Lobbyist demographics and statistics in the US
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Lobbyist demographics by:
Lobbyist gender statistics
48.4% of lobbyists are women and 51.6% of lobbyists are men.
- Male, 51.6%
- Female, 48.4%
Lobbyist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 51.6% |
| Female | 48.4% |
Lobbyist gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$45,150
Female income
$42,279
Lobbyist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in lobbyist positions over time. Currently, 48.4% of lobbyists are female.
Lobbyist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 53.92% | 46.08% |
| 2011 | 57.23% | 42.77% |
| 2012 | 54.85% | 45.15% |
| 2013 | 59.57% | 40.43% |
| 2014 | 55.12% | 44.88% |
| 2015 | 51.85% | 48.15% |
| 2016 | 52.39% | 47.61% |
| 2017 | 57.16% | 42.84% |
| 2018 | 54.38% | 45.62% |
| 2019 | 55.06% | 44.94% |
| 2020 | 53.62% | 46.38% |
| 2021 | 51.58% | 48.42% |
Lobbyist related jobs gender ratio
We compared lobbyists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, public address announcer and track announcer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Paraprofessional Interpreter | 12% | 88% |
| Deaf Interpreter | 15% | 85% |
| Fashion Journalist | 15% | 85% |
| Lobbyist | 52% | 48% |
| Sports Announcer | 91% | 9% |
| Track Announcer | 92% | 8% |
| Public Address Announcer | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Lobbyist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among lobbyists is White, which makes up 66.8% of all lobbyists. Comparatively, 12.0% of lobbyists are Hispanic or Latino and 10.2% of lobbyists are Black or African American.
- White, 66.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.0%
- Black or African American, 10.2%
- Asian, 5.3%
- Unknown, 5.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
Lobbyist race
| Lobbyist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 66.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.0% |
| Black or African American | 10.2% |
| Asian | 5.3% |
| Unknown | 5.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
Lobbyist race and ethnicity over time
See how lobbyist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Lobbyist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 74.94% | 9.55% | 4.30% | 9.14% |
| 2011 | 74.18% | 9.71% | 4.42% | 8.90% |
| 2012 | 74.21% | 9.11% | 3.94% | 9.45% |
| 2013 | 73.01% | 10.32% | 4.41% | 9.42% |
| 2014 | 73.52% | 10.28% | 3.45% | 9.64% |
| 2015 | 72.59% | 9.24% | 5.41% | 10.41% |
| 2016 | 71.95% | 9.54% | 5.20% | 9.95% |
| 2017 | 73.57% | 9.64% | 4.13% | 10.47% |
| 2018 | 71.20% | 8.63% | 5.14% | 11.23% |
| 2019 | 72.95% | 8.79% | 4.62% | 10.62% |
| 2020 | 67.44% | 9.63% | 4.57% | 14.55% |
| 2021 | 66.78% | 10.17% | 5.31% | 12.05% |
Lobbyist wage gap by race
According to our data, white lobbyists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino lobbyists have the lowest average salary at $42,703.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $47,711 |
| White | $48,134 |
| Black or African American | $42,777 |
| Asian | $44,723 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $42,703 |
Average lobbyist age
See how the average age of lobbyists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Lobbyist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 47 | 35.5 |
| White | 43 | 40 |
| Black or African American | 49.5 | 45 |
| Asian | 36 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 35 | 36 |
Lobbyist age breakdown
The average age of lobbyists is 40+ years years old, representing 53% of the lobbyist population.
Lobbyist age breakdown
| Lobbyist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 53% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Lobbyist educational attainment
The most common degree for lobbyists is bachelor's degree, with 71% of lobbyists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 11% and master's degree degree at 8%.
- Bachelor's, 71%
- Master's, 11%
- Doctorate, 8%
- Associate, 6%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Lobbyists by degree level
| Lobbyist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 71% |
| Master's | 11% |
| Doctorate | 8% |
| Associate | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Lobbyist jobs you might like
Lobbyist wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $51,115 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $46,275 |
Lobbyist employment statistics
Most lobbyists work for a private in the non profits industry.
Company size where lobbyists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where lobbyists work.
Lobbyist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 12% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 25% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 21% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 21% |
| > 10,000 employees | 15% |
Lobbyist jobs by company type
Employees with the lobbyist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most lobbyists prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Lobbyist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 21% |
| Public | 16% |
| Private | 51% |
| Government | 12% |
Lobbyist jobs by industry
The most common industries for lobbyists are non profits, education and professional.
Lobbyist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Non Profits | 19% |
| Education | 15% |
| Professional | 13% |
| Hospitality | 12% |
| Government | 8% |
| Fortune 500 | 8% |
| Retail | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Telecommunication | 3% |
| Real Estate | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
Lobbyist turnover and employment statistics
Lobbyist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for lobbyists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Lobbyist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Lobbyist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.84% |
| 2011 | 5.89% |
| 2012 | 4.61% |
| 2013 | 4.57% |
| 2014 | 3.98% |
| 2015 | 3.27% |
| 2016 | 2.78% |
| 2017 | 2.36% |
| 2018 | 2.01% |
| 2019 | 3.01% |
| 2020 | 3.59% |
| 2021 | 3.67% |
Average lobbyist tenure
The average lobbyist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 973 lobbyists resumes in Zippia's database.
Lobbyist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 29% |
| 1-2 years | 35% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 10% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 9% |
Lobbyist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of lobbyists 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 |
|---|---|---|
| News Writer | 10.10% | 17,010 |
| Anchor/Producer | 10.34% | 10,037 |
| Lobbyist | 12.01% | - |
| Art Editor | 12.38% | 7,148 |
| Superior Court Interpreter-Spanish/English | 14.90% | 6,233 |
| Contract Writer | 16.36% | 23,671 |
| Train Caller | 16.36% | 2,521 |
Similar lobbyist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| News Writer | 10.10% | 17,010 |
| Anchor/Producer | 10.34% | 10,037 |
| Art Editor | 12.38% | 7,148 |
| Superior Court Interpreter-Spanish/English | 14.90% | 6,233 |
| Contract Writer | 16.36% | 23,671 |
| Train Caller | 16.36% | 2,521 |
Foreign languages spoken by lobbyists
The most common foreign language among lobbyists is Spanish at 48.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 9.9% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 5.5%.
- Spanish, 48.4%
- French, 9.9%
- Portuguese, 5.5%
- Chinese, 5.5%
- Italian, 5.5%
- Other, 25.2%
Lobbyist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 48.4% |
| French | 9.9% |
| Portuguese | 5.5% |
| Chinese | 5.5% |
| Italian | 5.5% |
| Other | 25.2% |
