Military demographics and statistics in the US
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Military demographics by:
Military gender statistics
27.4% of militaries are women and 72.6% of militaries are men.
- Male, 72.6%
- Female, 27.4%
Military gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 72.6% |
| Female | 27.4% |
Military gender pay gap
Women earn 92¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$82,855
Female income
$76,354
Military gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in military positions over time. Currently, 27.4% of militaries are female.
Military gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71.08% | 28.92% |
| 2011 | 73.61% | 26.39% |
| 2012 | 71.04% | 28.96% |
| 2013 | 75.27% | 24.73% |
| 2014 | 75.15% | 24.85% |
| 2015 | 71.77% | 28.23% |
| 2016 | 71.41% | 28.59% |
| 2017 | 71.52% | 28.48% |
| 2018 | 74.60% | 25.40% |
| 2019 | 77.53% | 22.47% |
| 2020 | 83.09% | 16.91% |
| 2021 | 72.56% | 27.44% |
Military related jobs gender ratio
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Military | 73% | 27% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Military demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among militaries is White, which makes up 51.6% of all militaries. Comparatively, 19.2% of militaries are Hispanic or Latino and 15.3% of militaries are Black or African American.
- White, 51.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 19.2%
- Black or African American, 15.3%
- Asian, 7.0%
- Unknown, 6.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
Military race
| Military race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 51.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.2% |
| Black or African American | 15.3% |
| Asian | 7.0% |
| Unknown | 6.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
Military race and ethnicity over time
See how military racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Military race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 63.14% | 13.26% | 4.81% | 14.53% |
| 2011 | 64.82% | 14.15% | 5.07% | 12.53% |
| 2012 | 60.55% | 14.09% | 4.55% | 15.45% |
| 2013 | 60.76% | 13.38% | 5.54% | 15.30% |
| 2014 | 61.47% | 12.60% | 5.28% | 15.51% |
| 2015 | 57.01% | 15.93% | 5.27% | 15.73% |
| 2016 | 59.71% | 15.47% | 4.98% | 14.90% |
| 2017 | 59.07% | 12.18% | 4.96% | 18.66% |
| 2018 | 56.39% | 14.16% | 5.26% | 18.29% |
| 2019 | 58.14% | 14.23% | 5.36% | 16.77% |
| 2020 | 54.86% | 14.70% | 5.41% | 19.71% |
| 2021 | 51.58% | 15.26% | 7.00% | 19.17% |
Military wage gap by race
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $90,976 |
| White | $85,414 |
| Black or African American | $85,373 |
| Asian | $72,311 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $81,398 |
Average military age
See how the average age of militaries varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Military age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 23 | 22 |
| Unknown | 22 | 22 |
| Asian | 23 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 22 | 22.5 |
| White | 22 | 21 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 20 |
Military age breakdown
The average age of militaries is 20-30 years years old, representing 73% of the military population.
Military age breakdown
| Military Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 2% |
| 30-40 years | 9% |
| 20-30 years | 73% |
Military educational attainment
- Bachelor's, 41%
- High School Diploma, 23%
- Associate, 18%
- Master's, 9%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Militaries by degree level
| Military degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 41% |
| High School Diploma | 23% |
| Associate | 18% |
| Master's | 9% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Military jobs you might like
Military wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $55,253 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $81,483 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $69,447 |
Military employment statistics
Most militaries work for a private in the government industry.
Company size where militaries work
Below, you can see the size of companies where militaries work.
Military jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 14% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 28% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 20% |
| > 10,000 employees | 24% |
Military jobs by company type
Employees with the military job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most militaries prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Military jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 11% |
| Private | 62% |
| Government | 24% |
Military jobs by industry
The most common industries for militaries are government, professional and transportation.
Military industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 19% |
| Professional | 14% |
| Transportation | 8% |
| Technology | 8% |
| Finance | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Non Profits | 6% |
| Media | 3% |
| Utilities | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Education | 3% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Military turnover and employment statistics
Military unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for militaries between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Military unemployment rate by year
| Year | Military unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 4.55% |
| 2011 | 2.32% |
| 2012 | 2.19% |
| 2013 | 3.56% |
| 2014 | 2.07% |
| 2015 | 1.38% |
| 2016 | 1.79% |
| 2017 | 1.95% |
| 2018 | 1.38% |
| 2019 | 1.10% |
| 2020 | 2.68% |
| 2021 | 1.35% |
Average military tenure
The average military stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 7,005 militaries resumes in Zippia's database.
Military tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 14% |
| 1-2 years | 25% |
| 3-4 years | 22% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 16% |
Foreign languages spoken by militaries
The most common foreign language among militaries is Spanish at 48.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 9.1% and German is the third-most popular at 6.3%.
- Spanish, 48.8%
- French, 9.1%
- German, 6.3%
- Arabic, 5.9%
- Korean, 4.5%
- Other, 25.4%
Military languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 48.8% |
| French | 9.1% |
| German | 6.3% |
| Arabic | 5.9% |
| Korean | 4.5% |
| Other | 25.4% |
