Instrument operator demographics and statistics in the US
Instrument operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates instrument operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our instrument operator estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about instrument operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 19,347 instrument operators currently employed in the United States.
- 7.0% of all instrument operators are women, while 93.0% are men.
- The average instrument operator age is 44 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of instrument operators is White (74.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (13.2%), Black or African American (4.6%) and Unknown (3.7%).
- In 2022, women earned 101% of what men earned.
- 5% of all instrument operators are LGBT.
- Instrument operators are 77% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Instrument operator demographics by:
Instrument operator gender statistics
7.0% of instrument operators are women and 93.0% of instrument operators are men.
- Male, 93.0%
- Female, 7.0%
Instrument operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 93.0% |
| Female | 7.0% |
Instrument operator gender pay gap
Women earn $1.01 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$43,698
Female income
$44,260
Instrument operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in instrument operator positions over time. Currently, 7.0% of instrument operators are female.
Instrument operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 87.80% | 12.20% |
| 2011 | 90.14% | 9.86% |
| 2012 | 89.27% | 10.73% |
| 2013 | 88.68% | 11.32% |
| 2014 | 89.82% | 10.18% |
| 2015 | 91.57% | 8.43% |
| 2016 | 93.07% | 6.93% |
| 2017 | 93.23% | 6.77% |
| 2018 | 91.67% | 8.33% |
| 2019 | 91.33% | 8.67% |
| 2020 | 91.46% | 8.54% |
| 2021 | 92.97% | 7.03% |
Instrument operator related jobs gender ratio
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Instrument Operator | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Instrument operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among instrument operators is White, which makes up 74.3% of all instrument operators. Comparatively, 13.2% of instrument operators are Hispanic or Latino and 4.6% of instrument operators are Black or African American.
- White, 74.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 13.2%
- Black or African American, 4.6%
- Unknown, 3.7%
- Asian, 3.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Instrument operator race
| Instrument operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 74.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 13.2% |
| Black or African American | 4.6% |
| Unknown | 3.7% |
| Asian | 3.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Instrument operator race and ethnicity over time
See how instrument operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Instrument operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 81.67% | 4.14% | 1.07% | 10.42% |
| 2011 | 79.12% | 5.59% | 2.55% | 9.71% |
| 2012 | 81.16% | 4.71% | 1.52% | 10.12% |
| 2013 | 79.74% | 4.46% | 2.34% | 11.46% |
| 2014 | 79.87% | 5.25% | 2.23% | 8.74% |
| 2015 | 79.43% | 5.08% | 1.89% | 10.93% |
| 2016 | 80.39% | 3.91% | 1.18% | 11.69% |
| 2017 | 78.69% | 5.92% | 2.93% | 9.61% |
| 2018 | 81.82% | 3.71% | 1.32% | 10.62% |
| 2019 | 80.02% | 4.13% | 1.10% | 11.14% |
| 2020 | 74.28% | 5.82% | 1.96% | 12.21% |
| 2021 | 74.27% | 4.56% | 3.21% | 13.22% |
Instrument operator wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino instrument operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White instrument operators have the lowest average salary at $42,524.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $43,239 |
| White | $42,524 |
| Black or African American | $43,071 |
| Asian | $44,393 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $45,323 |
Average instrument operator age
See how the average age of instrument operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Instrument operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 42 | |
| White | 45 | 53 |
| Black or African American | 35 | |
| Asian | 35 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 35 |
Instrument operator age breakdown
The average age of instrument operators is 40+ years years old, representing 60% of the instrument operator population.
Instrument operator age breakdown
| Instrument Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 60% |
| 30-40 years | 25% |
| 20-30 years | 14% |
Instrument operator educational attainment
The most common degree for instrument operators is bachelor's degree, with 42% of instrument operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 26% and associate degree degree at 24%.
- Bachelor's, 42%
- Associate, 26%
- High School Diploma, 24%
- Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Instrument operators by degree level
| Instrument operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 42% |
| Associate | 26% |
| High School Diploma | 24% |
| Diploma | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Instrument operator jobs you might like
Instrument operator wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $43,240 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $47,452 |
Instrument operator employment statistics
Most instrument operators work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where instrument operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where instrument operators work.
Instrument operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 29% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 25% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 16% |
| > 10,000 employees | 11% |
Instrument operator jobs by company type
Employees with the instrument operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most instrument operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Instrument operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 16% |
| Private | 77% |
| Government | 5% |
Instrument operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for instrument operators are professional, construction and technology.
Instrument operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 33% |
| Construction | 12% |
| Technology | 11% |
| Energy | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Fortune 500 | 6% |
| Government | 5% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Retail | 4% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Instrument operator turnover and employment statistics
Instrument operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for instrument operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Instrument operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Instrument operator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 14.70% |
| 2011 | 11.06% |
| 2012 | 10.75% |
| 2013 | 8.67% |
| 2014 | 4.94% |
| 2015 | 5.23% |
| 2016 | 3.71% |
| 2017 | 3.57% |
| 2018 | 3.38% |
| 2019 | 2.30% |
| 2020 | 5.07% |
| 2021 | 4.74% |
Average instrument operator tenure
The average instrument operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,401 instrument operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Instrument operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 26% |
| 1-2 years | 41% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 10% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Instrument operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of instrument operators 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Instrument Operator | 4.94% | - |
| Design Engineer/Drafter | 5.61% | 41,746 |
| Senior Architectural Designer | 5.82% | 53,724 |
| Proof Technician | 6.29% | 30,689 |
| Senior Maintenance Electronics Technician | 8.40% | 91,795 |
Similar instrument operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Design Engineer/Drafter | 5.61% | 41,746 |
| Senior Architectural Designer | 5.82% | 53,724 |
| Proof Technician | 6.29% | 30,689 |
| Senior Maintenance Electronics Technician | 8.40% | 91,795 |
Foreign languages spoken by instrument operators
The most common foreign language among instrument operators is Spanish at 36.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Portuguese at 9.1% and Telugu is the third-most popular at 9.1%.
- Spanish, 36.4%
- Portuguese, 9.1%
- Telugu, 9.1%
- Ukrainian, 9.1%
- French, 9.1%
- Other, 27.2%
Instrument operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 36.4% |
| Portuguese | 9.1% |
| Telugu | 9.1% |
| Ukrainian | 9.1% |
| French | 9.1% |
| Other | 27.2% |
