Office assistant demographics and statistics in the US
Office assistant demographics research summary. Zippia estimates office assistant demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our office assistant estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about office assistants after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 2,735,313 office assistants currently employed in the United States.
- 82.7% of all office assistants are women, while 17.3% are men.
- The average office assistant age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of office assistants is White (54.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (21.0%), Black or African American (10.1%) and Asian (8.3%).
- Office assistants are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- The government industry is the highest-paying for office assistants.
- 6% of all office assistants are LGBT.
On this page
Office assistant demographics by:
Office assistant gender statistics
82.7% of office assistants are women and 17.3% of office assistants are men.
- Female, 82.7%
- Male, 17.3%
Office assistant gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 82.7% |
| Male | 17.3% |
Office assistant gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$33,275
Female income
$31,944
Office assistant gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in office assistant positions over time. Currently, 82.7% of office assistants are female.
Office assistant gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 16.40% | 83.60% |
| 2011 | 15.83% | 84.17% |
| 2012 | 15.57% | 84.43% |
| 2013 | 15.91% | 84.09% |
| 2014 | 17.03% | 82.97% |
| 2015 | 17.00% | 83.00% |
| 2016 | 16.98% | 83.02% |
| 2017 | 17.87% | 82.13% |
| 2018 | 17.90% | 82.10% |
| 2019 | 16.03% | 83.97% |
| 2020 | 17.85% | 82.15% |
| 2021 | 17.30% | 82.70% |
Office assistant related jobs gender ratio
We compared office assistants with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, blueprint reader and recovery operator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Statistical Typist | 6% | 94% |
| Medical Typist | 7% | 93% |
| Insurance Biller | 7% | 93% |
| Office Assistant | 17% | 83% |
| High Speed Printer Operator | 85% | 15% |
| Recovery Operator | 88% | 12% |
| Blueprint Reader | 95% | 5% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Office assistant demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among office assistants is White, which makes up 54.6% of all office assistants. Comparatively, 21.0% of office assistants are Hispanic or Latino and 10.1% of office assistants are Black or African American.
- White, 54.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 21.0%
- Black or African American, 10.1%
- Asian, 8.3%
- Unknown, 4.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
Office assistant race
| Office assistant race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 54.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 21.0% |
| Black or African American | 10.1% |
| Asian | 8.3% |
| Unknown | 4.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.2% |
Office assistant race and ethnicity over time
See how office assistant racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Office assistant race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 61.21% | 11.67% | 6.86% | 17.17% |
| 2011 | 59.81% | 12.15% | 6.41% | 17.99% |
| 2012 | 59.40% | 11.65% | 6.69% | 18.78% |
| 2013 | 59.49% | 11.34% | 6.61% | 18.74% |
| 2014 | 59.19% | 11.52% | 7.14% | 18.53% |
| 2015 | 59.25% | 10.83% | 7.07% | 19.17% |
| 2016 | 58.50% | 11.50% | 7.31% | 18.94% |
| 2017 | 59.21% | 10.37% | 7.19% | 19.48% |
| 2018 | 59.53% | 9.99% | 7.52% | 19.22% |
| 2019 | 57.08% | 10.76% | 7.88% | 20.59% |
| 2020 | 55.11% | 10.18% | 7.84% | 21.20% |
| 2021 | 54.64% | 10.13% | 8.35% | 20.97% |
Office assistant wage gap by race
According to our data, asian office assistants have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown office assistants have the lowest average salary at $33,046.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $33,046 |
| White | $33,288 |
| Black or African American | $33,304 |
| Asian | $33,445 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $33,296 |
Average office assistant age
See how the average age of office assistants varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Office assistant age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 44 | 51 |
| Unknown | 39 | 45 |
| Asian | 42 | 49.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 42 |
| White | 45 | 52.5 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 47 |
Office assistant age breakdown
The average age of office assistants is 40+ years years old, representing 70% of the office assistant population.
Office assistant age breakdown
| Office Assistant Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 70% |
| 30-40 years | 18% |
| 20-30 years | 12% |
Office assistant educational attainment
The most common degree for office assistants is bachelor's degree, with 42% of office assistants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 22% and high school diploma degree at 22%.
- Bachelor's, 42%
- High School Diploma, 22%
- Associate, 22%
- Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Office assistants by degree level
| Office assistant degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 42% |
| High School Diploma | 22% |
| Associate | 22% |
| Diploma | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Office assistant jobs you might like
Office assistant wage gap by degree level
According to the data, office assistants with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $34,658 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, office assistants earn a median annual income of $33,993 compared to $32,883 for office assistants with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $34,658 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $32,142 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $33,993 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $32,883 |
Office assistant employment statistics
Most office assistants work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where office assistants work
Below, you can see the size of companies where office assistants work.
Office assistant jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 3% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 14% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 12% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 37% |
| > 10,000 employees | 25% |
Office assistant jobs by company type
Employees with the office assistant job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most office assistants prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Office assistant jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 50% |
| Public | 13% |
| Private | 28% |
| Government | 8% |
Office assistant jobs by industry
The most common industries for office assistants are education, health care and professional.
Office assistant industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 42% |
| Fortune 500 | 9% |
| Health Care | 8% |
| Government | 7% |
| Professional | 7% |
| Retail | 6% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Office assistant turnover and employment statistics
Office assistant unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for office assistants between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Office assistant unemployment rate by year
| Year | Office assistant unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 9.07% |
| 2011 | 8.89% |
| 2012 | 7.87% |
| 2013 | 6.76% |
| 2014 | 5.54% |
| 2015 | 4.73% |
| 2016 | 4.70% |
| 2017 | 3.88% |
| 2018 | 3.88% |
| 2019 | 3.74% |
| 2020 | 5.34% |
| 2021 | 5.84% |
Average office assistant tenure
The average office assistant stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 543,967 office assistants resumes in Zippia's database.
Office assistant tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 33% |
| 1-2 years | 35% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 11% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Office assistant LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of office assistants 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | 4.67% | 277 |
| Office Assistant | 5.99% | - |
| Blueprint Reader | 6.98% | 418 |
| Mailroom Assistant | 7.17% | 13,048 |
| Policy Issue Clerk | 11.18% | 67,037 |
| Record Tabulating Clerk | 11.19% | 66,589 |
| Set-O-Type Operator | 14.20% | 31,599 |
Similar office assistant jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | 4.67% | 277 |
| Blueprint Reader | 6.98% | 418 |
| Mailroom Assistant | 7.17% | 13,048 |
| Policy Issue Clerk | 11.18% | 67,037 |
| Record Tabulating Clerk | 11.19% | 66,589 |
| Set-O-Type Operator | 14.20% | 31,599 |
Foreign languages spoken by office assistants
The most common foreign language among office assistants is Spanish at 63.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.0% and Mandarin is the third-most popular at 3.7%.
- Spanish, 63.3%
- French, 8.0%
- Mandarin, 3.7%
- Chinese, 3.5%
- German, 2.6%
- Other, 18.9%
Office assistant languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 63.3% |
| French | 8.0% |
| Mandarin | 3.7% |
| Chinese | 3.5% |
| German | 2.6% |
| Other | 18.9% |
