Mess cook demographics and statistics in the US
On this page
Mess cook demographics by:
Mess cook gender statistics
19.0% of mess cooks are women and 81.0% of mess cooks are men.
- Male, 81.0%
- Female, 19.0%
Mess cook gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 81.0% |
| Female | 19.0% |
Mess cook gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$35,410
Female income
$34,120
Mess cook gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in mess cook positions over time. Currently, 19.0% of mess cooks are female.
Mess cook gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 78.82% | 21.18% |
| 2011 | 79.14% | 20.86% |
| 2012 | 79.95% | 20.05% |
| 2013 | 80.02% | 19.98% |
| 2014 | 80.95% | 19.05% |
| 2015 | 80.38% | 19.62% |
| 2016 | 81.04% | 18.96% |
| 2017 | 81.07% | 18.93% |
| 2018 | 80.54% | 19.46% |
| 2019 | 80.34% | 19.66% |
| 2020 | 80.91% | 19.09% |
| 2021 | 80.95% | 19.05% |
Mess cook related jobs gender ratio
We compared mess 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% |
| Mess Cook | 81% | 19% |
| 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%
Mess cook demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among mess cooks is White, which makes up 48.9% of all mess cooks. Comparatively, 24.7% of mess cooks are Hispanic or Latino and 14.0% of mess cooks are Black or African American.
- White, 48.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 24.7%
- Black or African American, 14.0%
- Asian, 6.2%
- Unknown, 4.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
Mess cook race
| Mess cook race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 48.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 24.7% |
| Black or African American | 14.0% |
| Asian | 6.2% |
| Unknown | 4.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.3% |
Mess cook race and ethnicity over time
See how mess cook racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Mess cook race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 53.26% | 15.62% | 5.15% | 23.01% |
| 2011 | 53.06% | 16.81% | 5.18% | 21.53% |
| 2012 | 52.73% | 16.34% | 4.98% | 22.49% |
| 2013 | 52.87% | 16.19% | 4.97% | 22.68% |
| 2014 | 52.45% | 16.06% | 5.25% | 22.64% |
| 2015 | 52.49% | 15.82% | 5.35% | 22.75% |
| 2016 | 52.17% | 15.47% | 5.27% | 23.22% |
| 2017 | 51.32% | 15.10% | 5.44% | 23.79% |
| 2018 | 52.42% | 15.08% | 5.32% | 23.28% |
| 2019 | 52.47% | 14.67% | 5.68% | 23.21% |
| 2020 | 50.46% | 14.02% | 5.94% | 23.41% |
| 2021 | 48.92% | 14.01% | 6.23% | 24.71% |
Mess cook wage gap by race
According to our data, asian mess cooks have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american mess cooks have the lowest average salary at $34,887.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $35,160 |
| White | $35,207 |
| Black or African American | $34,887 |
| Asian | $36,044 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $35,766 |
Average mess cook age
See how the average age of mess cooks varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Mess 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 |
Mess cook age breakdown
The average age of mess cooks is 40+ years years old, representing 45% of the mess cook population.
Mess cook age breakdown
| Mess Cook Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 45% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 26% |
Mess cook educational attainment
The most common degree for mess cooks is high school diploma, with 36% of mess cooks earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 36% and associate degree degree at 18%.
- High School Diploma, 36%
- Associate, 36%
- Bachelor's, 18%
- Diploma, 9%
Mess cooks by degree level
| Mess cook degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 36% |
| Associate | 36% |
| Bachelor's | 18% |
| Diploma | 9% |
Mess cook jobs you might like
Mess cook wage gap by degree level
According to the data, mess cooks with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $36,375 annually. With a Associate degree, mess cooks earn a median annual income of $35,593 compared to $34,865 for mess cooks with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $34,865 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $36,375 |
| No Education | $34,487 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $35,593 |
Mess cook employment statistics
Company size where mess cooks work
Below, you can see the size of companies where mess cooks work.
Mess cook jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 7% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 43% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 14% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 7% |
| > 10,000 employees | 21% |
Mess cook turnover and employment statistics
Mess cook unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for mess cooks between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Mess cook unemployment rate by year
| Year | Mess 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 mess cook tenure
The average mess cook stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 50 mess cooks resumes in Zippia's database.
Mess cook tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 2% |
| 1-2 years | 41% |
| 3-4 years | 29% |
| 5-7 years | 18% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Mess cook LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of mess 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mess Cook | 5.53% | - |
| Deli/Bakery Associate | 6.78% | 9,456 |
| Server And Shift Manager | 7.02% | 254,425 |
| Event Host | 7.29% | 15,092 |
| Lead Barista | 7.36% | 70,195 |
| Bartender Server | 7.68% | 106,784 |
| Food And Beverage Supervisor | 8.43% | 61,726 |
Similar mess cook jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Deli/Bakery Associate | 6.78% | 9,456 |
| Server And Shift Manager | 7.02% | 254,425 |
| Event Host | 7.29% | 15,092 |
| Lead Barista | 7.36% | 70,195 |
| Bartender Server | 7.68% | 106,784 |
| Food And Beverage Supervisor | 8.43% | 61,726 |
Foreign languages spoken by mess cooks
- Polish, 100.0%
Mess cook languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Polish | 100.0% |