Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for machine operators in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- There are over 1,267,157 machine operators currently employed in the United States.
- 27.7% of all machine operators are women, while 72.3% are men.
- The average age of an employed machine operator is 44 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of machine operators is White (60.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (16.0%), Black or African American (12.0%) and Asian (7.5%).
- In 2021, women earned 97% of what men earned.
- 5% of all machine operators are LGBT.
- Machine operators are 58% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
Machine Operator Statistics By Gender
27.7% of machine operators are women and 72.3% of machine operators are men.
- Male, 72.3%
- Female, 27.7%
Machine Operators By Gender
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 72.3% |
| Female | 27.7% |
Gender Pay Gap For Machine Operator
Women Earn 97ยข For Every $1 Earned By Men
Machine Operator Gender Over Time
This data shows how men and women predominate in the machine operator position over time.
Machine Operator Gender By Year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 70.37% | 29.63% |
| 2011 | 71.22% | 28.78% |
| 2012 | 71.26% | 28.74% |
| 2013 | 71.20% | 28.80% |
| 2014 | 72.31% | 27.69% |
| 2015 | 69.79% | 30.21% |
| 2016 | 71.25% | 28.75% |
| 2017 | 72.40% | 27.60% |
| 2018 | 72.05% | 27.95% |
| 2019 | 70.75% | 29.25% |
| 2020 | 72.99% | 27.01% |
| 2021 | 72.35% | 27.65% |
Machine Operator Male to Female Ratio
We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, corrugator and stone cutter have the biggest difference in gender.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Screen Examiner | 7% | 93% |
| Cake Decorator | 9% | 91% |
| Garment Inspector | 10% | 90% |
| Machine Operator | 72% | 28% |
| Bucket Operator | 99% | 1% |
| Stone Cutter | 99% | 1% |
| Corrugator | 99% | 1% |
Machine Operator Statistics By Race
The most common ethnicity among machine operators is White, which makes up 60.0% of all machine operators. Comparatively, there are 16.0% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 12.0% of the Black or African American ethnicity.
- White, 60.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 16.0%
- Black or African American, 12.0%
- Asian, 7.5%
- Unknown, 3.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
Machine Operator Race
| Machine Operator Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 60.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.0% |
| Black or African American | 12.0% |
| Asian | 7.5% |
| Unknown | 3.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.1% |
Machine Operator Race And Ethnicity Over Time
Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among machine operators.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Machine Operator Race By Year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 63.91% | 13.79% | 4.50% | 16.22% |
| 2011 | 62.60% | 13.96% | 5.44% | 16.26% |
| 2012 | 62.14% | 12.36% | 6.28% | 17.43% |
| 2013 | 63.59% | 13.62% | 5.40% | 15.37% |
| 2014 | 61.92% | 12.86% | 6.36% | 16.79% |
| 2015 | 63.85% | 12.70% | 6.35% | 14.99% |
| 2016 | 61.77% | 11.96% | 7.37% | 16.50% |
| 2017 | 62.48% | 12.30% | 7.09% | 15.54% |
| 2018 | 63.19% | 11.82% | 6.01% | 16.46% |
| 2019 | 65.00% | 12.20% | 6.41% | 14.00% |
| 2020 | 62.56% | 12.91% | 5.85% | 14.60% |
| 2021 | 59.98% | 11.95% | 7.49% | 15.96% |
Machine Operator Wage Gap By Race
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $32,642 |
| White | $34,951 |
| Black or African American | $33,633 |
| Asian | $33,211 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $33,051 |
Average Age of a Machine Operator
We determined the average age of machine operators based on ethnicity and gender.
Machine Operator Age By Race
| Race | Male Age | Female Age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 40 | 44 |
| White | 42 | 50 |
| Black or African American | 40 | 49.5 |
| Asian | 46 | 51.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 42 | 47 |
Machine Operator Age Breakdown
This chart breaks down the ages of machine operator employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of machine operators is 40+ years old, which represents 64% of the population.
Machine Operator Age
| Machine Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 64% |
| 30-40 years | 20% |
| 20-30 years | 15% |
Types of Machine Operator Degree Levels
The most common degree for machine operators is high school diploma 53% of machine operators earn that degree. A close second is associate degree with 16% and rounding it off is diploma with 14%.
- High School Diploma, 53%
- Associate, 16%
- Diploma, 14%
- Bachelors, 11%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Machine Operators By Education
| Machine Operator Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 53% |
| Associate | 16% |
| Diploma | 14% |
| Bachelors | 11% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Machine Operator Jobs You Might Like
Machine Operator Wage Gap By Education
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $33,434 |
| No Education | $32,332 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $33,680 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $33,934 |
Machine Operator Employment Statistics
This section highlights information about where machine operators work. We found most machine operators work for a private company. In addition, the industry that employs the most machine operators is the manufacturing industry.
Company Size
We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire machine operators.
Machine Operator Jobs By Employer Size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 3% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 6% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 11% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 34% |
| > 10,000 employees | 39% |
The Types Of Companies Machine Operator Work In
Employees with the machine operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most machine operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Machine Operator Jobs By Sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 41% |
| Private | 58% |
| Government | 0% |
Top Industries Hiring Machine Operators
Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ machine operators. Those industries include manufacturing, professional and automotive.
Machine Operator Industry Statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 35% |
| Fortune 500 | 15% |
| Professional | 10% |
| Automotive | 9% |
| Transportation | 5% |
| Retail | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Machine Operator Turnover And Employment Statistics
Machine Operator Unemployment Rate Over Time
The Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of machine operators changed.
- Unemployment rate
Machine Operator Unemployment Rate By Year
| Year | Machine Operator Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 15.94% |
| 2011 | 15.49% |
| 2012 | 13.87% |
| 2013 | 12.49% |
| 2014 | 12.20% |
| 2015 | 9.40% |
| 2016 | 7.70% |
| 2017 | 8.32% |
| 2018 | 7.77% |
| 2019 | 8.42% |
| 2020 | 6.77% |
| 2021 | 8.38% |
The Average Number of Years That Machine Operator Stay in a Job
By looking over 276,210 machine operators resumes, we figured out that the average machine operator enjoys staying at their job for Less than 1 year for a percentage of 32%.
Machine Operator Tenure
| Number or Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 32% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Machine Operators with Other Job Titles
After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to machine operators.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Substation Inspector | 4.47% | 16,861 |
| Machine Operator | 4.75% | - |
| Contact Lens Technician | 5.24% | 7,585 |
| Primer Inserting Machine Adjuster | 7.84% | 35,738 |
| Multiskill Operator | 8.41% | 27,869 |
| Print Shop Helper | 8.89% | 24,108 |
| Image Center Service Associate | 15.21% | 31,304 |
Machine Operator LGBT Demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Substation Inspector | 4.47% | 16,861 |
| Contact Lens Technician | 5.24% | 7,585 |
| Primer Inserting Machine Adjuster | 7.84% | 35,738 |
| Multiskill Operator | 8.41% | 27,869 |
| Print Shop Helper | 8.89% | 24,108 |
| Image Center Service Associate | 15.21% | 31,304 |
Foreign Languages Spoken By Machine Operators
The most common foreign language among machine operators is Spanish at 77.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 5.0% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 2.4%.
- Spanish, 77.3%
- French, 5.0%
- Arabic, 2.4%
- German, 2.2%
- Hmong, 2.0%
- Other, 11.1%
Machine Operator Languages Spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 77.3% |
| French | 5.0% |
| Arabic | 2.4% |
| German | 2.2% |
| Hmong | 2.0% |
| Other | 11.1% |
