Meal cook demographics and statistics in the US
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Meal cook demographics by:
Meal cook gender statistics
68.0% of meal cooks are women and 32.0% of meal cooks are men.
- Female, 68.0%
- Male, 32.0%
Meal cook gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 68.0% |
| Male | 32.0% |
Meal cook gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$34,217
Female income
$32,934
Meal cook gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in meal cook positions over time. Currently, 68.0% of meal cooks are female.
Meal cook gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 29.21% | 70.79% |
| 2011 | 29.61% | 70.39% |
| 2012 | 30.66% | 69.34% |
| 2013 | 30.75% | 69.25% |
| 2014 | 32.03% | 67.97% |
| 2015 | 31.24% | 68.76% |
| 2016 | 32.15% | 67.85% |
| 2017 | 32.19% | 67.81% |
| 2018 | 31.45% | 68.55% |
| 2019 | 31.18% | 68.82% |
| 2020 | 31.98% | 68.02% |
| 2021 | 32.03% | 67.97% |
Meal cook related jobs gender ratio
We compared meal cooks with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, saucier and vacuum kettle cook have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Diet Clerk | 13% | 87% |
| Dietary Clerk | 16% | 84% |
| School Cafeteria Cook | 20% | 80% |
| Meal Cook | 32% | 68% |
| Line Cook/Dishwasher | 84% | 16% |
| Vacuum Kettle Cook | 87% | 13% |
| Saucier | 91% | 9% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Meal cook demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among meal cooks is White, which makes up 59.1% of all meal cooks. Comparatively, 18.5% of meal cooks are Hispanic or Latino and 8.3% of meal cooks are Black or African American.
- White, 59.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.5%
- Black or African American, 8.3%
- Asian, 7.5%
- Unknown, 5.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%
Meal cook race
| Meal cook race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 59.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.5% |
| Black or African American | 8.3% |
| Asian | 7.5% |
| Unknown | 5.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.4% |
Meal cook race and ethnicity over time
See how meal cook racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Meal cook race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 63.41% | 9.92% | 6.40% | 16.82% |
| 2011 | 63.20% | 11.11% | 6.43% | 15.34% |
| 2012 | 62.88% | 10.64% | 6.23% | 16.30% |
| 2013 | 63.02% | 10.49% | 6.22% | 16.50% |
| 2014 | 62.60% | 10.36% | 6.49% | 16.45% |
| 2015 | 62.64% | 10.12% | 6.60% | 16.56% |
| 2016 | 62.32% | 9.77% | 6.52% | 17.03% |
| 2017 | 61.47% | 9.40% | 6.69% | 17.60% |
| 2018 | 62.57% | 9.38% | 6.57% | 17.10% |
| 2019 | 62.62% | 8.97% | 6.93% | 17.02% |
| 2020 | 60.60% | 8.32% | 7.19% | 17.22% |
| 2021 | 59.06% | 8.31% | 7.47% | 18.52% |
Meal cook wage gap by race
According to our data, asian meal cooks have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american meal cooks have the lowest average salary at $33,697.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $33,968 |
| White | $34,015 |
| Black or African American | $33,697 |
| Asian | $34,848 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $34,572 |
Average meal cook age
See how the average age of meal cooks varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Meal cook age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 35 | 45 |
| Unknown | 27 | 36 |
| Asian | 42 | 49.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 35 | 42 |
| White | 29 | 44 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 31.5 | 49 |
Meal cook age breakdown
The average age of meal cooks is 40+ years years old, representing 45% of the meal cook population.
Meal cook age breakdown
| Meal Cook Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 45% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 26% |
Meal cook educational attainment
The most common degree for meal cooks is high school diploma, with 40% of meal cooks earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 29% and associate degree degree at 15%.
- High School Diploma, 40%
- Associate, 29%
- Bachelor's, 15%
- Diploma, 12%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Meal cooks by degree level
| Meal cook degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 40% |
| Associate | 29% |
| Bachelor's | 15% |
| Diploma | 12% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Meal cook jobs you might like
Meal cook wage gap by degree level
According to the data, meal cooks with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $35,178 annually. With a Associate degree, meal cooks earn a median annual income of $34,399 compared to $33,675 for meal cooks with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $33,675 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $35,178 |
| No Education | $33,299 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $34,399 |
Meal cook employment statistics
Most meal cooks work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where meal cooks work
Below, you can see the size of companies where meal cooks work.
Meal cook jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 19% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 20% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 12% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 20% |
| > 10,000 employees | 20% |
Meal cook jobs by company type
Employees with the meal cook job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most meal cooks prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Meal cook jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 6% |
| Public | 16% |
| Private | 75% |
| Government | 3% |
Meal cook jobs by industry
The most common industries for meal cooks are health care, hospitality and professional.
Meal cook industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 22% |
| Hospitality | 19% |
| Professional | 13% |
| Non Profits | 11% |
| Retail | 6% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Start-up | 4% |
| Education | 4% |
| Fortune 500 | 4% |
| Government | 2% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
Meal cook turnover and employment statistics
Meal cook unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for meal cooks between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Meal cook unemployment rate by year
| Year | Meal cook unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 13.74% |
| 2011 | 13.72% |
| 2012 | 12.24% |
| 2013 | 11.55% |
| 2014 | 9.93% |
| 2015 | 8.76% |
| 2016 | 8.73% |
| 2017 | 7.83% |
| 2018 | 7.48% |
| 2019 | 6.91% |
| 2020 | 10.00% |
| 2021 | 10.11% |
Average meal cook tenure
The average meal cook stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 479 meal cooks resumes in Zippia's database.
Meal cook tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 28% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 10% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 11% |
Meal cook LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of meal cooks 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Meal Cook | 5.53% | - |
| Deli Assistant | 6.78% | 16,290 |
| Waitress | 7.02% | 87,315 |
| Party Hostess | 7.29% | 9,255 |
| Counter Attendant | 7.36% | 53,208 |
| Bartender | 7.68% | 57,518 |
| Assistant Deli Manager | 8.43% | 58,969 |
Similar meal cook jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Deli Assistant | 6.78% | 16,290 |
| Waitress | 7.02% | 87,315 |
| Party Hostess | 7.29% | 9,255 |
| Counter Attendant | 7.36% | 53,208 |
| Bartender | 7.68% | 57,518 |
| Assistant Deli Manager | 8.43% | 58,969 |
Foreign languages spoken by meal cooks
The most common foreign language among meal cooks is Spanish at 50.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Portuguese at 25.0% and Armenian is the third-most popular at 25.0%.
- Spanish, 50.0%
- Portuguese, 25.0%
- Armenian, 25.0%
Meal cook languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 50.0% |
| Portuguese | 25.0% |
| Armenian | 25.0% |
