Meter reader demographics and statistics in the US
Meter reader demographics research summary. Zippia estimates meter reader demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our meter reader estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about meter readers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 16,479 meter readers currently employed in the United States.
- 21.0% of all meter readers are women, while 79.0% are men.
- The average meter reader age is 44 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of meter readers is White (72.3%), followed by Black or African American (10.6%), Hispanic or Latino (9.8%) and Unknown (5.1%).
- In 2022, women earned 96% of what men earned.
- 8% of all meter readers are LGBT.
- Meter readers are 46% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Meter reader demographics by:
Meter reader gender statistics
21.0% of meter readers are women and 79.0% of meter readers are men.
- Male, 79.0%
- Female, 21.0%
Meter reader gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 79.0% |
| Female | 21.0% |
Meter reader gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$49,202
Female income
$47,205
Meter reader gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in meter reader positions over time. Currently, 21.0% of meter readers are female.
Meter reader gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 77.88% | 22.12% |
| 2011 | 81.87% | 18.13% |
| 2012 | 80.16% | 19.84% |
| 2013 | 80.65% | 19.35% |
| 2014 | 74.89% | 25.11% |
| 2015 | 79.74% | 20.26% |
| 2016 | 79.17% | 20.83% |
| 2017 | 78.88% | 21.12% |
| 2018 | 82.14% | 17.86% |
| 2019 | 78.56% | 21.44% |
| 2020 | 71.76% | 28.24% |
| 2021 | 78.96% | 21.04% |
Meter reader related jobs gender ratio
We compared meter readers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, centrifugal operator and flight information expediter have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetician | 3% | 97% |
| Schedule Checker | 10% | 90% |
| Plant Clerk | 14% | 86% |
| Meter Reader | 79% | 21% |
| Raw Scales Operator | 95% | 5% |
| Flight Information Expediter | 95% | 5% |
| Centrifugal Operator | 96% | 4% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Meter reader demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among meter readers is White, which makes up 72.3% of all meter readers. Comparatively, 10.6% of meter readers are Black or African American and 9.8% of meter readers are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 72.3%
- Black or African American, 10.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.8%
- Unknown, 5.1%
- Asian, 1.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
Meter reader race
| Meter reader race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 72.3% |
| Black or African American | 10.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.8% |
| Unknown | 5.1% |
| Asian | 1.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
Meter reader race and ethnicity over time
See how meter reader racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Meter reader race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 68.73% | 16.56% | 1.44% | 10.77% |
| 2011 | 68.51% | 12.65% | 3.22% | 13.69% |
| 2012 | 68.72% | 16.33% | 1.85% | 9.55% |
| 2013 | 65.90% | 13.84% | 2.15% | 13.96% |
| 2014 | 66.61% | 12.59% | 1.67% | 15.69% |
| 2015 | 69.13% | 14.96% | 1.96% | 9.63% |
| 2016 | 67.87% | 15.24% | 1.25% | 12.04% |
| 2017 | 64.99% | 14.80% | 1.39% | 14.04% |
| 2018 | 70.37% | 13.46% | 2.31% | 11.40% |
| 2019 | 70.95% | 10.43% | 1.86% | 11.34% |
| 2020 | 65.80% | 17.59% | 1.70% | 8.47% |
| 2021 | 72.25% | 10.59% | 1.55% | 9.77% |
Meter reader wage gap by race
According to our data, asian meter readers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown meter readers have the lowest average salary at $47,894.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $47,894 |
| White | $49,336 |
| Black or African American | $48,234 |
| Asian | $51,326 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $49,290 |
Meter reader age breakdown
The average age of meter readers is 40+ years years old, representing 61% of the meter reader population.
Meter reader age breakdown
| Meter Reader Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 61% |
| 30-40 years | 26% |
| 20-30 years | 13% |
Meter reader educational attainment
The most common degree for meter readers is high school diploma, with 43% of meter readers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 21% and associate degree degree at 20%.
- High School Diploma, 43%
- Associate, 21%
- Bachelor's, 20%
- Diploma, 10%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Meter readers by degree level
| Meter reader degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 43% |
| Associate | 21% |
| Bachelor's | 20% |
| Diploma | 10% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Meter reader jobs you might like
Meter reader wage gap by degree level
According to the data, meter readers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $60,829 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, meter readers earn a median annual income of $55,383 compared to $50,357 for meter readers with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $60,829 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $46,095 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $55,383 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $50,357 |
Meter reader employment statistics
Most meter readers work for a private in the utilities industry.
Company size where meter readers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where meter readers work.
Meter reader jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 13% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 31% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 34% |
| > 10,000 employees | 8% |
Meter reader jobs by company type
Employees with the meter reader job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most meter readers prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Meter reader jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 24% |
| Private | 46% |
| Government | 30% |
Meter reader jobs by industry
The most common industries for meter readers are utilities, government and energy.
Meter reader industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Utilities | 30% |
| Government | 25% |
| Energy | 13% |
| Fortune 500 | 7% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
Meter reader turnover and employment statistics
Meter reader unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for meter readers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Meter reader unemployment rate by year
| Year | Meter reader unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.82% |
| 2011 | 6.88% |
| 2012 | 5.95% |
| 2013 | 4.49% |
| 2014 | 5.06% |
| 2015 | 2.11% |
| 2016 | 0.77% |
| 2017 | 2.87% |
| 2018 | 3.57% |
| 2019 | 2.59% |
| 2020 | 1.68% |
| 2021 | 4.59% |
Average meter reader tenure
The average meter reader stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 5,966 meter readers resumes in Zippia's database.
Meter reader tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 29% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Meter reader LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of meter readers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Overnight Stock Clerk | 6.40% | 230,090 |
| Meter Reader | 7.79% | - |
| Courier | 8.26% | 13,088 |
| Window Clerk | 10.33% | 69,533 |
| Inventory Lead | 10.63% | 19,766 |
| Mail Processing | 11.70% | 39,778 |
| Call Person | 17.25% | 45,355 |
Similar meter reader jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Overnight Stock Clerk | 6.40% | 230,090 |
| Courier | 8.26% | 13,088 |
| Window Clerk | 10.33% | 69,533 |
| Inventory Lead | 10.63% | 19,766 |
| Mail Processing | 11.70% | 39,778 |
| Call Person | 17.25% | 45,355 |
Foreign languages spoken by meter readers
The most common foreign language among meter readers is Spanish at 83.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 4.4% and Japanese is the third-most popular at 2.2%.
- Spanish, 83.5%
- French, 4.4%
- Japanese, 2.2%
- Carrier, 2.2%
- Swedish, 1.1%
- Other, 6.6%
Meter reader languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 83.5% |
| French | 4.4% |
| Japanese | 2.2% |
| Carrier | 2.2% |
| Swedish | 1.1% |
| Other | 6.6% |
