Server demographics and statistics in the US
Server demographics research summary. Zippia estimates server demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our server estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about servers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 2,517,793 servers currently employed in the United States.
- 68.0% of all servers are women, while 32.0% are men.
- The average server age is 28 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of servers is White (54.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (19.4%), Black or African American (12.0%) and Asian (8.2%).
- Servers are most in-demand in Austin, TX.
- The hospitality industry is the highest-paying for servers.
- 6% of all servers are LGBT.
On this page
Server demographics by:
Server gender statistics
68.0% of servers are women and 32.0% of servers are men.
- Female, 68.0%
- Male, 32.0%
Server gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 68.0% |
| Male | 32.0% |
Server gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$31,055
Female income
$30,119
Server gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in server positions over time. Currently, 68.0% of servers are female.
Server gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 28.98% | 71.02% |
| 2011 | 29.17% | 70.83% |
| 2012 | 29.54% | 70.46% |
| 2013 | 30.80% | 69.20% |
| 2014 | 30.46% | 69.54% |
| 2015 | 31.26% | 68.74% |
| 2016 | 33.06% | 66.94% |
| 2017 | 32.03% | 67.97% |
| 2018 | 31.99% | 68.01% |
| 2019 | 31.86% | 68.14% |
| 2020 | 32.83% | 67.17% |
| 2021 | 32.05% | 67.95% |
Server related jobs gender ratio
We compared servers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, busboy/waiter and host/waiter have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Barmaid | 5% | 95% |
| Head Waitress | 5% | 95% |
| Bartender, Cook, And Waitress | 5% | 95% |
| Server | 32% | 68% |
| Bar Back & Bartender | 86% | 14% |
| Host/Waiter | 90% | 10% |
| Busboy/Waiter | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Server demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among servers is White, which makes up 54.1% of all servers. Comparatively, 19.4% of servers are Hispanic or Latino and 12.0% of servers are Black or African American.
- White, 54.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 19.4%
- Black or African American, 12.0%
- Asian, 8.2%
- Unknown, 5.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Server race
| Server race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 54.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.4% |
| Black or African American | 12.0% |
| Asian | 8.2% |
| Unknown | 5.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Server race and ethnicity over time
See how server racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Server race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.23% | 11.15% | 5.28% | 14.49% |
| 2011 | 64.88% | 12.20% | 5.58% | 14.39% |
| 2012 | 64.19% | 12.02% | 5.81% | 14.89% |
| 2013 | 63.53% | 11.80% | 5.80% | 15.80% |
| 2014 | 62.82% | 11.58% | 6.23% | 15.99% |
| 2015 | 60.62% | 11.91% | 6.46% | 17.44% |
| 2016 | 60.35% | 11.95% | 6.50% | 17.42% |
| 2017 | 59.82% | 11.95% | 6.55% | 17.84% |
| 2018 | 58.72% | 12.28% | 7.07% | 18.28% |
| 2019 | 59.53% | 11.87% | 7.28% | 17.67% |
| 2020 | 55.24% | 12.62% | 7.49% | 18.81% |
| 2021 | 54.08% | 12.01% | 8.22% | 19.45% |
Server wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino servers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american servers have the lowest average salary at $30,438.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $30,998 |
| White | $31,047 |
| Black or African American | $30,438 |
| Asian | $31,095 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $31,708 |
Average server age
See how the average age of servers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Server age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 24 | 25 |
| Unknown | 24 | 24 |
| Asian | 28 | 32 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 26 | 26 |
| White | 24 | 25 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 31 | 25 |
Server age breakdown
The average age of servers is 20-30 years years old, representing 48% of the server population.
Server age breakdown
| Server Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 15% |
| 30-40 years | 20% |
| 20-30 years | 48% |
Server educational attainment
The most common degree for servers is bachelor's degree, with 40% of servers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 30% and high school diploma degree at 18%.
- Bachelor's, 40%
- High School Diploma, 30%
- Associate, 18%
- Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Servers by degree level
| Server degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 40% |
| High School Diploma | 30% |
| Associate | 18% |
| Diploma | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Server jobs you might like
Server wage gap by degree level
According to the data, servers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $34,356 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, servers earn a median annual income of $33,339 compared to $31,869 for servers with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $34,356 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $30,464 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $33,339 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $31,869 |
Server employment statistics
Company size where servers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where servers work.
Server jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 18% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 38% |
| > 10,000 employees | 20% |
Server jobs by industry
The most common industries for servers are hospitality, media and manufacturing.
Server industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 73% |
| Media | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
Server turnover and employment statistics
Server unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for servers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Server unemployment rate by year
| Year | Server unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 12.70% |
| 2011 | 12.69% |
| 2012 | 11.74% |
| 2013 | 10.91% |
| 2014 | 9.64% |
| 2015 | 7.91% |
| 2016 | 7.56% |
| 2017 | 7.32% |
| 2018 | 6.98% |
| 2019 | 6.26% |
| 2020 | 13.68% |
| 2021 | 12.67% |
Average server tenure
The average server stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 663,338 servers resumes in Zippia's database.
Server tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 37% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 3% |
Server LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of servers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Server | 6.48% | - |
| Room Service Clerk | 6.98% | 93,459 |
| Head Bartender | 7.82% | 34,561 |
| Food And Nutrition Services Assistant | 7.82% | 101,089 |
Similar server jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Room Service Clerk | 6.98% | 93,459 |
| Head Bartender | 7.82% | 34,561 |
| Food And Nutrition Services Assistant | 7.82% | 101,089 |
Foreign languages spoken by servers
The most common foreign language among servers is Spanish at 64.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.9% and German is the third-most popular at 3.3%.
- Spanish, 64.0%
- French, 8.9%
- German, 3.3%
- Italian, 2.7%
- Portuguese, 2.5%
- Other, 18.6%
Server languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 64.0% |
| French | 8.9% |
| German | 3.3% |
| Italian | 2.7% |
| Portuguese | 2.5% |
| Other | 18.6% |
