Solo practitioner demographics and statistics in the US
Solo practitioner demographics research summary. Zippia estimates solo practitioner demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our solo practitioner estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about solo practitioners after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 45,262 solo practitioners currently employed in the United States.
- 41.7% of all solo practitioners are women, while 58.3% are men.
- The average solo practitioner age is 46 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of solo practitioners is White (75.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.7%), Asian (6.3%) and Black or African American (5.5%).
- In 2022, women earned 94% of what men earned.
- 10% of all solo practitioners are LGBT.
- Solo practitioners are 78% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Solo practitioner demographics by:
Solo practitioner gender statistics
41.7% of solo practitioners are women and 58.3% of solo practitioners are men.
- Male, 58.3%
- Female, 41.7%
Solo practitioner gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 58.3% |
| Female | 41.7% |
Solo practitioner gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$85,330
Female income
$80,528
Solo practitioner gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in solo practitioner positions over time. Currently, 41.7% of solo practitioners are female.
Solo practitioner gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.05% | 34.95% |
| 2011 | 64.30% | 35.70% |
| 2012 | 64.13% | 35.87% |
| 2013 | 63.54% | 36.46% |
| 2014 | 63.45% | 36.55% |
| 2015 | 60.91% | 39.09% |
| 2016 | 60.81% | 39.19% |
| 2017 | 60.92% | 39.08% |
| 2018 | 61.30% | 38.70% |
| 2019 | 60.61% | 39.39% |
| 2020 | 58.77% | 41.23% |
| 2021 | 58.35% | 41.65% |
Solo practitioner related jobs gender ratio
We compared solo practitioners with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, patent examiner and patent attorney have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Veteran Appeals Reviewer | 17% | 83% |
| Guardian Ad Litem | 18% | 82% |
| Surrogate | 18% | 82% |
| Solo Practitioner | 58% | 42% |
| Patent Analyst | 72% | 28% |
| Patent Attorney | 79% | 21% |
| Patent Examiner | 81% | 19% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Solo practitioner demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among solo practitioners is White, which makes up 75.8% of all solo practitioners. Comparatively, 7.7% of solo practitioners are Hispanic or Latino and 6.3% of solo practitioners are Asian.
- White, 75.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.7%
- Asian, 6.3%
- Black or African American, 5.5%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Solo practitioner race
| Solo practitioner race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 75.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.7% |
| Asian | 6.3% |
| Black or African American | 5.5% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Solo practitioner race and ethnicity over time
See how solo practitioner racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Solo practitioner race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 82.44% | 5.08% | 4.74% | 5.93% |
| 2011 | 82.21% | 5.39% | 4.89% | 5.76% |
| 2012 | 82.28% | 5.02% | 5.06% | 5.95% |
| 2013 | 82.04% | 5.10% | 5.10% | 5.68% |
| 2014 | 81.38% | 5.60% | 5.33% | 5.83% |
| 2015 | 81.28% | 5.26% | 5.42% | 6.24% |
| 2016 | 80.71% | 5.33% | 5.58% | 6.53% |
| 2017 | 80.74% | 5.30% | 5.55% | 6.30% |
| 2018 | 80.10% | 5.48% | 5.47% | 6.92% |
| 2019 | 79.64% | 5.45% | 5.85% | 6.98% |
| 2020 | 77.12% | 5.36% | 6.16% | 7.13% |
| 2021 | 75.78% | 5.50% | 6.33% | 7.72% |
Solo practitioner wage gap by race
According to our data, asian solo practitioners have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american solo practitioners have the lowest average salary at $81,637.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $84,650 |
| White | $86,934 |
| Black or African American | $81,637 |
| Asian | $90,786 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $82,943 |
Average solo practitioner age
See how the average age of solo practitioners varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Solo practitioner age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 46 | 44 |
| Unknown | 46 | 40 |
| Asian | 41 | 40.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 43 | 39 |
| White | 48 | 44 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 51 | 50 |
Solo practitioner age breakdown
The average age of solo practitioners is 40+ years years old, representing 67% of the solo practitioner population.
Solo practitioner age breakdown
| Solo Practitioner Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 67% |
| 30-40 years | 29% |
| 20-30 years | 4% |
Solo practitioner educational attainment
The most common degree for solo practitioners is doctoral degree, with 58% of solo practitioners earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 34% and bachelor's degree degree at 5%.
- Doctorate, 58%
- Bachelor's, 34%
- Master's, 5%
- Associate, 1%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Solo practitioners by degree level
| Solo practitioner degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Doctorate | 58% |
| Bachelor's | 34% |
| Master's | 5% |
| Associate | 1% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Solo practitioner jobs you might like
Solo practitioner employment statistics
Most solo practitioners work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where solo practitioners work
Below, you can see the size of companies where solo practitioners work.
Solo practitioner jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 32% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 29% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 17% |
| > 10,000 employees | 9% |
Solo practitioner jobs by company type
Employees with the solo practitioner job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most solo practitioners prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Solo practitioner jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Public | 11% |
| Private | 78% |
| Government | 11% |
Solo practitioner jobs by industry
The most common industries for solo practitioners are professional, government and health care.
Solo practitioner industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 25% |
| Government | 10% |
| Health Care | 9% |
| Real Estate | 7% |
| Technology | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Construction | 6% |
| Hospitality | 6% |
| Retail | 6% |
| Media | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Solo practitioner turnover and employment statistics
Solo practitioner unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for solo practitioners between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Solo practitioner unemployment rate by year
| Year | Solo practitioner unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.19% |
| 2011 | 1.85% |
| 2012 | 1.64% |
| 2013 | 1.90% |
| 2014 | 1.57% |
| 2015 | 1.34% |
| 2016 | 1.09% |
| 2017 | 1.17% |
| 2018 | 1.10% |
| 2019 | 1.16% |
| 2020 | 1.33% |
| 2021 | 1.55% |
Average solo practitioner tenure
The average solo practitioner stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,524 solo practitioners resumes in Zippia's database.
Solo practitioner tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 7% |
| 1-2 years | 19% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 19% |
| 8-10 years | 10% |
| 11+ years | 33% |
Solo practitioner LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of solo practitioners 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Law Internship | 5.54% | 51,663 |
| Paralegal Internship | 6.63% | 54,408 |
| Title Processor | 8.14% | 7,068 |
| Court Reporter | 9.12% | 2,329 |
| Solo Practitioner | 10.48% | - |
| Legislative Assistant | 14.16% | 188 |
Similar solo practitioner jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Law Internship | 5.54% | 51,663 |
| Paralegal Internship | 6.63% | 54,408 |
| Title Processor | 8.14% | 7,068 |
| Court Reporter | 9.12% | 2,329 |
| Legislative Assistant | 14.16% | 188 |
Foreign languages spoken by solo practitioners
The most common foreign language among solo practitioners is Spanish at 51.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 13.6% and Italian is the third-most popular at 5.8%.
- Spanish, 51.3%
- French, 13.6%
- Italian, 5.8%
- Portuguese, 4.5%
- Chinese, 3.9%
- Other, 20.9%
Solo practitioner languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 51.3% |
| French | 13.6% |
| Italian | 5.8% |
| Portuguese | 4.5% |
| Chinese | 3.9% |
| Other | 20.9% |
