Kitchen worker demographics and statistics in the US
Kitchen worker demographics research summary. Zippia estimates kitchen worker demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our kitchen 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 kitchen workers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 316,390 kitchen workers currently employed in the United States.
- 39.0% of all kitchen workers are women, while 61.0% are men.
- The average kitchen worker age is 36 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of kitchen workers is White (60.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (16.3%), Black or African American (10.9%) and Asian (7.0%).
- Kitchen workers are most in-demand in Las Vegas, NV.
- The education industry is the highest-paying for kitchen workers.
- 6% of all kitchen workers are LGBT.
On this page
Kitchen worker demographics by:
Kitchen worker gender statistics
39.0% of kitchen workers are women and 61.0% of kitchen workers are men.
- Male, 61.0%
- Female, 39.0%
Kitchen worker gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 61.0% |
| Female | 39.0% |
Kitchen worker gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$29,509
Female income
$28,979
Kitchen worker gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in kitchen worker positions over time. Currently, 39.0% of kitchen workers are female.
Kitchen worker gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 59.21% | 40.79% |
| 2011 | 60.23% | 39.77% |
| 2012 | 59.55% | 40.45% |
| 2013 | 61.89% | 38.11% |
| 2014 | 59.90% | 40.10% |
| 2015 | 62.29% | 37.71% |
| 2016 | 60.23% | 39.77% |
| 2017 | 59.96% | 40.04% |
| 2018 | 59.22% | 40.78% |
| 2019 | 60.89% | 39.11% |
| 2020 | 61.59% | 38.41% |
| 2021 | 60.96% | 39.04% |
Kitchen worker related jobs gender ratio
We compared kitchen 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% |
| Kitchen Worker | 61% | 39% |
| 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%
Kitchen worker demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among kitchen workers is White, which makes up 60.0% of all kitchen workers. Comparatively, 16.3% of kitchen workers are Hispanic or Latino and 10.9% of kitchen workers are Black or African American.
- White, 60.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 16.3%
- Black or African American, 10.9%
- Asian, 7.0%
- Unknown, 4.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Kitchen worker race
| Kitchen worker race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 60.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.3% |
| Black or African American | 10.9% |
| Asian | 7.0% |
| Unknown | 4.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Kitchen worker race and ethnicity over time
See how kitchen worker racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Kitchen worker race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 67.36% | 10.06% | 6.09% | 13.80% |
| 2011 | 66.45% | 10.59% | 6.34% | 13.83% |
| 2012 | 66.08% | 10.90% | 5.77% | 14.10% |
| 2013 | 66.05% | 10.35% | 5.82% | 14.68% |
| 2014 | 65.51% | 10.66% | 6.04% | 14.58% |
| 2015 | 65.32% | 10.39% | 6.25% | 14.73% |
| 2016 | 64.49% | 10.28% | 6.40% | 15.26% |
| 2017 | 64.86% | 9.47% | 6.75% | 15.28% |
| 2018 | 66.17% | 9.45% | 6.18% | 14.41% |
| 2019 | 64.89% | 10.29% | 6.56% | 14.74% |
| 2020 | 61.92% | 10.99% | 7.15% | 14.52% |
| 2021 | 60.03% | 10.90% | 7.00% | 16.30% |
Kitchen worker wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino kitchen workers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american kitchen workers have the lowest average salary at $29,208.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $29,593 |
| White | $29,325 |
| Black or African American | $29,208 |
| Asian | $29,703 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $29,719 |
Average kitchen worker age
See how the average age of kitchen workers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Kitchen 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 |
Kitchen worker age breakdown
The average age of kitchen workers is 40+ years years old, representing 41% of the kitchen worker population.
Kitchen worker age breakdown
| Kitchen Worker Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 41% |
| 30-40 years | 17% |
| 20-30 years | 29% |
Kitchen worker educational attainment
The most common degree for kitchen workers is high school diploma, with 44% of kitchen workers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 27% and bachelor's degree degree at 15%.
- High School Diploma, 44%
- Bachelor's, 27%
- Associate, 15%
- Diploma, 9%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Kitchen workers by degree level
| Kitchen worker degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 44% |
| Bachelor's | 27% |
| Associate | 15% |
| Diploma | 9% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Kitchen worker jobs you might like
Kitchen worker wage gap by degree level
According to the data, kitchen workers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $30,014 annually. With a Associate degree, kitchen workers earn a median annual income of $29,413 compared to $29,224 for kitchen workers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $29,224 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $30,014 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $29,413 |
Kitchen worker employment statistics
Most kitchen workers work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where kitchen workers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where kitchen workers work.
Kitchen worker jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 17% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 19% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 24% |
| > 10,000 employees | 23% |
Kitchen worker jobs by company type
Employees with the kitchen worker job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most kitchen workers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Kitchen worker jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 14% |
| Public | 18% |
| Private | 62% |
| Government | 6% |
Kitchen worker jobs by industry
The most common industries for kitchen workers are hospitality, education and retail.
Kitchen worker industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 42% |
| Education | 12% |
| Health Care | 7% |
| Professional | 7% |
| Retail | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Government | 5% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Kitchen worker turnover and employment statistics
Kitchen worker unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for kitchen workers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Kitchen worker unemployment rate by year
| Year | Kitchen 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 kitchen worker tenure
The average kitchen worker stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 5,044 kitchen workers resumes in Zippia's database.
Kitchen worker tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 40% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 11% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 3% |
Kitchen worker LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of kitchen 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen Operator | 4.90% | 46,225 |
| Kitchen Worker | 5.52% | - |
| Food And Beverage Attendant | 7.02% | 203,747 |
| Party Hostess | 7.29% | 9,255 |
| Cafe Associate | 7.36% | 76,618 |
| Bartender Server | 7.68% | 106,784 |
| Assistant Deli Manager | 8.43% | 58,969 |
Similar kitchen worker jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen Operator | 4.90% | 46,225 |
| Food And Beverage Attendant | 7.02% | 203,747 |
| Party Hostess | 7.29% | 9,255 |
| Cafe Associate | 7.36% | 76,618 |
| Bartender Server | 7.68% | 106,784 |
| Assistant Deli Manager | 8.43% | 58,969 |
Foreign languages spoken by kitchen workers
The most common foreign language among kitchen workers is Spanish at 59.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 9.0% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 6.3%.
- Spanish, 59.5%
- French, 9.0%
- Chinese, 6.3%
- German, 6.3%
- Polish, 2.7%
- Other, 16.2%
Kitchen worker languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 59.5% |
| French | 9.0% |
| Chinese | 6.3% |
| German | 6.3% |
| Polish | 2.7% |
| Other | 16.2% |
