informal waiter/waitresses with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $28,467 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $24,870 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $27,522 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $26,162 |
Informal waiter/waitress employment statistics
Most informal waiter/waitresses work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where informal waiter/waitresses work
Below, you can see the size of companies where informal waiter/waitresses work.
Informal waiter/waitress jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 10% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 23% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 17% |
Informal waiter/waitress jobs by company type
Employees with the informal waiter/waitress job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most informal waiter/waitresses prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Informal waiter/waitress jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 17% |
| Private | 80% |
| Government | 2% |
Informal waiter/waitress jobs by industry
The most common industries for informal waiter/waitresses are hospitality, professional and retail.
Informal waiter/waitress industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 74% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Government | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
Informal waiter/waitress turnover and employment statistics
Informal waiter/waitress unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for informal waiter/waitresses between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Informal waiter/waitress unemployment rate by year
| Year | Informal waiter/waitress unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 12.70% |
| 2011 | 12.69% |
| 2012 | 11.74% |
| 2013 | 10.91% |
| 2014 | 9.64% |
| 2015 | 7.91% |
| 2016 | 7.56% |
| 2017 | 7.32% |
| 2018 | 6.98% |
| 2019 | 6.26% |
| 2020 | 13.68% |
| 2021 | 12.67% |
Average informal waiter/waitress tenure
The average informal waiter/waitress stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 623 informal waiter/waitresses resumes in Zippia's database.
Informal waiter/waitress tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 44% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 10% |
| 5-7 years | 7% |
| 8-10 years | 2% |
| 11+ years | 3% |
Informal waiter/waitress LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of informal waiter/waitresses 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Informal Waiter/Waitress | 6.48% | - |
| Food Porter | 6.98% | 57,175 |
| Barmaid | 7.82% | 79,746 |
| Program Attendant | 7.82% | 101,892 |
Similar informal waiter/waitress jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Food Porter | 6.98% | 57,175 |
| Barmaid | 7.82% | 79,746 |
| Program Attendant | 7.82% | 101,892 |
Foreign languages spoken by informal waiter/waitresses
The most common foreign language among informal waiter/waitresses is Spanish at 72.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Portuguese at 4.5% and Khmer is the third-most popular at 4.5%.
- Spanish, 72.7%
- Portuguese, 4.5%
- Khmer, 4.5%
- German, 4.5%
- Japanese, 4.5%
- Other, 9.3%
Informal waiter/waitress languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 72.7% |
| Portuguese | 4.5% |
| Khmer | 4.5% |
| German | 4.5% |
| Japanese | 4.5% |
| Other | 9.3% |
