Sorter demographics and statistics in the US
Sorter demographics research summary. Zippia estimates sorter demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our sorter estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about sorters after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 34,894 sorters currently employed in the United States.
- 39.5% of all sorters are women, while 60.5% are men.
- The average sorter age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of sorters is Hispanic or Latino (42.1%), followed by White (41.4%), Black or African American (10.2%) and Unknown (3.2%).
- Sorters are most in-demand in Salt Lake City, UT.
- The transportation industry is the highest-paying for sorters.
- 3% of all sorters are LGBT.
On this page
Sorter demographics by:
Sorter gender statistics
39.5% of sorters are women and 60.5% of sorters are men.
- Male, 60.5%
- Female, 39.5%
Sorter gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 60.5% |
| Female | 39.5% |
Sorter gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$32,390
Female income
$31,777
Sorter gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in sorter positions over time. Currently, 39.5% of sorters are female.
Sorter gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 53.48% | 46.52% |
| 2011 | 56.43% | 43.57% |
| 2012 | 52.80% | 47.20% |
| 2013 | 53.57% | 46.43% |
| 2014 | 53.38% | 46.62% |
| 2015 | 48.52% | 51.48% |
| 2016 | 53.39% | 46.61% |
| 2017 | 55.33% | 44.67% |
| 2018 | 62.07% | 37.93% |
| 2019 | 51.32% | 48.68% |
| 2020 | 58.33% | 41.67% |
| 2021 | 60.50% | 39.50% |
Sorter related jobs gender ratio
We compared sorters with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, ditch rider and custom harvester have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Groom | 19% | 81% |
| Stable Hand | 20% | 80% |
| Nursery Worker | 22% | 78% |
| Sorter | 61% | 39% |
| Hay Baler | 94% | 6% |
| Custom Harvester | 96% | 4% |
| Ditch Rider | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Sorter demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among sorters is Hispanic or Latino, which makes up 42.1% of all sorters. Comparatively, 41.4% of sorters are White and 10.2% of sorters are Black or African American.
- Hispanic or Latino, 42.1%
- White, 41.4%
- Black or African American, 10.2%
- Unknown, 3.2%
- Asian, 2.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Sorter race
| Sorter race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 42.1% |
| White | 41.4% |
| Black or African American | 10.2% |
| Unknown | 3.2% |
| Asian | 2.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Sorter race and ethnicity over time
See how sorter racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Sorter race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 40.27% | 9.53% | 3.43% | 45.27% |
| 2011 | 38.93% | 11.41% | 4.42% | 43.86% |
| 2012 | 39.77% | 10.54% | 2.46% | 46.08% |
| 2013 | 39.48% | 10.24% | 3.37% | 45.40% |
| 2014 | 42.13% | 11.45% | 3.09% | 41.89% |
| 2015 | 37.57% | 10.62% | 2.94% | 47.09% |
| 2016 | 40.85% | 9.28% | 3.11% | 45.27% |
| 2017 | 42.21% | 9.89% | 3.25% | 42.20% |
| 2018 | 42.60% | 9.22% | 5.93% | 40.31% |
| 2019 | 42.19% | 10.49% | 3.40% | 42.50% |
| 2020 | 47.07% | 6.58% | 3.32% | 38.76% |
| 2021 | 41.44% | 10.20% | 2.65% | 42.11% |
Sorter wage gap by race
According to our data, white sorters have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino sorters have the lowest average salary at $31,797.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $32,437 |
| White | $32,816 |
| Black or African American | $32,659 |
| Asian | $32,252 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $31,797 |
Average sorter age
See how the average age of sorters varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Sorter age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| White | 39 | 46 |
| Black or African American | 38 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 40 | 46 |
Sorter age breakdown
The average age of sorters is 40+ years years old, representing 62% of the sorter population.
Sorter age breakdown
| Sorter Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 62% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 12% |
Sorter educational attainment
The most common degree for sorters is high school diploma, with 52% of sorters earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 15% and associate degree degree at 13%.
- High School Diploma, 52%
- Associate, 15%
- Bachelor's, 13%
- Diploma, 13%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Sorters by degree level
| Sorter degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 52% |
| Associate | 15% |
| Bachelor's | 13% |
| Diploma | 13% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Sorter jobs you might like
Sorter wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $32,317 |
| No Education | $31,717 |
Sorter employment statistics
Most sorters work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where sorters work
Below, you can see the size of companies where sorters work.
Sorter jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 20% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 32% |
Sorter jobs by company type
Employees with the sorter job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most sorters prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Sorter jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 0% |
| Public | 29% |
| Private | 69% |
| Government | 2% |
Sorter jobs by industry
The most common industries for sorters are professional, retail and transportation.
Sorter industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 17% |
| Fortune 500 | 16% |
| Retail | 14% |
| Transportation | 12% |
| Manufacturing | 10% |
| Media | 5% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Government | 2% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
Sorter turnover and employment statistics
Sorter unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for sorters between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Sorter unemployment rate by year
| Year | Sorter unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 24.77% |
| 2011 | 22.56% |
| 2012 | 24.31% |
| 2013 | 21.89% |
| 2014 | 18.01% |
| 2015 | 18.61% |
| 2016 | 18.42% |
| 2017 | 15.67% |
| 2018 | 13.61% |
| 2019 | 14.57% |
| 2020 | 13.54% |
| 2021 | 14.14% |
Average sorter tenure
The average sorter stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 51,444 sorters resumes in Zippia's database.
Sorter tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 48% |
| 1-2 years | 26% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 10% |
| 8-10 years | 2% |
| 11+ years | 3% |
Foreign languages spoken by sorters
The most common foreign language among sorters is Spanish at 77.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 5.4% and German is the third-most popular at 2.0%.
- Spanish, 77.7%
- French, 5.4%
- German, 2.0%
- Hmong, 1.5%
- Portuguese, 1.4%
- Other, 12.0%
Sorter languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 77.7% |
| French | 5.4% |
| German | 2.0% |
| Hmong | 1.5% |
| Portuguese | 1.4% |
| Other | 12.0% |
