Small equipment operator demographics and statistics in the US
Small equipment operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates small equipment operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our small equipment 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 small equipment operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 7,988 small equipment operators currently employed in the United States.
- 13.3% of all small equipment operators are women, while 86.7% are men.
- The average small equipment operator age is 45 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of small equipment operators is White (74.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.7%), Black or African American (5.8%) and Unknown (4.4%).
- In 2022, women earned 94% of what men earned.
- 2% of all small equipment operators are LGBT.
- Small equipment operators are 75% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Small equipment operator demographics by:
Small equipment operator gender statistics
13.3% of small equipment operators are women and 86.7% of small equipment operators are men.
- Male, 86.7%
- Female, 13.3%
Small equipment operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 86.7% |
| Female | 13.3% |
Small equipment operator gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$37,365
Female income
$35,032
Small equipment operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in small equipment operator positions over time. Currently, 13.3% of small equipment operators are female.
Small equipment operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 78.78% | 21.22% |
| 2011 | 70.45% | 29.55% |
| 2012 | 73.09% | 26.91% |
| 2013 | 85.82% | 14.18% |
| 2014 | 76.24% | 23.76% |
| 2015 | 92.29% | 7.71% |
| 2016 | 92.20% | 7.80% |
| 2017 | 69.19% | 30.81% |
| 2018 | 88.69% | 11.31% |
| 2019 | 87.20% | 12.80% |
| 2020 | 86.76% | 13.24% |
| 2021 | 86.69% | 13.31% |
Small equipment operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared small equipment operators with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, water softener installer and insulation worker have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Composition Floor Setter | 34% | 66% |
| Small Equipment Operator | 87% | 13% |
| Gas Fitter | 97% | 3% |
| Insulation Worker | 97% | 2% |
| Water Softener Installer | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Small equipment operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among small equipment operators is White, which makes up 74.2% of all small equipment operators. Comparatively, 12.7% of small equipment operators are Hispanic or Latino and 5.8% of small equipment operators are Black or African American.
- White, 74.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.7%
- Black or African American, 5.8%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.0%
- Asian, 0.9%
Small equipment operator race
| Small equipment operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 74.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.7% |
| Black or African American | 5.8% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 2.0% |
| Asian | 0.9% |
Small equipment operator race and ethnicity over time
See how small equipment operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Small equipment operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 72.89% | 10.67% | 0.89% | 13.78% |
| 2011 | 67.09% | 13.50% | 0.42% | 16.46% |
| 2012 | 67.52% | 10.76% | 0.81% | 17.33% |
| 2013 | 72.44% | 3.90% | 0.81% | 17.83% |
| 2014 | 74.23% | 9.82% | 0.61% | 12.88% |
| 2015 | 73.49% | 7.23% | 1.20% | 15.66% |
| 2016 | 62.20% | 14.02% | 0.61% | 17.68% |
| 2017 | 66.67% | 11.83% | 1.61% | 16.67% |
| 2018 | 78.79% | 5.68% | 0.61% | 11.36% |
| 2019 | 79.82% | 4.69% | 0.52% | 11.71% |
| 2020 | 77.81% | 4.95% | 0.74% | 10.53% |
| 2021 | 74.21% | 5.78% | 0.90% | 12.74% |
Small equipment operator wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown small equipment operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american small equipment operators have the lowest average salary at $35,718.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $38,794 |
| White | $37,635 |
| Black or African American | $35,718 |
| Asian | $38,088 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $36,666 |
Average small equipment operator age
See how the average age of small equipment operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Small equipment operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 49.5 | |
| Unknown | 45 | |
| Asian | 46.5 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 44 | 45.5 |
| White | 47 | 42 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 53 |
Small equipment operator age breakdown
The average age of small equipment operators is 40+ years years old, representing 64% of the small equipment operator population.
Small equipment operator age breakdown
| Small Equipment Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 64% |
| 30-40 years | 21% |
| 20-30 years | 14% |
Small equipment operator educational attainment
The most common degree for small equipment operators is high school diploma, with 46% of small equipment operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 28% and bachelor's degree degree at 12%.
- High School Diploma, 46%
- Bachelor's, 28%
- Associate, 12%
- Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 10%
Small equipment operators by degree level
| Small equipment operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 46% |
| Bachelor's | 28% |
| Associate | 12% |
| Diploma | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 10% |
Small equipment operator jobs you might like
Small equipment operator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, small equipment operators with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $38,080 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, small equipment operators earn a median annual income of $37,287 compared to $37,164 for small equipment operators with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $37,164 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $37,287 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $38,080 |
Small equipment operator employment statistics
Most small equipment operators work for a private in the construction industry.
Company size where small equipment operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where small equipment operators work.
Small equipment operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 2% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 21% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 25% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 29% |
| > 10,000 employees | 16% |
Small equipment operator jobs by company type
Employees with the small equipment operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most small equipment operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Small equipment operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 13% |
| Private | 75% |
| Government | 9% |
Small equipment operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for small equipment operators are construction, retail and manufacturing.
Small equipment operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Construction | 18% |
| Retail | 11% |
| Manufacturing | 9% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Government | 8% |
| Technology | 8% |
| Fortune 500 | 8% |
| Transportation | 7% |
| Energy | 4% |
| Utilities | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Education | 3% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
Small equipment operator turnover and employment statistics
Small equipment operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for small equipment operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Small equipment operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Small equipment operator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 25.65% |
| 2011 | 17.84% |
| 2012 | 18.49% |
| 2013 | 19.72% |
| 2014 | 18.03% |
| 2015 | 17.91% |
| 2016 | 10.29% |
| 2017 | 14.01% |
| 2018 | 6.46% |
| 2019 | 5.55% |
| 2020 | 8.40% |
| 2021 | 7.84% |
Average small equipment operator tenure
The average small equipment operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 336 small equipment operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Small equipment operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 29% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 12% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Small equipment operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of small equipment 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Rod Buster | 1.40% | 1,028 |
| Drywall Metal Stud Worker | 1.75% | 22,024 |
| Small Equipment Operator | 2.22% | - |
| Grunt | 2.24% | 4,605 |
| Junior Trouble Shooter | 2.76% | 10,821 |
| Tile Installer | 3.39% | 16,704 |
| Sheet Metal Operator | 4.07% | 43,197 |
Similar small equipment operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Rod Buster | 1.40% | 1,028 |
| Drywall Metal Stud Worker | 1.75% | 22,024 |
| Grunt | 2.24% | 4,605 |
| Junior Trouble Shooter | 2.76% | 10,821 |
| Tile Installer | 3.39% | 16,704 |
| Sheet Metal Operator | 4.07% | 43,197 |
Foreign languages spoken by small equipment operators
The most common foreign language among small equipment operators is Spanish at 75.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 12.5% and Tagalog is the third-most popular at 12.5%.
- Spanish, 75.0%
- French, 12.5%
- Tagalog, 12.5%
Small equipment operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 75.0% |
| French | 12.5% |
| Tagalog | 12.5% |