Plant worker demographics and statistics in the US
Plant worker demographics research summary. Zippia estimates plant worker demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our plant worker 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 workers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 4,269 plant workers currently employed in the United States.
- 18.4% of all plant workers are women, while 81.6% are men.
- The average plant worker age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of plant workers is White (62.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (16.3%), Black or African American (11.5%) and Asian (4.6%).
- In 2022, women earned 96% of what men earned.
- 2% of all plant workers are LGBT.
- Plant workers are 67% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Plant worker demographics by:
Plant worker gender statistics
18.4% of plant workers are women and 81.6% of plant workers are men.
- Male, 81.6%
- Female, 18.4%
Plant worker gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 81.6% |
| Female | 18.4% |
Plant worker gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$31,450
Female income
$30,234
Plant worker gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in plant worker positions over time. Currently, 18.4% of plant workers are female.
Plant worker gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 87.94% | 12.06% |
| 2011 | 87.05% | 12.95% |
| 2012 | 84.68% | 15.32% |
| 2013 | 83.91% | 16.09% |
| 2014 | 86.66% | 13.34% |
| 2015 | 84.10% | 15.90% |
| 2016 | 87.69% | 12.31% |
| 2017 | 83.82% | 16.18% |
| 2018 | 84.00% | 16.00% |
| 2019 | 79.90% | 20.10% |
| 2020 | 82.33% | 17.67% |
| 2021 | 81.56% | 18.44% |
Plant worker related jobs gender ratio
We compared plant workers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, millwright supervisor and machine repairman have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Mender | 16% | 84% |
| Hydraulic Press Servicer | 22% | 78% |
| Assigner | 34% | 66% |
| Plant Worker | 82% | 18% |
| Flooring Mechanic | 99% | 1% |
| Machine Repairman | 100% | 0% |
| Millwright Supervisor | 100% | 0% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Plant worker demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among plant workers is White, which makes up 62.1% of all plant workers. Comparatively, 16.3% of plant workers are Hispanic or Latino and 11.5% of plant workers are Black or African American.
- White, 62.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 16.3%
- Black or African American, 11.5%
- Asian, 4.6%
- Unknown, 4.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
Plant worker race
| Plant worker race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 62.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.3% |
| Black or African American | 11.5% |
| Asian | 4.6% |
| Unknown | 4.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.2% |
Plant worker race and ethnicity over time
See how plant worker racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Plant worker race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 68.32% | 12.34% | 3.34% | 13.54% |
| 2011 | 67.64% | 12.33% | 3.42% | 13.72% |
| 2012 | 67.62% | 11.78% | 3.67% | 14.09% |
| 2013 | 68.63% | 11.41% | 3.45% | 13.82% |
| 2014 | 69.07% | 10.99% | 3.57% | 13.76% |
| 2015 | 68.16% | 11.36% | 3.33% | 14.53% |
| 2016 | 67.22% | 10.64% | 3.58% | 15.40% |
| 2017 | 68.39% | 11.09% | 3.37% | 14.60% |
| 2018 | 68.13% | 10.89% | 3.63% | 14.75% |
| 2019 | 66.82% | 10.85% | 4.14% | 15.25% |
| 2020 | 63.25% | 11.41% | 3.58% | 16.42% |
| 2021 | 62.11% | 11.46% | 4.63% | 16.35% |
Plant worker wage gap by race
According to our data, white plant workers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american plant workers have the lowest average salary at $30,750.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $30,968 |
| White | $32,172 |
| Black or African American | $30,750 |
| Asian | $31,818 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $31,563 |
Average plant worker age
See how the average age of plant workers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Plant worker age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 51 | 38 |
| Unknown | 45 | 50 |
| Asian | 50 | 48 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 48 | 46 |
| White | 49 | 46 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 50 |
Plant worker age breakdown
The average age of plant workers is 40+ years years old, representing 70% of the plant worker population.
Plant worker age breakdown
| Plant Worker Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 70% |
| 30-40 years | 21% |
| 20-30 years | 9% |
Plant worker educational attainment
The most common degree for plant workers is high school diploma, with 54% of plant workers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 17% and bachelor's degree degree at 15%.
- High School Diploma, 54%
- Bachelor's, 17%
- Associate, 15%
- Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Plant workers by degree level
| Plant worker degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 54% |
| Bachelor's | 17% |
| Associate | 15% |
| Diploma | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Plant worker jobs you might like
Plant worker wage gap by degree level
According to the data, plant workers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $32,846 annually. With a Associate degree, plant workers earn a median annual income of $32,312 compared to $31,194 for plant workers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $31,194 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $32,846 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $32,312 |
Plant worker employment statistics
Most plant workers work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where plant workers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where plant workers work.
Plant worker jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 22% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 22% |
Plant worker jobs by company type
Employees with the plant worker job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most plant workers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Plant worker jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 7% |
| Public | 22% |
| Private | 67% |
| Government | 4% |
Plant worker jobs by industry
The most common industries for plant workers are manufacturing, professional and retail.
Plant worker industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 24% |
| Professional | 11% |
| Fortune 500 | 9% |
| Retail | 8% |
| Education | 7% |
| Agriculture | 5% |
| Government | 4% |
| Automotive | 4% |
| Construction | 4% |
| Energy | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Plant worker turnover and employment statistics
Plant worker unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for plant workers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Plant worker unemployment rate by year
| Year | Plant worker unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.56% |
| 2011 | 6.50% |
| 2012 | 5.56% |
| 2013 | 4.65% |
| 2014 | 3.96% |
| 2015 | 3.77% |
| 2016 | 3.13% |
| 2017 | 3.00% |
| 2018 | 2.08% |
| 2019 | 2.11% |
| 2020 | 3.84% |
| 2021 | 3.43% |
Average plant worker tenure
The average plant worker stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,636 plant workers resumes in Zippia's database.
Plant worker tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 41% |
| 1-2 years | 28% |
| 3-4 years | 9% |
| 5-7 years | 12% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
Plant worker LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of plant workers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hvac Mechanic | 1.73% | 73,057 |
| Millwright | 2.00% | 102,942 |
| Plant Worker | 2.21% | - |
| Key Maker | 3.52% | 16,263 |
| Installation Helper | 3.67% | 33,573 |
| Vacuum Repairer | 3.71% | 3,615 |
| Electronic Musical Instrument Repairer | 8.86% | 8,980 |
Similar plant worker jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Hvac Mechanic | 1.73% | 73,057 |
| Millwright | 2.00% | 102,942 |
| Key Maker | 3.52% | 16,263 |
| Installation Helper | 3.67% | 33,573 |
| Vacuum Repairer | 3.71% | 3,615 |
| Electronic Musical Instrument Repairer | 8.86% | 8,980 |
Foreign languages spoken by plant workers
The most common foreign language among plant workers is Spanish at 75.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Portuguese at 7.1% and German is the third-most popular at 7.1%.
- Spanish, 75.0%
- Portuguese, 7.1%
- German, 7.1%
- Turkish, 3.6%
- French, 3.6%
- Other, 3.6%
Plant worker languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 75.0% |
| Portuguese | 7.1% |
| German | 7.1% |
| Turkish | 3.6% |
| French | 3.6% |
| Other | 3.6% |
