Line server demographics and statistics in the US
Line server demographics research summary. Zippia estimates line server demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our line 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 line servers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 24,142 line servers currently employed in the United States.
- 66.3% of all line servers are women, while 33.7% are men.
- The average line server age is 23 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of line servers is White (57.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.6%), Black or African American (9.6%) and Unknown (6.9%).
- In 2022, women earned 101% of what men earned.
- 8% of all line servers are LGBT.
- Line servers are 70% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Line server demographics by:
Line server gender statistics
66.3% of line servers are women and 33.7% of line servers are men.
- Female, 66.3%
- Male, 33.7%
Line server gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 66.3% |
| Male | 33.7% |
Line server gender pay gap
Women earn $1.01 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$28,929
Female income
$29,167
Line server gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in line server positions over time. Currently, 66.3% of line servers are female.
Line server gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 28.88% | 71.12% |
| 2011 | 28.88% | 71.12% |
| 2012 | 32.47% | 67.53% |
| 2013 | 31.72% | 68.28% |
| 2014 | 34.04% | 65.96% |
| 2015 | 31.60% | 68.40% |
| 2016 | 33.68% | 66.32% |
| 2017 | 34.51% | 65.49% |
| 2018 | 34.67% | 65.33% |
| 2019 | 35.75% | 64.25% |
| 2020 | 34.98% | 65.02% |
| 2021 | 33.69% | 66.31% |
Line server related jobs gender ratio
We compared line 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% |
| Line Server | 34% | 66% |
| 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%
Line server demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among line servers is White, which makes up 57.5% of all line servers. Comparatively, 18.6% of line servers are Hispanic or Latino and 9.6% of line servers are Black or African American.
- White, 57.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.6%
- Black or African American, 9.6%
- Unknown, 6.9%
- Asian, 6.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Line server race
| Line server race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 57.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.6% |
| Black or African American | 9.6% |
| Unknown | 6.9% |
| Asian | 6.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
Line server race and ethnicity over time
See how line server racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Line server race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.31% | 13.07% | 3.29% | 14.66% |
| 2011 | 66.24% | 14.53% | 3.52% | 12.64% |
| 2012 | 65.06% | 14.43% | 3.94% | 13.05% |
| 2013 | 64.18% | 13.75% | 3.69% | 14.97% |
| 2014 | 64.11% | 14.58% | 3.91% | 13.79% |
| 2015 | 64.38% | 13.39% | 4.87% | 13.68% |
| 2016 | 63.01% | 13.46% | 4.15% | 14.93% |
| 2017 | 61.71% | 13.46% | 4.79% | 15.03% |
| 2018 | 64.11% | 11.49% | 5.21% | 15.12% |
| 2019 | 62.41% | 10.01% | 6.21% | 17.04% |
| 2020 | 59.95% | 9.82% | 6.36% | 16.74% |
| 2021 | 57.47% | 9.64% | 6.49% | 18.63% |
Line server wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino line servers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american line servers have the lowest average salary at $28,474.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $28,790 |
| White | $28,902 |
| Black or African American | $28,474 |
| Asian | $29,220 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $29,265 |
Average line server age
See how the average age of line servers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Line server age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 22.5 | 21 |
| Unknown | 21 | 20.5 |
| Asian | 21 | 22 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 21 | 22 |
| White | 21 | 21 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 21 |
Line server age breakdown
The average age of line servers is 20-30 years years old, representing 51% of the line server population.
Line server age breakdown
| Line Server Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 3% |
| 30-40 years | 12% |
| 20-30 years | 51% |
Line server educational attainment
The most common degree for line servers is high school diploma, with 49% of line servers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 20% and bachelor's degree degree at 13%.
- High School Diploma, 49%
- Bachelor's, 20%
- Associate, 13%
- Diploma, 12%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Line servers by degree level
| Line server degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 49% |
| Bachelor's | 20% |
| Associate | 13% |
| Diploma | 12% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Line server jobs you might like
Line server wage gap by degree level
According to the data, line servers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $29,973 annually. With a Associate degree, line servers earn a median annual income of $29,555 compared to $28,212 for line servers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $28,212 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $29,973 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $29,555 |
Line server employment statistics
Most line servers work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where line servers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where line servers work.
Line server jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 15% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 17% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 13% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 24% |
Line server jobs by company type
Employees with the line server job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most line servers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Line server jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 10% |
| Public | 17% |
| Private | 70% |
| Government | 2% |
Line server jobs by industry
The most common industries for line servers are hospitality, education and health care.
Line server industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 43% |
| Education | 10% |
| Health Care | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 8% |
| Professional | 7% |
| Retail | 6% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Government | 2% |
| Media | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
Line server turnover and employment statistics
Line server unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for line servers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Line server unemployment rate by year
| Year | Line server unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 14.75% |
| 2011 | 16.23% |
| 2012 | 13.34% |
| 2013 | 12.58% |
| 2014 | 10.04% |
| 2015 | 8.71% |
| 2016 | 10.19% |
| 2017 | 9.58% |
| 2018 | 9.31% |
| 2019 | 8.07% |
| 2020 | 9.90% |
| 2021 | 9.86% |
Average line server tenure
The average line server stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 7,477 line servers resumes in Zippia's database.
Line server tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 46% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 8% |
| 5-7 years | 9% |
| 8-10 years | 2% |
| 11+ years | 2% |
Line server LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of line 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cocktail Waitress | 6.48% | 77,429 |
| Curb Hop | 6.98% | 7 |
| Head Bartender | 7.82% | 34,561 |
| Line Server | 7.82% | - |
Similar line server jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Cocktail Waitress | 6.48% | 77,429 |
| Curb Hop | 6.98% | 7 |
| Head Bartender | 7.82% | 34,561 |
Foreign languages spoken by line servers
The most common foreign language among line servers is Spanish at 70.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 7.7% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 2.6%.
- Spanish, 70.3%
- French, 7.7%
- Chinese, 2.6%
- Italian, 2.6%
- Korean, 2.1%
- Other, 14.7%
Line server languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 70.3% |
| French | 7.7% |
| Chinese | 2.6% |
| Italian | 2.6% |
| Korean | 2.1% |
| Other | 14.7% |
