Preparator demographics and statistics in the US
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Preparator demographics by:
Preparator gender statistics
24.5% of preparators are women and 75.5% of preparators are men.
- Male, 75.5%
- Female, 24.5%
Preparator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 75.5% |
| Female | 24.5% |
Preparator gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$51,934
Female income
$48,907
Preparator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in preparator positions over time. Currently, 24.5% of preparators are female.
Preparator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 74.12% | 25.88% |
| 2011 | 74.92% | 25.08% |
| 2012 | 74.39% | 25.61% |
| 2013 | 76.21% | 23.79% |
| 2014 | 74.67% | 25.33% |
| 2015 | 76.52% | 23.48% |
| 2016 | 74.92% | 25.08% |
| 2017 | 74.71% | 25.29% |
| 2018 | 74.12% | 25.88% |
| 2019 | 75.44% | 24.56% |
| 2020 | 75.98% | 24.02% |
| 2021 | 75.49% | 24.51% |
Preparator related jobs gender ratio
We compared preparators with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, saucier and vacuum kettle cook have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Diet Clerk | 13% | 87% |
| Dietary Clerk | 16% | 84% |
| School Cafeteria Cook | 20% | 80% |
| Preparator | 75% | 25% |
| Line Cook/Dishwasher | 84% | 16% |
| Vacuum Kettle Cook | 87% | 13% |
| Saucier | 91% | 9% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Preparator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among preparators is White, which makes up 50.6% of all preparators. Comparatively, 26.3% of preparators are Hispanic or Latino and 8.9% of preparators are Black or African American.
- White, 50.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 26.3%
- Black or African American, 8.9%
- Asian, 8.5%
- Unknown, 4.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Preparator race
| Preparator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 50.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 26.3% |
| Black or African American | 8.9% |
| Asian | 8.5% |
| Unknown | 4.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
Preparator race and ethnicity over time
See how preparator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Preparator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 57.91% | 8.06% | 7.57% | 23.76% |
| 2011 | 57.00% | 8.59% | 7.82% | 23.79% |
| 2012 | 56.63% | 8.90% | 7.25% | 24.06% |
| 2013 | 56.60% | 8.35% | 7.29% | 24.64% |
| 2014 | 56.05% | 8.66% | 7.51% | 24.54% |
| 2015 | 55.87% | 8.39% | 7.72% | 24.69% |
| 2016 | 55.04% | 8.28% | 7.87% | 25.22% |
| 2017 | 55.41% | 7.47% | 8.23% | 25.25% |
| 2018 | 56.72% | 7.45% | 7.65% | 24.37% |
| 2019 | 55.43% | 8.29% | 8.03% | 24.70% |
| 2020 | 52.47% | 8.99% | 8.62% | 24.48% |
| 2021 | 50.58% | 8.90% | 8.47% | 26.27% |
Preparator wage gap by race
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $52,428 |
| White | $50,869 |
| Black or African American | $50,196 |
| Asian | $53,075 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $53,169 |
Average preparator age
See how the average age of preparators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Preparator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 33 | 41 |
| Unknown | 23.5 | 30.5 |
| Asian | 40 | 51 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 28 | 41 |
| White | 26 | 39 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 32.5 |
Preparator age breakdown
The average age of preparators is 40+ years years old, representing 41% of the preparator population.
Preparator age breakdown
| Preparator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 41% |
| 30-40 years | 17% |
| 20-30 years | 29% |
Preparator educational attainment
- Bachelor's, 78%
- Master's, 14%
- Associate, 5%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 1%
Preparators by degree level
| Preparator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 78% |
| Master's | 14% |
| Associate | 5% |
| High School Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 1% |
Preparator jobs you might like
Preparator wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $50,291 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $54,940 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $51,378 |
Preparator employment statistics
Most preparators work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where preparators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where preparators work.
Preparator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 18% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 23% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 23% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 18% |
| > 10,000 employees | 10% |
Preparator jobs by company type
Employees with the preparator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most preparators prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Preparator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 49% |
| Public | 15% |
| Private | 29% |
| Government | 7% |
Preparator jobs by industry
The most common industries for preparators are education, non profits and hospitality.
Preparator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 32% |
| Non Profits | 24% |
| Hospitality | 13% |
| Retail | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Government | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Media | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Professional | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
Preparator turnover and employment statistics
Preparator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for preparators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Preparator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Preparator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 14.59% |
| 2011 | 13.33% |
| 2012 | 12.38% |
| 2013 | 11.18% |
| 2014 | 9.76% |
| 2015 | 8.87% |
| 2016 | 8.75% |
| 2017 | 8.82% |
| 2018 | 8.52% |
| 2019 | 7.91% |
| 2020 | 10.18% |
| 2021 | 8.94% |
Average preparator tenure
The average preparator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 377 preparators resumes in Zippia's database.
Preparator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 25% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Preparator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of preparators 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Camp Cook | 4.90% | 69,991 |
| Preparator | 5.52% | - |
| Head Waitress | 7.02% | 72,324 |
| Event Host | 7.29% | 15,092 |
| Food Handler | 7.36% | 171,731 |
| Bar Back & Bartender | 7.68% | 57,420 |
| Barista/Shift Leader | 8.43% | 132,721 |
Similar preparator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Camp Cook | 4.90% | 69,991 |
| Head Waitress | 7.02% | 72,324 |
| Event Host | 7.29% | 15,092 |
| Food Handler | 7.36% | 171,731 |
| Bar Back & Bartender | 7.68% | 57,420 |
| Barista/Shift Leader | 8.43% | 132,721 |
Foreign languages spoken by preparators
The most common foreign language among preparators is Spanish at 30.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Chinese at 13.3% and French is the third-most popular at 13.3%.
- Spanish, 30.0%
- Chinese, 13.3%
- French, 13.3%
- German, 10.0%
- Mandarin, 10.0%
- Other, 23.4%
Preparator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 30.0% |
| Chinese | 13.3% |
| French | 13.3% |
| German | 10.0% |
| Mandarin | 10.0% |
| Other | 23.4% |
