Language instructor demographics and statistics in the US
Language instructor demographics research summary. Zippia estimates language instructor demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our language instructor estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about language instructors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 17,908 language instructors currently employed in the United States.
- 55.8% of all language instructors are women, while 44.2% are men.
- The average language instructor age is 46 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of language instructors is White (62.7%), followed by Asian (15.2%), Hispanic or Latino (10.0%) and Black or African American (7.0%).
- Language instructors are most in-demand in Augusta, GA.
- The government industry is the highest-paying for language instructors.
- Monterey, CA pays an annual average wage of $92,491, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women language instructors earned 97% of what men earned.
- 16% of all language instructors are LGBT.
- Vermont is the best state for language instructors to live.
- Language instructors are 65% more likely to work at education companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Language instructor demographics by:
Language instructor gender statistics
55.8% of language instructors are women and 44.2% of language instructors are men.
- Female, 55.8%
- Male, 44.2%
Language instructor gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 55.8% |
| Male | 44.2% |
Language instructor gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$54,605
Female income
$52,849
Language instructor gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in language instructor positions over time. Currently, 55.8% of language instructors are female.
Language instructor gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 44.81% | 55.19% |
| 2011 | 45.34% | 54.66% |
| 2012 | 45.01% | 54.99% |
| 2013 | 44.58% | 55.42% |
| 2014 | 43.47% | 56.53% |
| 2015 | 44.30% | 55.70% |
| 2016 | 43.96% | 56.04% |
| 2017 | 44.55% | 55.45% |
| 2018 | 43.97% | 56.03% |
| 2019 | 43.55% | 56.45% |
| 2020 | 42.91% | 57.09% |
| 2021 | 44.19% | 55.81% |
Language instructor related jobs gender ratio
We compared language instructors with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, hvac/r instructor and assistant professor of air conditioning and refrigeration have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Aesthetics Instructor | 8% | 92% |
| Cosmetology Instructor | 9% | 91% |
| Adjunct Nursing Faculty | 9% | 91% |
| Language Instructor | 44% | 56% |
| Diesel Technology Instructor | 97% | 3% |
| Assistant Professor Of Air Conditioning And Refrigeration | 97% | 3% |
| Hvac/R Instructor | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Language instructor demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among language instructors is White, which makes up 62.7% of all language instructors. Comparatively, 15.2% of language instructors are Asian and 10.0% of language instructors are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 62.7%
- Asian, 15.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 10.0%
- Black or African American, 7.0%
- Unknown, 4.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Language instructor race
| Language instructor race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 62.7% |
| Asian | 15.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10.0% |
| Black or African American | 7.0% |
| Unknown | 4.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Language instructor race and ethnicity over time
See how language instructor racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Language instructor race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 69.10% | 7.13% | 13.11% | 8.10% |
| 2011 | 68.79% | 6.97% | 13.83% | 7.85% |
| 2012 | 68.38% | 7.27% | 13.70% | 8.10% |
| 2013 | 67.52% | 7.63% | 13.99% | 8.35% |
| 2014 | 67.61% | 7.25% | 13.66% | 8.73% |
| 2015 | 66.06% | 7.48% | 14.61% | 9.02% |
| 2016 | 66.55% | 7.40% | 14.33% | 8.92% |
| 2017 | 65.63% | 7.15% | 15.50% | 8.97% |
| 2018 | 67.41% | 6.89% | 13.82% | 9.16% |
| 2019 | 65.75% | 7.16% | 14.76% | 9.69% |
| 2020 | 63.82% | 6.86% | 14.40% | 9.84% |
| 2021 | 62.67% | 6.98% | 15.20% | 9.96% |
Language instructor wage gap by race
According to our data, asian language instructors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american language instructors have the lowest average salary at $53,892.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $54,381 |
| White | $54,438 |
| Black or African American | $53,892 |
| Asian | $55,700 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $54,629 |
Average language instructor age
See how the average age of language instructors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Language instructor age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 49 | 45 |
| Unknown | 44.5 | 44 |
| Asian | 41 | 41 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 43 | 41 |
| White | 48 | 46 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 54 | 48 |
Language instructor age breakdown
The average age of language instructors is 40+ years years old, representing 67% of the language instructor population.
Language instructor age breakdown
| Language Instructor Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 67% |
| 30-40 years | 21% |
| 20-30 years | 11% |
Language instructor educational attainment
The most common degree for language instructors is bachelor's degree, with 66% of language instructors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 21% and master's degree degree at 6%.
- Bachelor's, 66%
- Master's, 21%
- Associate, 6%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Language instructors by degree level
| Language instructor degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 66% |
| Master's | 21% |
| Associate | 6% |
| Doctorate | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Language instructor jobs you might like
Language instructor wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $55,573 |
| Doctorate Degree | $64,986 |
Language instructor employment statistics
Most language instructors work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where language instructors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where language instructors work.
Language instructor jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 10% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 21% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 21% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 28% |
| > 10,000 employees | 13% |
Language instructor jobs by company type
Employees with the language instructor job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most language instructors prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Language instructor jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 65% |
| Public | 5% |
| Private | 25% |
| Government | 5% |
Language instructor jobs by industry
The most common industries for language instructors are education, professional and technology.
Language instructor industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 60% |
| Professional | 7% |
| Technology | 7% |
| Government | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
Language instructor turnover and employment statistics
Language instructor unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for language instructors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Language instructor unemployment rate by year
| Year | Language instructor unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.13% |
| 2011 | 3.11% |
| 2012 | 3.14% |
| 2013 | 3.31% |
| 2014 | 2.86% |
| 2015 | 2.61% |
| 2016 | 2.42% |
| 2017 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | 2.40% |
| 2019 | 2.23% |
| 2020 | 2.58% |
| 2021 | 2.98% |
Average language instructor tenure
The average language instructor stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 7,298 language instructors resumes in Zippia's database.
Language instructor tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 27% |
| 1-2 years | 38% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 10% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Language instructor LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of language instructors 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate Assistant | 6.04% | 3,026 |
| Third Grade Teacher | 9.52% | 57,917 |
| Reference Librarian | 10.75% | 1,058 |
| Special Education Instructor | 11.12% | 82,793 |
| Library Technician | 13.69% | 24,941 |
| Language Instructor | 15.52% | - |
| Instructional Designer Internship | 16.25% | 94,366 |
Similar language instructor jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate Assistant | 6.04% | 3,026 |
| Third Grade Teacher | 9.52% | 57,917 |
| Reference Librarian | 10.75% | 1,058 |
| Special Education Instructor | 11.12% | 82,793 |
| Library Technician | 13.69% | 24,941 |
| Instructional Designer Internship | 16.25% | 94,366 |
Foreign languages spoken by language instructors
The most common foreign language among language instructors is Spanish at 27.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 12.7% and Japanese is the third-most popular at 8.6%.
- Spanish, 27.2%
- French, 12.7%
- Japanese, 8.6%
- Arabic, 6.8%
- German, 6.2%
- Other, 38.5%
Language instructor languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 27.2% |
| French | 12.7% |
| Japanese | 8.6% |
| Arabic | 6.8% |
| German | 6.2% |
| Other | 38.5% |
