Soldier demographics and statistics in the US
Soldier demographics research summary. Zippia estimates soldier demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our soldier estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about soldiers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 15,010 soldiers currently employed in the United States.
- 22.5% of all soldiers are women, while 77.5% are men.
- The average soldier age is 23 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of soldiers is White (54.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.0%), Black or African American (14.8%) and Asian (6.9%).
- In 2022, women earned 95% of what men earned.
- 4% of all soldiers are LGBT.
- Soldiers are 72% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Soldier demographics by:
Soldier gender statistics
22.5% of soldiers are women and 77.5% of soldiers are men.
- Male, 77.5%
- Female, 22.5%
Soldier gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 77.5% |
| Female | 22.5% |
Soldier gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$49,191
Female income
$46,722
Soldier gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in soldier positions over time. Currently, 22.5% of soldiers are female.
Soldier gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 76.22% | 23.78% |
| 2011 | 78.43% | 21.57% |
| 2012 | 76.18% | 23.82% |
| 2013 | 79.87% | 20.13% |
| 2014 | 79.77% | 20.23% |
| 2015 | 76.82% | 23.18% |
| 2016 | 76.51% | 23.49% |
| 2017 | 76.61% | 23.39% |
| 2018 | 79.29% | 20.71% |
| 2019 | 81.81% | 18.19% |
| 2020 | 86.50% | 13.50% |
| 2021 | 77.52% | 22.48% |
Soldier related jobs gender ratio
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Soldier | 78% | 22% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Soldier demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among soldiers is White, which makes up 54.0% of all soldiers. Comparatively, 18.0% of soldiers are Hispanic or Latino and 14.8% of soldiers are Black or African American.
- White, 54.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.0%
- Black or African American, 14.8%
- Asian, 6.9%
- Unknown, 5.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Soldier race
| Soldier race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 54.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.0% |
| Black or African American | 14.8% |
| Asian | 6.9% |
| Unknown | 5.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Soldier race and ethnicity over time
See how soldier racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Soldier race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.56% | 12.80% | 4.70% | 13.39% |
| 2011 | 67.24% | 13.69% | 4.97% | 11.38% |
| 2012 | 62.97% | 13.63% | 4.45% | 14.31% |
| 2013 | 63.18% | 12.91% | 5.44% | 14.16% |
| 2014 | 63.89% | 12.13% | 5.17% | 14.36% |
| 2015 | 59.43% | 15.46% | 5.16% | 14.59% |
| 2016 | 62.12% | 15.01% | 4.88% | 13.75% |
| 2017 | 61.48% | 11.71% | 4.85% | 17.52% |
| 2018 | 58.81% | 13.69% | 5.16% | 17.14% |
| 2019 | 60.56% | 13.76% | 5.26% | 15.63% |
| 2020 | 57.28% | 14.23% | 5.31% | 18.56% |
| 2021 | 54.00% | 14.79% | 6.90% | 18.02% |
Soldier wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown soldiers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian soldiers have the lowest average salary at $45,147.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $52,177 |
| White | $50,143 |
| Black or African American | $50,128 |
| Asian | $45,147 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $48,644 |
Average soldier age
See how the average age of soldiers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Soldier age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 23 | 22 |
| Unknown | 22 | 22 |
| Asian | 23 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 22 | 22.5 |
| White | 22 | 21 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 20 |
Soldier age breakdown
The average age of soldiers is 20-30 years years old, representing 73% of the soldier population.
Soldier age breakdown
| Soldier Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 2% |
| 30-40 years | 9% |
| 20-30 years | 73% |
Soldier educational attainment
The most common degree for soldiers is high school diploma, with 41% of soldiers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 26% and bachelor's degree degree at 17%.
- High School Diploma, 41%
- Bachelor's, 26%
- Associate, 17%
- Diploma, 10%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Soldiers by degree level
| Soldier degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 41% |
| Bachelor's | 26% |
| Associate | 17% |
| Diploma | 10% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Soldier jobs you might like
Soldier wage gap by degree level
According to the data, soldiers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $48,676 annually. With a Associate degree, soldiers earn a median annual income of $44,012 compared to $38,106 for soldiers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $38,106 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $48,676 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $44,012 |
Soldier employment statistics
Most soldiers work for a private in the government industry.
Company size where soldiers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where soldiers work.
Soldier jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 11% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 12% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 34% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 16% |
| > 10,000 employees | 17% |
Soldier jobs by company type
Employees with the soldier job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most soldiers prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Soldier jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 5% |
| Private | 72% |
| Government | 21% |
Soldier jobs by industry
The most common industries for soldiers are government, professional and technology.
Soldier industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 19% |
| Professional | 13% |
| Technology | 13% |
| Manufacturing | 10% |
| Finance | 8% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Start-up | 4% |
| Insurance | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Construction | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Real Estate | 3% |
| Education | 3% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Soldier turnover and employment statistics
Soldier unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for soldiers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Soldier unemployment rate by year
| Year | Soldier unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 4.55% |
| 2011 | 2.32% |
| 2012 | 2.19% |
| 2013 | 3.56% |
| 2014 | 2.07% |
| 2015 | 1.38% |
| 2016 | 1.79% |
| 2017 | 1.95% |
| 2018 | 1.38% |
| 2019 | 1.10% |
| 2020 | 2.68% |
| 2021 | 1.35% |
Average soldier tenure
The average soldier stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 7,448 soldiers resumes in Zippia's database.
Soldier tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 16% |
| 1-2 years | 21% |
| 3-4 years | 20% |
| 5-7 years | 19% |
| 8-10 years | 9% |
| 11+ years | 14% |
Foreign languages spoken by soldiers
The most common foreign language among soldiers is Spanish at 51.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Korean at 6.9% and German is the third-most popular at 6.0%.
- Spanish, 51.5%
- Korean, 6.9%
- German, 6.0%
- Chinese, 5.6%
- French, 5.2%
- Other, 24.8%
Soldier languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 51.5% |
| Korean | 6.9% |
| German | 6.0% |
| Chinese | 5.6% |
| French | 5.2% |
| Other | 24.8% |
