Plant operator demographics and statistics in the US
Plant operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates plant operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our plant 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 plant operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 48,338 plant operators currently employed in the United States.
- 6.5% of all plant operators are women, while 93.5% are men.
- The average plant operator age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of plant operators is White (70.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.7%), Black or African American (7.8%) and Unknown (4.6%).
- Plant operators are most in-demand in Atlanta, GA.
- The finance industry is the highest-paying for plant operators.
- 5% of all plant operators are LGBT.
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Plant operator demographics by:
Plant operator gender statistics
6.5% of plant operators are women and 93.5% of plant operators are men.
- Male, 93.5%
- Female, 6.5%
Plant operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 93.5% |
| Female | 6.5% |
Plant operator gender pay gap
Women earn $1.01 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$42,961
Female income
$43,554
Plant operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in plant operator positions over time. Currently, 6.5% of plant operators are female.
Plant operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 92.62% | 7.38% |
| 2011 | 93.16% | 6.84% |
| 2012 | 93.64% | 6.36% |
| 2013 | 94.50% | 5.50% |
| 2014 | 92.37% | 7.63% |
| 2015 | 92.84% | 7.16% |
| 2016 | 93.88% | 6.12% |
| 2017 | 92.63% | 7.37% |
| 2018 | 91.03% | 8.97% |
| 2019 | 91.72% | 8.28% |
| 2020 | 89.60% | 10.40% |
| 2021 | 93.52% | 6.48% |
Plant operator related jobs gender ratio
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Plant Operator | 94% | 6% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Plant operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among plant operators is White, which makes up 70.5% of all plant operators. Comparatively, 12.7% of plant operators are Hispanic or Latino and 7.8% of plant operators are Black or African American.
- White, 70.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.7%
- Black or African American, 7.8%
- Unknown, 4.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.6%
- Asian, 1.8%
Plant operator race
| Plant operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 70.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.7% |
| Black or African American | 7.8% |
| Unknown | 4.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 2.6% |
| Asian | 1.8% |
Plant operator race and ethnicity over time
See how plant operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Plant operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.45% | 10.23% | 0.60% | 11.16% |
| 2011 | 73.68% | 10.62% | 1.13% | 10.27% |
| 2012 | 75.13% | 9.13% | 1.55% | 10.45% |
| 2013 | 72.99% | 9.87% | 1.19% | 10.84% |
| 2014 | 74.37% | 8.90% | 1.41% | 11.88% |
| 2015 | 73.48% | 7.86% | 1.84% | 12.20% |
| 2016 | 73.07% | 9.59% | 1.76% | 11.96% |
| 2017 | 75.16% | 8.52% | 1.47% | 11.21% |
| 2018 | 76.37% | 8.12% | 1.50% | 10.23% |
| 2019 | 76.07% | 7.84% | 1.18% | 10.63% |
| 2020 | 71.09% | 7.34% | 2.15% | 11.58% |
| 2021 | 70.47% | 7.85% | 1.84% | 12.74% |
Plant operator wage gap by race
According to our data, asian plant operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown plant operators have the lowest average salary at $40,776.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $40,776 |
| White | $42,852 |
| Black or African American | $43,475 |
| Asian | $45,621 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $42,226 |
Average plant operator age
See how the average age of plant operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Plant operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 45 | |
| White | 48 | 43.5 |
| Black or African American | 50 | |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 42.5 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 46 |
Plant operator age breakdown
The average age of plant operators is 40+ years years old, representing 71% of the plant operator population.
Plant operator age breakdown
| Plant Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 71% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 5% |
Plant operator educational attainment
The most common degree for plant operators is high school diploma, with 34% of plant operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 26% and bachelor's degree degree at 24%.
- High School Diploma, 34%
- Bachelor's, 26%
- Associate, 24%
- Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Plant operators by degree level
| Plant operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 34% |
| Bachelor's | 26% |
| Associate | 24% |
| Diploma | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Plant operator jobs you might like
Plant operator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, plant operators with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $45,830 annually. With a Associate degree, plant operators earn a median annual income of $45,473 compared to $42,487 for plant operators with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $42,487 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $45,830 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $45,473 |
Plant operator employment statistics
Most plant operators work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where plant operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where plant operators work.
Plant operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 3% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 18% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 36% |
| > 10,000 employees | 25% |
Plant operator jobs by company type
Employees with the plant operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most plant operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Plant operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 5% |
| Public | 39% |
| Private | 49% |
| Government | 6% |
Plant operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for plant operators are manufacturing, energy and construction.
Plant operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 19% |
| Energy | 18% |
| Fortune 500 | 14% |
| Construction | 9% |
| Utilities | 7% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Government | 5% |
| Education | 4% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Agriculture | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Plant operator turnover and employment statistics
Plant operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for plant operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Plant operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Plant operator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.49% |
| 2011 | 3.19% |
| 2012 | 2.40% |
| 2013 | 2.30% |
| 2014 | 2.09% |
| 2015 | 1.91% |
| 2016 | 1.70% |
| 2017 | 0.98% |
| 2018 | 1.09% |
| 2019 | 1.23% |
| 2020 | 2.69% |
| 2021 | 1.40% |
Average plant operator tenure
The average plant operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 10,147 plant operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Plant operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 17% |
| 1-2 years | 29% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 13% |
Plant operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of plant 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine Room Operator | 4.19% | 61,977 |
| Plant Operator | 4.62% | - |
| Nuclear Reactor Operator | 4.80% | 33,183 |
| Stillman | 10.89% | 176 |
Similar plant operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Engine Room Operator | 4.19% | 61,977 |
| Nuclear Reactor Operator | 4.80% | 33,183 |
| Stillman | 10.89% | 176 |
Foreign languages spoken by plant operators
The most common foreign language among plant operators is Spanish at 66.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Carrier at 6.1% and French is the third-most popular at 5.2%.
- Spanish, 66.1%
- Carrier, 6.1%
- French, 5.2%
- German, 3.5%
- Italian, 2.6%
- Other, 16.5%
Plant operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 66.1% |
| Carrier | 6.1% |
| French | 5.2% |
| German | 3.5% |
| Italian | 2.6% |
| Other | 16.5% |
