Operating room assistant demographics and statistics in the US
Operating room assistant demographics research summary. Zippia estimates operating room assistant demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our operating room 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 operating room assistants after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 8,902 operating room assistants currently employed in the United States.
- 53.2% of all operating room assistants are women, while 46.8% are men.
- The average operating room assistant age is 41 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of operating room assistants is White (61.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (16.3%), Black or African American (9.6%) and Asian (7.1%).
- In 2022, women earned 97% of what men earned.
- 7% of all operating room assistants are LGBT.
- Operating room assistants are 82% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
On this page
Operating room assistant demographics by:
Operating room assistant gender statistics
53.2% of operating room assistants are women and 46.8% of operating room assistants are men.
- Female, 53.2%
- Male, 46.8%
Operating room assistant gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 53.2% |
| Male | 46.8% |
Operating room assistant gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$36,108
Female income
$34,935
Operating room assistant gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in operating room assistant positions over time. Currently, 53.2% of operating room assistants are female.
Operating room assistant gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 48.35% | 51.65% |
| 2011 | 50.30% | 49.70% |
| 2012 | 51.81% | 48.19% |
| 2013 | 53.08% | 46.92% |
| 2014 | 48.36% | 51.64% |
| 2015 | 49.12% | 50.88% |
| 2016 | 49.06% | 50.94% |
| 2017 | 49.36% | 50.64% |
| 2018 | 46.77% | 53.23% |
| 2019 | 45.14% | 54.86% |
| 2020 | 44.45% | 55.55% |
| 2021 | 46.80% | 53.20% |
Operating room assistant related jobs gender ratio
We compared operating room assistants with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, medical orderly and surgical orderly have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Hospice Aide | 9% | 91% |
| Patient Care Technician/Certified Nursing Assistant | 10% | 90% |
| Licensed Nursing Assistant | 10% | 90% |
| Operating Room Assistant | 47% | 53% |
| Corpsman | 80% | 20% |
| Surgical Orderly | 82% | 18% |
| Medical Orderly | 89% | 11% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Operating room assistant demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among operating room assistants is White, which makes up 61.1% of all operating room assistants. Comparatively, 16.3% of operating room assistants are Hispanic or Latino and 9.6% of operating room assistants are Black or African American.
- White, 61.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 16.3%
- Black or African American, 9.6%
- Asian, 7.1%
- Unknown, 5.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Operating room assistant race
| Operating room assistant race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 61.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.3% |
| Black or African American | 9.6% |
| Asian | 7.1% |
| Unknown | 5.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
Operating room assistant race and ethnicity over time
See how operating room assistant racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Operating room assistant race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.28% | 11.32% | 5.22% | 15.16% |
| 2011 | 64.10% | 12.19% | 5.32% | 14.99% |
| 2012 | 64.19% | 11.40% | 5.48% | 15.51% |
| 2013 | 64.85% | 10.69% | 5.60% | 15.45% |
| 2014 | 62.49% | 12.22% | 5.84% | 15.91% |
| 2015 | 62.36% | 11.72% | 6.11% | 16.40% |
| 2016 | 61.52% | 11.75% | 6.10% | 16.94% |
| 2017 | 61.91% | 10.69% | 6.21% | 17.22% |
| 2018 | 65.69% | 8.53% | 6.54% | 15.83% |
| 2019 | 64.87% | 9.39% | 6.51% | 15.68% |
| 2020 | 63.37% | 7.83% | 6.97% | 15.87% |
| 2021 | 61.12% | 9.58% | 7.08% | 16.25% |
Operating room assistant wage gap by race
According to our data, asian operating room assistants have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White operating room assistants have the lowest average salary at $35,536.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $35,672 |
| White | $35,536 |
| Black or African American | $35,980 |
| Asian | $37,539 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $35,848 |
Average operating room assistant age
See how the average age of operating room assistants varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Operating room assistant age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 42 | 45 |
| Unknown | 35.5 | 38 |
| Asian | 43 | 47 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 37 | 39 |
| White | 32 | 39 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 36 |
Operating room assistant age breakdown
The average age of operating room assistants is 40+ years years old, representing 53% of the operating room assistant population.
Operating room assistant age breakdown
| Operating Room Assistant Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 53% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 23% |
Operating room assistant educational attainment
The most common degree for operating room assistants is bachelor's degree, with 43% of operating room assistants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 23% and high school diploma degree at 20%.
- Bachelor's, 43%
- High School Diploma, 23%
- Associate, 20%
- Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Operating room assistants by degree level
| Operating room assistant degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 43% |
| High School Diploma | 23% |
| Associate | 20% |
| Diploma | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Operating room assistant jobs you might like
Operating room assistant wage gap by degree level
According to the data, operating room assistants with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $38,089 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, operating room assistants earn a median annual income of $37,009 compared to $36,016 for operating room assistants with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $38,089 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $35,330 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $37,009 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $36,016 |
Operating room assistant employment statistics
Most operating room assistants work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where operating room assistants work
Below, you can see the size of companies where operating room assistants work.
Operating room assistant jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 11% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 17% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 38% |
| > 10,000 employees | 20% |
Operating room assistant jobs by company type
Employees with the operating room assistant job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most operating room assistants prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Operating room assistant jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 10% |
| Public | 7% |
| Private | 82% |
| Government | 1% |
Operating room assistant jobs by industry
The most common industries for operating room assistants are health care, education and professional.
Operating room assistant industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 63% |
| Education | 6% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Fortune 500 | 4% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Operating room assistant turnover and employment statistics
Operating room assistant unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for operating room assistants between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Operating room assistant unemployment rate by year
| Year | Operating room assistant unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 8.70% |
| 2011 | 8.87% |
| 2012 | 7.91% |
| 2013 | 7.47% |
| 2014 | 6.57% |
| 2015 | 5.67% |
| 2016 | 4.90% |
| 2017 | 4.21% |
| 2018 | 3.63% |
| 2019 | 3.40% |
| 2020 | 4.16% |
| 2021 | 5.25% |
Average operating room assistant tenure
The average operating room assistant stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 4,303 operating room assistants resumes in Zippia's database.
Operating room assistant tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 34% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 12% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Operating room assistant LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of operating room 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Kennel Assistant | 3.36% | 111,321 |
| Certified Phlebotomist | 5.28% | 44,574 |
| Health Aide | 6.05% | 121,842 |
| Operating Room Assistant | 7.07% | - |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | 7.18% | 39,881 |
| Donations Attendant | 7.30% | 44,552 |
| Medical Orderly | 10.58% | 66,875 |
Similar operating room assistant jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Kennel Assistant | 3.36% | 111,321 |
| Certified Phlebotomist | 5.28% | 44,574 |
| Health Aide | 6.05% | 121,842 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | 7.18% | 39,881 |
| Donations Attendant | 7.30% | 44,552 |
| Medical Orderly | 10.58% | 66,875 |
Foreign languages spoken by operating room assistants
The most common foreign language among operating room assistants is Spanish at 59.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 10.0% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 4.2%.
- Spanish, 59.5%
- French, 10.0%
- Chinese, 4.2%
- Portuguese, 3.7%
- German, 3.7%
- Other, 18.9%
Operating room assistant languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 59.5% |
| French | 10.0% |
| Chinese | 4.2% |
| Portuguese | 3.7% |
| German | 3.7% |
| Other | 18.9% |
