Sanitation worker demographics and statistics in the US
Sanitation worker demographics research summary. Zippia estimates sanitation worker demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our sanitation 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 sanitation workers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 55,512 sanitation workers currently employed in the United States.
- 17.9% of all sanitation workers are women, while 82.1% are men.
- The average sanitation worker age is 48 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of sanitation workers is White (56.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (21.1%), Black or African American (12.2%) and Asian (4.9%).
- Sanitation workers are most in-demand in Park Rapids, MN.
- Santa Rosa, CA pays an annual average wage of $43,454, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women sanitation workers earned 94% of what men earned.
- Washington is the best state for sanitation workers to live.
- Sanitation workers are 77% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Sanitation worker demographics by:
Sanitation worker gender statistics
17.9% of sanitation workers are women and 82.1% of sanitation workers are men.
- Male, 82.1%
- Female, 17.9%
Sanitation worker gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 82.1% |
| Female | 17.9% |
Sanitation worker gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$33,773
Female income
$31,704
Sanitation worker gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in sanitation worker positions over time. Currently, 17.9% of sanitation workers are female.
Sanitation worker gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 84.53% | 15.47% |
| 2011 | 84.32% | 15.68% |
| 2012 | 84.05% | 15.95% |
| 2013 | 84.64% | 15.36% |
| 2014 | 84.93% | 15.07% |
| 2015 | 83.41% | 16.59% |
| 2016 | 83.58% | 16.42% |
| 2017 | 84.06% | 15.94% |
| 2018 | 84.17% | 15.83% |
| 2019 | 82.51% | 17.49% |
| 2020 | 81.58% | 18.42% |
| 2021 | 82.10% | 17.90% |
Sanitation worker related jobs gender ratio
We compared sanitation workers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, duct cleaner and floor polisher have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Maid Supervisor | 6% | 94% |
| Maid Housekeeper | 9% | 91% |
| Chambermaid | 9% | 91% |
| Sanitation Worker | 82% | 18% |
| Rug Cleaner | 97% | 3% |
| Floor Polisher | 97% | 3% |
| Duct Cleaner | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Sanitation worker demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among sanitation workers is White, which makes up 56.3% of all sanitation workers. Comparatively, 21.1% of sanitation workers are Hispanic or Latino and 12.2% of sanitation workers are Black or African American.
- White, 56.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 21.1%
- Black or African American, 12.2%
- Asian, 4.9%
- Unknown, 4.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%
Sanitation worker race
| Sanitation worker race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 56.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 21.1% |
| Black or African American | 12.2% |
| Asian | 4.9% |
| Unknown | 4.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.4% |
Sanitation worker race and ethnicity over time
See how sanitation worker racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Sanitation worker race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 61.85% | 13.65% | 4.57% | 17.07% |
| 2011 | 60.57% | 14.79% | 4.44% | 16.94% |
| 2012 | 61.00% | 14.03% | 4.35% | 17.08% |
| 2013 | 61.39% | 13.59% | 4.35% | 17.45% |
| 2014 | 61.53% | 13.34% | 4.47% | 17.36% |
| 2015 | 61.01% | 12.96% | 4.64% | 18.26% |
| 2016 | 60.89% | 13.11% | 4.42% | 18.35% |
| 2017 | 60.91% | 12.34% | 4.62% | 18.70% |
| 2018 | 61.58% | 11.84% | 4.76% | 18.51% |
| 2019 | 60.71% | 12.20% | 4.86% | 19.13% |
| 2020 | 58.41% | 11.73% | 5.03% | 19.21% |
| 2021 | 56.33% | 12.16% | 4.92% | 21.13% |
Sanitation worker wage gap by race
According to our data, asian sanitation workers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american sanitation workers have the lowest average salary at $33,129.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $33,737 |
| White | $34,106 |
| Black or African American | $33,129 |
| Asian | $34,248 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $33,655 |
Average sanitation worker age
See how the average age of sanitation workers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Sanitation worker age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 52 | 51 |
| Unknown | 47 | 48 |
| Asian | 54 | 56 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 49 | 49 |
| White | 52 | 53 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 52 | 42.5 |
Sanitation worker age breakdown
The average age of sanitation workers is 40+ years years old, representing 75% of the sanitation worker population.
Sanitation worker age breakdown
| Sanitation Worker Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 75% |
| 30-40 years | 16% |
| 20-30 years | 9% |
Sanitation worker educational attainment
The most common degree for sanitation workers is high school diploma, with 61% of sanitation workers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are diploma degree at 17% and diploma degree at 10%.
- High School Diploma, 61%
- Diploma, 17%
- Associate, 10%
- Bachelor's, 7%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Sanitation workers by degree level
| Sanitation worker degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 61% |
| Diploma | 17% |
| Associate | 10% |
| Bachelor's | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Sanitation worker jobs you might like
Sanitation worker wage gap by degree level
According to the data, sanitation workers with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $34,794 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, sanitation workers earn a median annual income of $34,111 compared to $33,949 for sanitation workers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $33,949 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $34,111 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $34,794 |
Sanitation worker employment statistics
Most sanitation workers work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where sanitation workers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where sanitation workers work.
Sanitation worker jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 8% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 23% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 12% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 33% |
| > 10,000 employees | 19% |
Sanitation worker jobs by company type
Employees with the sanitation worker job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most sanitation workers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Sanitation worker jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 15% |
| Private | 77% |
| Government | 7% |
Sanitation worker jobs by industry
The most common industries for sanitation workers are manufacturing, retail and professional.
Sanitation worker industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 37% |
| Retail | 10% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Fortune 500 | 8% |
| Hospitality | 7% |
| Agriculture | 7% |
| Government | 6% |
| Transportation | 4% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Sanitation worker turnover and employment statistics
Sanitation worker unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for sanitation workers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Sanitation worker unemployment rate by year
| Year | Sanitation worker unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 11.07% |
| 2011 | 10.58% |
| 2012 | 10.07% |
| 2013 | 8.55% |
| 2014 | 7.87% |
| 2015 | 6.45% |
| 2016 | 5.87% |
| 2017 | 5.84% |
| 2018 | 5.54% |
| 2019 | 4.76% |
| 2020 | 6.64% |
| 2021 | 6.47% |
Average sanitation worker tenure
The average sanitation worker stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 13,084 sanitation workers resumes in Zippia's database.
Sanitation worker tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 42% |
| 1-2 years | 29% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 11% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 4% |
Sanitation worker LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of sanitation 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Termite Exterminator | 2.07% | 2,049 |
| Golf Course Superintendent | 2.17% | 12,772 |
| Trimmer | 3.47% | 2,023 |
| Dry House Attendant | 4.45% | 66,115 |
| Sanitation Worker | 5.14% | - |
| Spray Technician | 5.27% | 30,432 |
| Stock Room Manager | 7.41% | 80,491 |
Similar sanitation worker jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Termite Exterminator | 2.07% | 2,049 |
| Golf Course Superintendent | 2.17% | 12,772 |
| Trimmer | 3.47% | 2,023 |
| Dry House Attendant | 4.45% | 66,115 |
| Spray Technician | 5.27% | 30,432 |
| Stock Room Manager | 7.41% | 80,491 |
Foreign languages spoken by sanitation workers
The most common foreign language among sanitation workers is Spanish at 88.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 2.4% and German is the third-most popular at 1.2%.
- Spanish, 88.8%
- French, 2.4%
- German, 1.2%
- Dakota, 1.2%
- Arabic, 1.2%
- Other, 5.2%
Sanitation worker languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 88.8% |
| French | 2.4% |
| German | 1.2% |
| Dakota | 1.2% |
| Arabic | 1.2% |
| Other | 5.2% |
