Line chef demographics and statistics in the US
Line chef demographics research summary. Zippia estimates line chef demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our line chef estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about line chefs after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 353,965 line chefs currently employed in the United States.
- 30.6% of all line chefs are women, while 69.4% are men.
- The average line chef age is 42 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of line chefs is White (55.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.8%), Asian (10.4%) and Black or African American (10.3%).
- Line chefs are most in-demand in Rochester, NY.
- Chicopee, MA pays an annual average wage of $40,183, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women line chefs earned 92% of what men earned.
- Michigan is the best state for line chefs to live.
- Line chefs are 65% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Line chef demographics by:
Line chef gender statistics
30.6% of line chefs are women and 69.4% of line chefs are men.
- Male, 69.4%
- Female, 30.6%
Line chef gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 69.4% |
| Female | 30.6% |
Line chef gender pay gap
Women earn 92¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$27,292
Female income
$25,163
Line chef gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in line chef positions over time. Currently, 30.6% of line chefs are female.
Line chef gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 72.84% | 27.16% |
| 2011 | 73.53% | 26.47% |
| 2012 | 73.69% | 26.31% |
| 2013 | 73.88% | 26.12% |
| 2014 | 71.51% | 28.49% |
| 2015 | 73.67% | 26.33% |
| 2016 | 71.77% | 28.23% |
| 2017 | 72.28% | 27.72% |
| 2018 | 70.84% | 29.16% |
| 2019 | 72.26% | 27.74% |
| 2020 | 70.05% | 29.95% |
| 2021 | 69.39% | 30.61% |
Line chef related jobs gender ratio
We compared line chefs with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, corporate executive chef and chef de cuisine have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Lunchroom Monitor | 5% | 95% |
| Waiter/Waitress, Captain | 13% | 87% |
| Lunchroom Supervisor | 13% | 87% |
| Line Chef | 69% | 31% |
| Executive Chef | 88% | 12% |
| Chef De Cuisine | 90% | 10% |
| Corporate Executive Chef | 91% | 9% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Line chef demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among line chefs is White, which makes up 55.5% of all line chefs. Comparatively, 17.8% of line chefs are Hispanic or Latino and 10.4% of line chefs are Asian.
- White, 55.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.8%
- Asian, 10.4%
- Black or African American, 10.3%
- Unknown, 5.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Line chef race
| Line chef race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 55.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.8% |
| Asian | 10.4% |
| Black or African American | 10.3% |
| Unknown | 5.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Line chef race and ethnicity over time
See how line chef racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Line chef race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 61.72% | 11.84% | 7.67% | 15.90% |
| 2011 | 61.87% | 12.42% | 7.05% | 15.59% |
| 2012 | 61.88% | 11.25% | 7.10% | 16.29% |
| 2013 | 63.02% | 11.48% | 6.44% | 15.68% |
| 2014 | 61.66% | 11.08% | 7.52% | 16.34% |
| 2015 | 60.13% | 10.72% | 7.58% | 18.10% |
| 2016 | 61.63% | 10.72% | 7.20% | 16.67% |
| 2017 | 58.57% | 10.29% | 9.11% | 18.52% |
| 2018 | 60.17% | 10.59% | 6.91% | 19.13% |
| 2019 | 59.96% | 10.42% | 8.12% | 18.38% |
| 2020 | 56.80% | 9.68% | 8.47% | 19.11% |
| 2021 | 55.51% | 10.32% | 10.43% | 17.78% |
Line chef wage gap by race
According to our data, white line chefs have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian line chefs have the lowest average salary at $26,508.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $27,117 |
| White | $28,062 |
| Black or African American | $27,552 |
| Asian | $26,508 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $27,246 |
Average line chef age
See how the average age of line chefs varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Line chef age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 43 | 46.5 |
| Unknown | 38 | 36.5 |
| Asian | 44 | 49 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 40 | 43 |
| White | 40 | 41 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 40 |
Line chef age breakdown
The average age of line chefs is 40+ years years old, representing 56% of the line chef population.
Line chef age breakdown
| Line Chef Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 56% |
| 30-40 years | 28% |
| 20-30 years | 15% |
Line chef educational attainment
The most common degree for line chefs is associate degree, with 34% of line chefs earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 29% and high school diploma degree at 23%.
- Associate, 34%
- High School Diploma, 29%
- Bachelor's, 23%
- Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Line chefs by degree level
| Line chef degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 34% |
| High School Diploma | 29% |
| Bachelor's | 23% |
| Diploma | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Line chef jobs you might like
Line chef wage gap by degree level
According to the data, line chefs with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $29,026 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, line chefs earn a median annual income of $28,656 compared to $26,443 for line chefs with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $26,443 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $28,656 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $29,026 |
Line chef employment statistics
Most line chefs work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where line chefs work
Below, you can see the size of companies where line chefs work.
Line chef jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 12% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 24% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 24% |
| > 10,000 employees | 23% |
Line chef jobs by company type
Employees with the line chef job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most line chefs prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Line chef jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 13% |
| Public | 19% |
| Private | 65% |
| Government | 4% |
Line chef jobs by industry
The most common industries for line chefs are hospitality, education and health care.
Line chef industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 56% |
| Education | 12% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Government | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Professional | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Line chef turnover and employment statistics
Line chef unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for line chefs between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Line chef unemployment rate by year
| Year | Line chef unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 9.68% |
| 2011 | 10.91% |
| 2012 | 6.88% |
| 2013 | 7.77% |
| 2014 | 5.16% |
| 2015 | 5.14% |
| 2016 | 4.13% |
| 2017 | 3.91% |
| 2018 | 3.66% |
| 2019 | 3.42% |
| 2020 | 10.00% |
| 2021 | 11.33% |
Average line chef tenure
The average line chef stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 6,066 line chefs resumes in Zippia's database.
Line chef tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 33% |
| 1-2 years | 38% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 10% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 4% |
Line chef LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of line chefs 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Food Service Aide | 6.78% | 96,923 |
| Lead Server | 7.02% | 123,215 |
| Party Host | 7.29% | 10,198 |
| Co-Worker | 7.36% | 26,794 |
| Bartender | 7.68% | 57,518 |
| Soda Fountain Manager | 8.43% | 2,458 |
| Line Chef | 8.58% | - |
Similar line chef jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Food Service Aide | 6.78% | 96,923 |
| Lead Server | 7.02% | 123,215 |
| Party Host | 7.29% | 10,198 |
| Co-Worker | 7.36% | 26,794 |
| Bartender | 7.68% | 57,518 |
| Soda Fountain Manager | 8.43% | 2,458 |
Foreign languages spoken by line chefs
The most common foreign language among line chefs is Spanish at 59.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 12.1% and Italian is the third-most popular at 7.0%.
- Spanish, 59.9%
- French, 12.1%
- Italian, 7.0%
- German, 5.1%
- Japanese, 3.2%
- Other, 12.7%
Line chef languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 59.9% |
| French | 12.1% |
| Italian | 7.0% |
| German | 5.1% |
| Japanese | 3.2% |
| Other | 12.7% |
