Ride operator demographics and statistics in the US
Ride operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates ride operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our ride 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 ride operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 67,692 ride operators currently employed in the United States.
- 45.3% of all ride operators are women, while 54.7% are men.
- The average ride operator age is 34 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of ride operators is White (60.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (19.1%), Black or African American (9.1%) and Asian (5.7%).
- Ride operators are most in-demand in Santa Clara, CA.
- The media industry is the highest-paying for ride operators.
- 7% of all ride operators are LGBT.
On this page
Ride operator demographics by:
Ride operator gender statistics
45.3% of ride operators are women and 54.7% of ride operators are men.
- Male, 54.7%
- Female, 45.3%
Ride operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 54.7% |
| Female | 45.3% |
Ride operator gender pay gap
Women earn 99¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$32,825
Female income
$32,651
Ride operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in ride operator positions over time. Currently, 45.3% of ride operators are female.
Ride operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 51.92% | 48.08% |
| 2011 | 48.59% | 51.41% |
| 2012 | 51.20% | 48.80% |
| 2013 | 49.63% | 50.37% |
| 2014 | 50.63% | 49.37% |
| 2015 | 47.40% | 52.60% |
| 2016 | 48.93% | 51.07% |
| 2017 | 51.66% | 48.34% |
| 2018 | 53.07% | 46.93% |
| 2019 | 50.73% | 49.27% |
| 2020 | 48.63% | 51.37% |
| 2021 | 54.65% | 45.35% |
Ride operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared ride operators with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, pin chaser and ferris wheel operator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Costume Seamstress | 7% | 93% |
| Tanning Salon Attendant | 11% | 89% |
| Fitting Room Attendant | 12% | 88% |
| Ride Operator | 55% | 45% |
| Caddie | 93% | 7% |
| Ferris Wheel Operator | 94% | 6% |
| Pin Chaser | 96% | 4% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Ride operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among ride operators is White, which makes up 60.4% of all ride operators. Comparatively, 19.1% of ride operators are Hispanic or Latino and 9.1% of ride operators are Black or African American.
- White, 60.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 19.1%
- Black or African American, 9.1%
- Asian, 5.7%
- Unknown, 5.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
Ride operator race
| Ride operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 60.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.1% |
| Black or African American | 9.1% |
| Asian | 5.7% |
| Unknown | 5.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5% |
Ride operator race and ethnicity over time
See how ride operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Ride operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.32% | 10.34% | 3.55% | 16.47% |
| 2011 | 62.02% | 13.17% | 4.52% | 16.89% |
| 2012 | 63.48% | 11.58% | 3.99% | 16.73% |
| 2013 | 63.96% | 9.88% | 4.06% | 18.31% |
| 2014 | 62.73% | 10.62% | 4.29% | 18.02% |
| 2015 | 61.43% | 11.56% | 3.86% | 18.87% |
| 2016 | 61.74% | 11.51% | 4.37% | 18.38% |
| 2017 | 60.94% | 10.26% | 5.13% | 19.38% |
| 2018 | 62.60% | 9.99% | 5.19% | 18.90% |
| 2019 | 60.57% | 11.23% | 4.78% | 19.48% |
| 2020 | 57.26% | 10.56% | 5.19% | 21.12% |
| 2021 | 60.42% | 9.11% | 5.66% | 19.10% |
Ride operator wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino ride operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown ride operators have the lowest average salary at $31,631.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $31,631 |
| White | $33,156 |
| Black or African American | $32,477 |
| Asian | $32,965 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $33,939 |
Average ride operator age
See how the average age of ride operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Ride operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 27.5 | 30 |
| White | 29 | 27 |
| Black or African American | 43.5 | 22 |
| Asian | 22.5 | 41.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 25 | 24 |
Ride operator age breakdown
The average age of ride operators is 20-30 years years old, representing 42% of the ride operator population.
Ride operator age breakdown
| Ride Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 32% |
| 30-40 years | 13% |
| 20-30 years | 42% |
Ride operator educational attainment
The most common degree for ride operators is high school diploma, with 48% of ride operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 25% and bachelor's degree degree at 15%.
- High School Diploma, 48%
- Bachelor's, 25%
- Associate, 15%
- Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Ride operators by degree level
| Ride operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 48% |
| Bachelor's | 25% |
| Associate | 15% |
| Diploma | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Ride operator jobs you might like
Ride operator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, ride operators with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $36,517 annually. With a Associate degree, ride operators earn a median annual income of $33,127 compared to $32,503 for ride operators with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $32,503 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $36,517 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $33,127 |
Ride operator employment statistics
Most ride operators work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where ride operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where ride operators work.
Ride operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 23% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 28% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 21% |
| > 10,000 employees | 11% |
Ride operator jobs by company type
Employees with the ride operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most ride operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Ride operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 14% |
| Private | 75% |
| Government | 7% |
Ride operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for ride operators are hospitality, media and retail.
Ride operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 32% |
| Media | 14% |
| Retail | 8% |
| Government | 6% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Education | 4% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
Ride operator turnover and employment statistics
Ride operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for ride operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Ride operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Ride operator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 15.99% |
| 2011 | 17.67% |
| 2012 | 15.00% |
| 2013 | 14.78% |
| 2014 | 10.49% |
| 2015 | 11.04% |
| 2016 | 9.25% |
| 2017 | 7.97% |
| 2018 | 8.41% |
| 2019 | 7.44% |
| 2020 | 14.65% |
| 2021 | 10.73% |
Average ride operator tenure
The average ride operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 13,938 ride operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Ride operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 58% |
| 1-2 years | 26% |
| 3-4 years | 8% |
| 5-7 years | 6% |
| 8-10 years | 2% |
| 11+ years | 1% |
Ride operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of ride 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Twenty-One Dealer | 3.67% | 1,043 |
| Ride Operator | 7.31% | - |
| Dog Sitter | 10.47% | 67,682 |
| Slot Attendant | 11.36% | 45,107 |
| Community Advisor | 11.45% | 51,226 |
| Ticket Attendant | 14.79% | 45,071 |
| Funeral Director | 15.24% | 5,746 |
Similar ride operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Twenty-One Dealer | 3.67% | 1,043 |
| Dog Sitter | 10.47% | 67,682 |
| Slot Attendant | 11.36% | 45,107 |
| Community Advisor | 11.45% | 51,226 |
| Ticket Attendant | 14.79% | 45,071 |
| Funeral Director | 15.24% | 5,746 |
Foreign languages spoken by ride operators
The most common foreign language among ride operators is Spanish at 67.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 9.3% and Japanese is the third-most popular at 3.8%.
- Spanish, 67.3%
- French, 9.3%
- Japanese, 3.8%
- German, 2.8%
- Russian, 2.8%
- Other, 14.0%
Ride operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 67.3% |
| French | 9.3% |
| Japanese | 3.8% |
| German | 2.8% |
| Russian | 2.8% |
| Other | 14.0% |
