Picker demographics and statistics in the US
Picker demographics research summary. Zippia estimates picker demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our picker estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about pickers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 274,082 pickers currently employed in the United States.
- 42.4% of all pickers are women, while 57.6% are men.
- The average picker age is 37 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of pickers is White (59.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.3%), Black or African American (9.5%) and Asian (6.5%).
- Pickers are most in-demand in Lebanon, TN.
- The technology industry is the highest-paying for pickers.
- 6% of all pickers are LGBT.
On this page
Picker demographics by:
Picker gender statistics
42.4% of pickers are women and 57.6% of pickers are men.
- Male, 57.6%
- Female, 42.4%
Picker gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 57.6% |
| Female | 42.4% |
Picker gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$31,465
Female income
$30,911
Picker gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in picker positions over time. Currently, 42.4% of pickers are female.
Picker gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 56.26% | 43.74% |
| 2011 | 57.32% | 42.68% |
| 2012 | 58.00% | 42.00% |
| 2013 | 58.17% | 41.83% |
| 2014 | 58.85% | 41.15% |
| 2015 | 58.73% | 41.27% |
| 2016 | 58.74% | 41.26% |
| 2017 | 58.78% | 41.22% |
| 2018 | 59.22% | 40.78% |
| 2019 | 57.46% | 42.54% |
| 2020 | 58.69% | 41.31% |
| 2021 | 57.56% | 42.44% |
Picker related jobs gender ratio
We compared pickers 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% |
| Picker | 58% | 42% |
| 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%
Picker demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among pickers is White, which makes up 59.6% of all pickers. Comparatively, 18.3% of pickers are Hispanic or Latino and 9.5% of pickers are Black or African American.
- White, 59.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.3%
- Black or African American, 9.5%
- Asian, 6.5%
- Unknown, 5.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Picker race
| Picker race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 59.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.3% |
| Black or African American | 9.5% |
| Asian | 6.5% |
| Unknown | 5.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Picker race and ethnicity over time
See how picker racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Picker race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.37% | 10.78% | 5.96% | 14.90% |
| 2011 | 63.94% | 12.03% | 5.64% | 15.23% |
| 2012 | 64.02% | 12.00% | 5.63% | 15.40% |
| 2013 | 64.77% | 11.68% | 5.74% | 15.03% |
| 2014 | 64.07% | 11.86% | 5.77% | 15.31% |
| 2015 | 64.39% | 11.35% | 5.99% | 15.04% |
| 2016 | 63.19% | 11.58% | 5.91% | 15.82% |
| 2017 | 63.30% | 11.39% | 5.93% | 16.10% |
| 2018 | 63.62% | 10.27% | 6.34% | 16.65% |
| 2019 | 62.96% | 10.44% | 6.16% | 16.62% |
| 2020 | 61.13% | 10.29% | 6.63% | 16.74% |
| 2021 | 59.58% | 9.52% | 6.49% | 18.28% |
Picker wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino pickers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown pickers have the lowest average salary at $31,302.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $31,302 |
| White | $31,379 |
| Black or African American | $31,386 |
| Asian | $31,508 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $31,753 |
Average picker age
See how the average age of pickers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Picker age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 31 | 36 |
| Unknown | 30 | 38 |
| Asian | 39 | 45 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 30 | 35 |
| White | 34 | 42 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 31 | 39 |
Picker age breakdown
The average age of pickers is 40+ years years old, representing 42% of the picker population.
Picker age breakdown
| Picker Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 42% |
| 30-40 years | 20% |
| 20-30 years | 32% |
Picker educational attainment
The most common degree for pickers is high school diploma, with 57% of pickers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are diploma degree at 15% and diploma degree at 13%.
- High School Diploma, 57%
- Diploma, 15%
- Associate, 13%
- Bachelor's, 9%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Pickers by degree level
| Picker degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 57% |
| Diploma | 15% |
| Associate | 13% |
| Bachelor's | 9% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Picker jobs you might like
Picker wage gap by degree level
According to the data, pickers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $33,540 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, pickers earn a median annual income of $32,365 compared to $31,479 for pickers with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $33,540 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $30,877 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $32,365 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $31,479 |
Picker employment statistics
Most pickers work for a private in the retail industry.
Company size where pickers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where pickers work.
Picker jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 4% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 11% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 30% |
| > 10,000 employees | 42% |
Picker jobs by company type
Employees with the picker job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most pickers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Picker jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 42% |
| Private | 57% |
| Government | 1% |
Picker jobs by industry
The most common industries for pickers are retail, manufacturing and professional.
Picker industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Retail | 30% |
| Fortune 500 | 18% |
| Manufacturing | 15% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Transportation | 7% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Automotive | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
Picker turnover and employment statistics
Picker unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for pickers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Picker unemployment rate by year
| Year | Picker unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 14.65% |
| 2011 | 14.56% |
| 2012 | 13.20% |
| 2013 | 12.82% |
| 2014 | 10.96% |
| 2015 | 9.47% |
| 2016 | 9.22% |
| 2017 | 8.43% |
| 2018 | 8.38% |
| 2019 | 7.51% |
| 2020 | 8.39% |
| 2021 | 8.24% |
Average picker tenure
The average picker stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 37,309 pickers resumes in Zippia's database.
Picker tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 61% |
| 1-2 years | 20% |
| 3-4 years | 7% |
| 5-7 years | 9% |
| 8-10 years | 2% |
| 11+ years | 1% |
Picker LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of pickers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Picker | 6.40% | - |
| Crew Caller | 8.26% | 64,278 |
| Rural Route Carrier | 9.48% | 22,379 |
| Window/Distribution Clerk | 10.33% | 74,613 |
| Master Planner | 10.63% | 26,869 |
| Flat Sorter Operator | 11.70% | 44,137 |
| Public Safety Telecommunicator | 17.25% | 21,538 |
Similar picker jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Crew Caller | 8.26% | 64,278 |
| Rural Route Carrier | 9.48% | 22,379 |
| Window/Distribution Clerk | 10.33% | 74,613 |
| Master Planner | 10.63% | 26,869 |
| Flat Sorter Operator | 11.70% | 44,137 |
| Public Safety Telecommunicator | 17.25% | 21,538 |
Foreign languages spoken by pickers
The most common foreign language among pickers is Spanish at 81.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 4.9% and German is the third-most popular at 2.3%.
- Spanish, 81.7%
- French, 4.9%
- German, 2.3%
- Portuguese, 1.3%
- Arabic, 1.0%
- Other, 8.8%
Picker languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 81.7% |
| French | 4.9% |
| German | 2.3% |
| Portuguese | 1.3% |
| Arabic | 1.0% |
| Other | 8.8% |
