Private contractor demographics and statistics in the US
Private contractor demographics research summary. Zippia estimates private contractor demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our private contractor estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about private contractors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 11,968 private contractors currently employed in the United States.
- 26.3% of all private contractors are women, while 73.7% are men.
- The average private contractor age is 45 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of private contractors is White (67.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (20.0%), Black or African American (5.9%) and Unknown (3.9%).
- In 2022, women earned 83% of what men earned.
- 2% of all private contractors are LGBT.
- Private contractors are 75% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Private contractor demographics by:
Private contractor gender statistics
26.3% of private contractors are women and 73.7% of private contractors are men.
- Male, 73.7%
- Female, 26.3%
Private contractor gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 73.7% |
| Female | 26.3% |
Private contractor gender pay gap
Women earn 83¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$46,614
Female income
$38,772
Private contractor gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in private contractor positions over time. Currently, 26.3% of private contractors are female.
Private contractor gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 80.68% | 19.32% |
| 2011 | 81.20% | 18.80% |
| 2012 | 80.56% | 19.44% |
| 2013 | 81.40% | 18.60% |
| 2014 | 83.26% | 16.74% |
| 2015 | 77.87% | 22.13% |
| 2016 | 80.03% | 19.97% |
| 2017 | 76.60% | 23.40% |
| 2018 | 74.46% | 25.54% |
| 2019 | 81.45% | 18.55% |
| 2020 | 76.94% | 23.06% |
| 2021 | 73.67% | 26.33% |
Private contractor related jobs gender ratio
We compared private contractors with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, mason foreman/superintendant and fence installer foreman have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| House Supervisor | 32% | 68% |
| Sign Builder Supervisor | 34% | 66% |
| Private Contractor | 74% | 26% |
| Concreting Supervisor | 99% | 1% |
| Fence Installer Foreman | 99% | 1% |
| Mason Foreman/Superintendant | 100% | 0% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Private contractor demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among private contractors is White, which makes up 67.6% of all private contractors. Comparatively, 20.0% of private contractors are Hispanic or Latino and 5.9% of private contractors are Black or African American.
- White, 67.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 20.0%
- Black or African American, 5.9%
- Unknown, 3.9%
- Asian, 1.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
Private contractor race
| Private contractor race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 67.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20.0% |
| Black or African American | 5.9% |
| Unknown | 3.9% |
| Asian | 1.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.1% |
Private contractor race and ethnicity over time
See how private contractor racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Private contractor race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 78.20% | 5.67% | 1.22% | 12.69% |
| 2011 | 76.98% | 6.63% | 1.18% | 12.69% |
| 2012 | 77.63% | 5.99% | 1.37% | 12.52% |
| 2013 | 77.47% | 5.55% | 1.14% | 13.29% |
| 2014 | 76.05% | 5.93% | 1.15% | 14.28% |
| 2015 | 76.42% | 5.93% | 1.31% | 13.83% |
| 2016 | 75.31% | 6.02% | 1.23% | 15.08% |
| 2017 | 73.95% | 6.37% | 1.07% | 15.94% |
| 2018 | 73.77% | 5.53% | 1.30% | 17.07% |
| 2019 | 72.11% | 5.95% | 1.38% | 17.80% |
| 2020 | 70.48% | 6.30% | 1.22% | 17.29% |
| 2021 | 67.61% | 5.94% | 1.46% | 19.98% |
Private contractor wage gap by race
According to our data, asian private contractors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american private contractors have the lowest average salary at $42,648.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $45,579 |
| White | $48,561 |
| Black or African American | $42,648 |
| Asian | $51,169 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $45,567 |
Average private contractor age
See how the average age of private contractors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Private contractor age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 47 | 40 |
| Unknown | 44 | |
| Asian | 48 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 44 | 44.5 |
| White | 47 | 49 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 51 |
Private contractor age breakdown
The average age of private contractors is 40+ years years old, representing 68% of the private contractor population.
Private contractor age breakdown
| Private Contractor Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 68% |
| 30-40 years | 25% |
| 20-30 years | 7% |
Private contractor educational attainment
The most common degree for private contractors is bachelor's degree, with 41% of private contractors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 20% and high school diploma degree at 19%.
- Bachelor's, 41%
- High School Diploma, 20%
- Associate, 19%
- Master's, 8%
- Other Degrees, 12%
Private contractors by degree level
| Private contractor degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 41% |
| High School Diploma | 20% |
| Associate | 19% |
| Master's | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 12% |
Private contractor jobs you might like
Private contractor wage gap by degree level
According to the data, private contractors with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $56,022 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, private contractors earn a median annual income of $49,560 compared to $47,908 for private contractors with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $56,022 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $44,961 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $49,560 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $47,908 |
Private contractor employment statistics
Most private contractors work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where private contractors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where private contractors work.
Private contractor jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 12% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 19% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 27% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 20% |
| > 10,000 employees | 13% |
Private contractor jobs by company type
Employees with the private contractor job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most private contractors prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Private contractor jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 16% |
| Private | 75% |
| Government | 7% |
Private contractor jobs by industry
The most common industries for private contractors are professional, health care and media.
Private contractor industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 12% |
| Health Care | 10% |
| Media | 7% |
| Government | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Technology | 6% |
| Transportation | 5% |
| Construction | 5% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Non Profits | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Start-up | 4% |
| Telecommunication | 3% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Automotive | 2% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
Private contractor turnover and employment statistics
Private contractor unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for private contractors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Private contractor unemployment rate by year
| Year | Private contractor unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 11.78% |
| 2011 | 9.94% |
| 2012 | 7.61% |
| 2013 | 6.45% |
| 2014 | 4.25% |
| 2015 | 4.09% |
| 2016 | 3.74% |
| 2017 | 3.32% |
| 2018 | 3.03% |
| 2019 | 2.64% |
| 2020 | 4.62% |
| 2021 | 4.34% |
Average private contractor tenure
The average private contractor stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 5,428 private contractors resumes in Zippia's database.
Private contractor tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 25% |
| 1-2 years | 28% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 13% |
Private contractor LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of private contractors 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment Operator/Labour | 1.69% | 60,770 |
| Miner | 1.71% | 375 |
| General Helper | 1.77% | 69,738 |
| Drywall Finisher | 2.14% | 14,312 |
| Private Contractor | 2.35% | - |
| Derrick Hand | 2.60% | 5,225 |
| Lead Painter | 5.83% | 5,163 |
Similar private contractor jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment Operator/Labour | 1.69% | 60,770 |
| Miner | 1.71% | 375 |
| General Helper | 1.77% | 69,738 |
| Drywall Finisher | 2.14% | 14,312 |
| Derrick Hand | 2.60% | 5,225 |
| Lead Painter | 5.83% | 5,163 |
Foreign languages spoken by private contractors
The most common foreign language among private contractors is Spanish at 54.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 10.5% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 4.1%.
- Spanish, 54.1%
- French, 10.5%
- Chinese, 4.1%
- Russian, 3.5%
- Portuguese, 2.9%
- Other, 24.9%
Private contractor languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 54.1% |
| French | 10.5% |
| Chinese | 4.1% |
| Russian | 3.5% |
| Portuguese | 2.9% |
| Other | 24.9% |
