Lead server demographics and statistics in the US
Lead server demographics research summary. Zippia estimates lead server demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our lead server estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about lead servers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 89,241 lead servers currently employed in the United States.
- 62.5% of all lead servers are women, while 37.5% are men.
- The average lead server age is 28 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of lead servers is White (53.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (19.7%), Black or African American (11.3%) and Asian (8.7%).
- In 2022, women earned 92% of what men earned.
- 6% of all lead servers are LGBT.
- Lead servers are 78% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Lead server demographics by:
Lead server gender statistics
62.5% of lead servers are women and 37.5% of lead servers are men.
- Female, 62.5%
- Male, 37.5%
Lead server gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 62.5% |
| Male | 37.5% |
Lead server gender pay gap
Women earn 92¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$31,616
Female income
$29,219
Lead server gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in lead server positions over time. Currently, 62.5% of lead servers are female.
Lead server gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 34.20% | 65.80% |
| 2011 | 34.41% | 65.59% |
| 2012 | 34.81% | 65.19% |
| 2013 | 36.17% | 63.83% |
| 2014 | 35.80% | 64.20% |
| 2015 | 36.67% | 63.33% |
| 2016 | 38.62% | 61.38% |
| 2017 | 37.51% | 62.49% |
| 2018 | 37.47% | 62.53% |
| 2019 | 37.33% | 62.67% |
| 2020 | 38.37% | 61.63% |
| 2021 | 37.52% | 62.48% |
Lead server related jobs gender ratio
We compared lead servers 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% |
| Lead Server | 38% | 62% |
| 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%
Lead server demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among lead servers is White, which makes up 53.7% of all lead servers. Comparatively, 19.7% of lead servers are Hispanic or Latino and 11.3% of lead servers are Black or African American.
- White, 53.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 19.7%
- Black or African American, 11.3%
- Asian, 8.7%
- Unknown, 5.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Lead server race
| Lead server race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 53.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.7% |
| Black or African American | 11.3% |
| Asian | 8.7% |
| Unknown | 5.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
Lead server race and ethnicity over time
See how lead server racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Lead server race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.86% | 10.46% | 5.73% | 14.79% |
| 2011 | 64.52% | 11.51% | 6.04% | 14.69% |
| 2012 | 63.83% | 11.32% | 6.26% | 15.19% |
| 2013 | 63.17% | 11.11% | 6.25% | 16.10% |
| 2014 | 62.46% | 10.89% | 6.68% | 16.29% |
| 2015 | 60.26% | 11.21% | 6.91% | 17.75% |
| 2016 | 59.98% | 11.26% | 6.95% | 17.72% |
| 2017 | 59.46% | 11.25% | 7.01% | 18.15% |
| 2018 | 58.36% | 11.58% | 7.53% | 18.58% |
| 2019 | 59.17% | 11.17% | 7.73% | 17.97% |
| 2020 | 54.88% | 11.92% | 7.94% | 19.11% |
| 2021 | 53.72% | 11.31% | 8.68% | 19.75% |
Lead server wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino lead servers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american lead servers have the lowest average salary at $30,022.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $31,468 |
| White | $31,597 |
| Black or African American | $30,022 |
| Asian | $31,722 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $33,359 |
Average lead server age
See how the average age of lead servers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Lead server 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 |
Lead server age breakdown
The average age of lead servers is 20-30 years years old, representing 48% of the lead server population.
Lead server age breakdown
| Lead Server Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 15% |
| 30-40 years | 20% |
| 20-30 years | 48% |
Lead server educational attainment
The most common degree for lead servers is bachelor's degree, with 49% of lead servers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 23% and associate degree degree at 19%.
- Bachelor's, 49%
- Associate, 23%
- High School Diploma, 19%
- Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Lead servers by degree level
| Lead server degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 49% |
| Associate | 23% |
| High School Diploma | 19% |
| Diploma | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Lead server jobs you might like
Lead server wage gap by degree level
According to the data, lead servers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $41,021 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, lead servers earn a median annual income of $37,964 compared to $33,796 for lead servers with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $41,021 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $30,089 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $37,964 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $33,796 |
Lead server employment statistics
Most lead servers work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where lead servers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where lead servers work.
Lead server jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 13% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 23% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 28% |
| > 10,000 employees | 22% |
Lead server jobs by company type
Employees with the lead server job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most lead servers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Lead server jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 20% |
| Private | 78% |
| Government | 1% |
Lead server jobs by industry
The most common industries for lead servers are hospitality, health care and media.
Lead server industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 62% |
| Health Care | 6% |
| Media | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 4% |
| Retail | 4% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Professional | 2% |
| Education | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Lead server turnover and employment statistics
Lead server unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for lead servers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Lead server unemployment rate by year
| Year | Lead server 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 lead server tenure
The average lead server stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 15,107 lead servers resumes in Zippia's database.
Lead server tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 15% |
| 1-2 years | 38% |
| 3-4 years | 19% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 7% |
Lead server LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of lead servers 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 Server | 6.48% | - |
| Catering Associate | 6.98% | 3,045 |
| Bartender | 7.82% | 57,518 |
| Food Stand Manager | 7.82% | 50,822 |
Similar lead server jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Catering Associate | 6.98% | 3,045 |
| Bartender | 7.82% | 57,518 |
| Food Stand Manager | 7.82% | 50,822 |
Foreign languages spoken by lead servers
The most common foreign language among lead servers is Spanish at 65.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 6.5% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 3.2%.
- Spanish, 65.3%
- French, 6.5%
- Portuguese, 3.2%
- German, 3.2%
- Mandarin, 3.0%
- Other, 18.8%
Lead server languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 65.3% |
| French | 6.5% |
| Portuguese | 3.2% |
| German | 3.2% |
| Mandarin | 3.0% |
| Other | 18.8% |
