Laser operator demographics and statistics in the US
Laser operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates laser operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our laser 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 laser operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 8,324 laser operators currently employed in the United States.
- 17.9% of all laser operators are women, while 82.1% are men.
- The average laser operator age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of laser operators is White (68.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (14.6%), Asian (6.0%) and Unknown (5.4%).
- Laser operators are most in-demand in Niles, MI.
- The technology industry is the highest-paying for laser operators.
- 6% of all laser operators are LGBT.
On this page
Laser operator demographics by:
Laser operator gender statistics
17.9% of laser operators are women and 82.1% of laser operators are men.
- Male, 82.1%
- Female, 17.9%
Laser operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 82.1% |
| Female | 17.9% |
Laser operator gender pay gap
Women earn 90¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$36,667
Female income
$32,948
Laser operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in laser operator positions over time. Currently, 17.9% of laser operators are female.
Laser operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 83.54% | 16.46% |
| 2011 | 84.14% | 15.86% |
| 2012 | 83.42% | 16.58% |
| 2013 | 86.13% | 13.87% |
| 2014 | 82.43% | 17.57% |
| 2015 | 85.26% | 14.74% |
| 2016 | 82.57% | 17.43% |
| 2017 | 84.87% | 15.13% |
| 2018 | 85.46% | 14.54% |
| 2019 | 85.29% | 14.71% |
| 2020 | 84.39% | 15.61% |
| 2021 | 82.14% | 17.86% |
Laser operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared laser operators with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, head machinist and die repair machinist have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Special Process Person | 31% | 69% |
| Laser Operator | 82% | 18% |
| Research And Development Machinist | 99% | 1% |
| Die Repair Machinist | 99% | 1% |
| Head Machinist | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Laser operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among laser operators is White, which makes up 68.3% of all laser operators. Comparatively, 14.6% of laser operators are Hispanic or Latino and 6.0% of laser operators are Asian.
- White, 68.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 14.6%
- Asian, 6.0%
- Unknown, 5.4%
- Black or African American, 4.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Laser operator race
| Laser operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 68.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.6% |
| Asian | 6.0% |
| Unknown | 5.4% |
| Black or African American | 4.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
Laser operator race and ethnicity over time
See how laser operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Laser operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.12% | 7.62% | 6.55% | 10.89% |
| 2011 | 75.13% | 6.43% | 4.80% | 12.33% |
| 2012 | 75.39% | 5.48% | 4.79% | 12.73% |
| 2013 | 72.98% | 5.10% | 5.45% | 14.32% |
| 2014 | 72.99% | 5.15% | 5.59% | 13.89% |
| 2015 | 73.77% | 5.94% | 5.90% | 12.50% |
| 2016 | 72.37% | 5.84% | 5.98% | 14.22% |
| 2017 | 73.86% | 5.46% | 5.26% | 13.30% |
| 2018 | 73.74% | 5.14% | 5.29% | 13.72% |
| 2019 | 70.14% | 5.33% | 6.63% | 14.85% |
| 2020 | 66.71% | 7.62% | 5.59% | 15.21% |
| 2021 | 68.26% | 4.83% | 6.00% | 14.61% |
Laser operator wage gap by race
According to our data, white laser operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino laser operators have the lowest average salary at $35,835.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $37,048 |
| White | $37,162 |
| Black or African American | $36,585 |
| Asian | $36,719 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $35,835 |
Average laser operator age
See how the average age of laser operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Laser operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 42 | |
| White | 43 | 48 |
| Black or African American | 38.5 | |
| Asian | 48 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 46.5 |
Laser operator age breakdown
The average age of laser operators is 40+ years years old, representing 60% of the laser operator population.
Laser operator age breakdown
| Laser Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 60% |
| 30-40 years | 27% |
| 20-30 years | 13% |
Laser operator educational attainment
The most common degree for laser operators is high school diploma, with 42% of laser operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 24% and associate degree degree at 16%.
- High School Diploma, 42%
- Associate, 24%
- Bachelor's, 16%
- Diploma, 10%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Laser operators by degree level
| Laser operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 42% |
| Associate | 24% |
| Bachelor's | 16% |
| Diploma | 10% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Laser operator jobs you might like
Laser operator wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $34,631 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $35,731 |
Laser operator employment statistics
Company size where laser operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where laser operators work.
Laser operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 17% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 31% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 20% |
| > 10,000 employees | 16% |
Laser operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for laser operators are manufacturing, professional and technology.
Laser operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 39% |
| Professional | 13% |
| Technology | 8% |
| Fortune 500 | 6% |
| Transportation | 5% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Automotive | 4% |
| Construction | 4% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Laser operator turnover and employment statistics
Laser operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for laser operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Laser operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Laser operator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 13.77% |
| 2011 | 9.31% |
| 2012 | 5.79% |
| 2013 | 4.30% |
| 2014 | 5.56% |
| 2015 | 4.10% |
| 2016 | 3.78% |
| 2017 | 3.88% |
| 2018 | 2.90% |
| 2019 | 1.69% |
| 2020 | 5.66% |
| 2021 | 4.45% |
Average laser operator tenure
The average laser operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 3,342 laser operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Laser operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 28% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Laser operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of laser 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lead Burner | 2.57% | 1,298 |
| Tool Designer | 2.99% | 51,666 |
| Metal Coater | 3.20% | 2,831 |
| Experimental Machinist | 3.26% | 9,128 |
| Upset Operator | 3.27% | 29,817 |
| Laser Operator | 5.87% | - |
| Broach Grinder | 6.48% | 646 |
Similar laser operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Lead Burner | 2.57% | 1,298 |
| Tool Designer | 2.99% | 51,666 |
| Metal Coater | 3.20% | 2,831 |
| Experimental Machinist | 3.26% | 9,128 |
| Upset Operator | 3.27% | 29,817 |
| Broach Grinder | 6.48% | 646 |
Foreign languages spoken by laser operators
The most common foreign language among laser operators is Spanish at 63.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 6.4% and German is the third-most popular at 4.3%.
- Spanish, 63.8%
- French, 6.4%
- German, 4.3%
- Russian, 4.3%
- Arabic, 4.3%
- Other, 16.9%
Laser operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 63.8% |
| French | 6.4% |
| German | 4.3% |
| Russian | 4.3% |
| Arabic | 4.3% |
| Other | 16.9% |
