Sommelier demographics and statistics in the US
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Sommelier demographics by:
Sommelier gender statistics
31.7% of sommeliers are women and 68.3% of sommeliers are men.
- Male, 68.3%
- Female, 31.7%
Sommelier gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 68.3% |
| Female | 31.7% |
Sommelier gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$42,937
Female income
$41,026
Sommelier gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in sommelier positions over time. Currently, 31.7% of sommeliers are female.
Sommelier gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.06% | 34.94% |
| 2011 | 65.27% | 34.73% |
| 2012 | 65.66% | 34.34% |
| 2013 | 67.00% | 33.00% |
| 2014 | 66.64% | 33.36% |
| 2015 | 67.48% | 32.52% |
| 2016 | 69.26% | 30.74% |
| 2017 | 68.26% | 31.74% |
| 2018 | 68.22% | 31.78% |
| 2019 | 68.09% | 31.91% |
| 2020 | 69.04% | 30.96% |
| 2021 | 68.27% | 31.73% |
Sommelier related jobs gender ratio
We compared sommeliers 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% |
| Sommelier | 68% | 32% |
| 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%
Sommelier demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among sommeliers is White, which makes up 51.4% of all sommeliers. Comparatively, 21.5% of sommeliers are Hispanic or Latino and 11.3% of sommeliers are Black or African American.
- White, 51.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 21.5%
- Black or African American, 11.3%
- Asian, 9.0%
- Unknown, 6.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Sommelier race
| Sommelier race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 51.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 21.5% |
| Black or African American | 11.3% |
| Asian | 9.0% |
| Unknown | 6.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Sommelier race and ethnicity over time
See how sommelier racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Sommelier race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 63.55% | 10.40% | 6.01% | 16.56% |
| 2011 | 62.20% | 11.45% | 6.32% | 16.47% |
| 2012 | 61.52% | 11.26% | 6.54% | 16.97% |
| 2013 | 60.86% | 11.05% | 6.53% | 17.88% |
| 2014 | 60.15% | 10.83% | 6.96% | 18.06% |
| 2015 | 57.95% | 11.15% | 7.19% | 19.52% |
| 2016 | 57.67% | 11.20% | 7.23% | 19.50% |
| 2017 | 57.14% | 11.19% | 7.29% | 19.92% |
| 2018 | 56.04% | 11.52% | 7.81% | 20.35% |
| 2019 | 56.86% | 11.11% | 8.01% | 19.75% |
| 2020 | 52.57% | 11.86% | 8.22% | 20.88% |
| 2021 | 51.41% | 11.25% | 8.96% | 21.52% |
Sommelier wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino sommeliers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american sommeliers have the lowest average salary at $41,673.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $42,821 |
| White | $42,922 |
| Black or African American | $41,673 |
| Asian | $43,020 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $44,289 |
Average sommelier age
See how the average age of sommeliers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Sommelier 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 |
Sommelier age breakdown
The average age of sommeliers is 20-30 years years old, representing 48% of the sommelier population.
Sommelier age breakdown
| Sommelier Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 15% |
| 30-40 years | 20% |
| 20-30 years | 48% |
Sommelier educational attainment
The most common degree for sommeliers is bachelor's degree, with 64% of sommeliers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 15% and associate degree degree at 9%.
- Bachelor's, 64%
- Associate, 15%
- Master's, 9%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Sommeliers by degree level
| Sommelier degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 64% |
| Associate | 15% |
| Master's | 9% |
| High School Diploma | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Sommelier jobs you might like
Sommelier wage gap by degree level
According to the data, sommeliers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $49,906 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, sommeliers earn a median annual income of $47,723 compared to $44,623 for sommeliers with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $49,906 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $41,727 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $47,723 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $44,623 |
Sommelier employment statistics
Most sommeliers work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where sommeliers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where sommeliers work.
Sommelier jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 11% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 23% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 31% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 8% |
| > 10,000 employees | 17% |
Sommelier jobs by company type
Employees with the sommelier job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most sommeliers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Sommelier jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Public | 14% |
| Private | 82% |
| Government | 4% |
Sommelier jobs by industry
The most common industries for sommeliers are hospitality, manufacturing and professional.
Sommelier industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 49% |
| Manufacturing | 10% |
| Professional | 7% |
| Retail | 6% |
| Government | 3% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
Sommelier turnover and employment statistics
Sommelier unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for sommeliers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Sommelier unemployment rate by year
| Year | Sommelier 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 sommelier tenure
The average sommelier stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 826 sommeliers resumes in Zippia's database.
Sommelier tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 24% |
| 1-2 years | 35% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 7% |
Sommelier LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of sommeliers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sommelier | 6.48% | - |
| Food Porter | 6.98% | 57,175 |
| Lead Bartender | 7.82% | 28,748 |
| Deli Attendant | 7.82% | 51,512 |
Similar sommelier jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Food Porter | 6.98% | 57,175 |
| Lead Bartender | 7.82% | 28,748 |
| Deli Attendant | 7.82% | 51,512 |
Foreign languages spoken by sommeliers
The most common foreign language among sommeliers is Spanish at 44.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 14.8% and Italian is the third-most popular at 9.3%.
- Spanish, 44.4%
- French, 14.8%
- Italian, 9.3%
- Russian, 7.4%
- Chinese, 5.6%
- Other, 18.5%
Sommelier languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 44.4% |
| French | 14.8% |
| Italian | 9.3% |
| Russian | 7.4% |
| Chinese | 5.6% |
| Other | 18.5% |
