Operator demographics and statistics in the US
Operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our operator estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 835,255 operators currently employed in the United States.
- 27.0% of all operators are women, while 73.0% are men.
- The average operator age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of operators is White (57.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.6%), Black or African American (16.2%) and Unknown (4.4%).
- Operators are most in-demand in Houston, TX.
- The technology industry is the highest-paying for operators.
- 4% of all operators are LGBT.
On this page
Operator demographics by:
Operator gender statistics
27.0% of operators are women and 73.0% of operators are men.
- Male, 73.0%
- Female, 27.0%
Operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 73.0% |
| Female | 27.0% |
Operator gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$38,287
Female income
$37,648
Operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in operator positions over time. Currently, 27.0% of operators are female.
Operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.35% | 26.65% |
| 2011 | 72.69% | 27.31% |
| 2012 | 75.66% | 24.34% |
| 2013 | 76.18% | 23.82% |
| 2014 | 74.95% | 25.05% |
| 2015 | 77.55% | 22.45% |
| 2016 | 75.69% | 24.31% |
| 2017 | 72.75% | 27.25% |
| 2018 | 72.42% | 27.58% |
| 2019 | 74.52% | 25.48% |
| 2020 | 72.00% | 28.00% |
| 2021 | 73.02% | 26.98% |
Operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared operators with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, dredge operator and tower crane operator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Gift Wrapper | 12% | 88% |
| Gift Packer | 18% | 82% |
| Pill Packer | 19% | 81% |
| Operator | 73% | 27% |
| Green Chain Operator | 99% | 1% |
| Tower Crane Operator | 99% | 1% |
| Dredge Operator | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among operators is White, which makes up 57.6% of all operators. Comparatively, 18.6% of operators are Hispanic or Latino and 16.2% of operators are Black or African American.
- White, 57.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.6%
- Black or African American, 16.2%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- Asian, 2.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Operator race
| Operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 57.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.6% |
| Black or African American | 16.2% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| Asian | 2.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Operator race and ethnicity over time
See how operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 62.33% | 16.40% | 2.37% | 16.38% |
| 2011 | 61.06% | 16.36% | 2.33% | 17.86% |
| 2012 | 61.72% | 16.09% | 2.26% | 17.39% |
| 2013 | 61.33% | 15.79% | 2.44% | 17.76% |
| 2014 | 61.26% | 15.63% | 2.70% | 17.59% |
| 2015 | 62.72% | 14.35% | 2.32% | 18.02% |
| 2016 | 60.16% | 17.19% | 2.22% | 17.83% |
| 2017 | 61.71% | 15.15% | 2.41% | 18.08% |
| 2018 | 60.21% | 15.83% | 2.84% | 18.19% |
| 2019 | 63.14% | 14.46% | 2.49% | 16.95% |
| 2020 | 57.93% | 16.48% | 2.75% | 17.39% |
| 2021 | 57.58% | 16.18% | 2.46% | 18.57% |
Operator wage gap by race
According to our data, asian operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american operators have the lowest average salary at $36,911.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $38,375 |
| White | $38,332 |
| Black or African American | $36,911 |
| Asian | $39,760 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $38,111 |
Average operator age
See how the average age of operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 44 | 37 |
| Unknown | 40 | 44 |
| Asian | 42.5 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 42 | 42 |
| White | 45 | 49.5 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 34 |
Operator age breakdown
The average age of operators is 40+ years years old, representing 60% of the operator population.
Operator age breakdown
| Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 60% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Operator educational attainment
The most common degree for operators is high school diploma, with 40% of operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 22% and bachelor's degree degree at 20%.
- High School Diploma, 40%
- Bachelor's, 22%
- Associate, 20%
- Diploma, 10%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Operators by degree level
| Operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 40% |
| Bachelor's | 22% |
| Associate | 20% |
| Diploma | 10% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Operator jobs you might like
Operator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, operators with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $39,692 annually. With a High School Diploma degree, operators earn a median annual income of $38,428 compared to $38,313 for operators with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $38,428 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $38,313 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $39,692 |
Operator employment statistics
Most operators work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where operators work.
Operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 3% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 6% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 10% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 33% |
| > 10,000 employees | 43% |
Operator jobs by company type
Employees with the operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 44% |
| Private | 53% |
| Government | 2% |
Operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for operators are manufacturing, professional and automotive.
Operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 23% |
| Fortune 500 | 18% |
| Automotive | 8% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Energy | 8% |
| Construction | 5% |
| Transportation | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Telecommunication | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Government | 2% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Operator turnover and employment statistics
Operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Operator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 17.04% |
| 2011 | 14.60% |
| 2012 | 12.67% |
| 2013 | 10.05% |
| 2014 | 9.10% |
| 2015 | 6.72% |
| 2016 | 6.89% |
| 2017 | 5.99% |
| 2018 | 5.33% |
| 2019 | 4.81% |
| 2020 | 7.22% |
| 2021 | 6.71% |
Average operator tenure
The average operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 128,526 operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 29% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of operators 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Burial Vault Deliverer And Installer | 1.94% | 30,706 |
| Operator | 3.85% | - |
| Residential Recycle Driver | 4.13% | 50,000 |
| Mill Washer | 4.59% | 35,090 |
| Beef Selector | 4.67% | 4,293 |
| Fruit Packer | 6.68% | 16,087 |
| Drying Rack Changer | 10.43% | 60 |
Similar operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Burial Vault Deliverer And Installer | 1.94% | 30,706 |
| Residential Recycle Driver | 4.13% | 50,000 |
| Mill Washer | 4.59% | 35,090 |
| Beef Selector | 4.67% | 4,293 |
| Fruit Packer | 6.68% | 16,087 |
| Drying Rack Changer | 10.43% | 60 |
Foreign languages spoken by operators
The most common foreign language among operators is Spanish at 66.6%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 6.7% and German is the third-most popular at 2.6%.
- Spanish, 66.6%
- French, 6.7%
- German, 2.6%
- Chinese, 2.5%
- Arabic, 2.4%
- Other, 19.2%
Operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 66.6% |
| French | 6.7% |
| German | 2.6% |
| Chinese | 2.5% |
| Arabic | 2.4% |
| Other | 19.2% |
