Specialty cook demographics and statistics in the US
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Specialty cook demographics by:
Specialty cook gender statistics
22.6% of specialty cooks are women and 77.4% of specialty cooks are men.
- Male, 77.4%
- Female, 22.6%
Specialty cook gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 77.4% |
| Female | 22.6% |
Specialty cook gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$35,014
Female income
$33,667
Specialty cook gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in specialty cook positions over time. Currently, 22.6% of specialty cooks are female.
Specialty cook gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 75.02% | 24.98% |
| 2011 | 75.37% | 24.63% |
| 2012 | 76.29% | 23.71% |
| 2013 | 76.36% | 23.64% |
| 2014 | 77.42% | 22.58% |
| 2015 | 76.78% | 23.22% |
| 2016 | 77.52% | 22.48% |
| 2017 | 77.55% | 22.45% |
| 2018 | 76.95% | 23.05% |
| 2019 | 76.72% | 23.28% |
| 2020 | 77.38% | 22.62% |
| 2021 | 77.42% | 22.58% |
Specialty cook related jobs gender ratio
We compared specialty cooks with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, saucier and vacuum kettle cook have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Diet Clerk | 13% | 87% |
| Dietary Clerk | 16% | 84% |
| School Cafeteria Cook | 20% | 80% |
| Specialty Cook | 77% | 23% |
| Line Cook/Dishwasher | 84% | 16% |
| Vacuum Kettle Cook | 87% | 13% |
| Saucier | 91% | 9% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Specialty cook demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among specialty cooks is White, which makes up 55.3% of all specialty cooks. Comparatively, 21.5% of specialty cooks are Hispanic or Latino and 9.0% of specialty cooks are Asian.
- White, 55.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 21.5%
- Asian, 9.0%
- Black or African American, 8.3%
- Unknown, 4.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
Specialty cook race
| Specialty cook race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 55.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 21.5% |
| Asian | 9.0% |
| Black or African American | 8.3% |
| Unknown | 4.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.1% |
Specialty cook race and ethnicity over time
See how specialty cook racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Specialty cook race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 59.62% | 9.86% | 7.87% | 19.84% |
| 2011 | 59.42% | 11.05% | 7.91% | 18.35% |
| 2012 | 59.09% | 10.58% | 7.71% | 19.31% |
| 2013 | 59.24% | 10.44% | 7.70% | 19.51% |
| 2014 | 58.81% | 10.30% | 7.97% | 19.46% |
| 2015 | 58.85% | 10.06% | 8.07% | 19.58% |
| 2016 | 58.54% | 9.71% | 8.00% | 20.04% |
| 2017 | 57.68% | 9.34% | 8.17% | 20.62% |
| 2018 | 58.79% | 9.32% | 8.05% | 20.11% |
| 2019 | 58.84% | 8.91% | 8.41% | 20.04% |
| 2020 | 56.82% | 8.26% | 8.67% | 20.23% |
| 2021 | 55.28% | 8.25% | 8.95% | 21.53% |
Specialty cook wage gap by race
According to our data, asian specialty cooks have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american specialty cooks have the lowest average salary at $34,467.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $34,752 |
| White | $34,801 |
| Black or African American | $34,467 |
| Asian | $35,676 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $35,385 |
Average specialty cook age
See how the average age of specialty cooks varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Specialty cook age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 35 | 45 |
| Unknown | 27 | 36 |
| Asian | 42 | 49.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 35 | 42 |
| White | 29 | 44 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 31.5 | 49 |
Specialty cook age breakdown
The average age of specialty cooks is 40+ years years old, representing 45% of the specialty cook population.
Specialty cook age breakdown
| Specialty Cook Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 45% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 26% |
Specialty cook educational attainment
The most common degree for specialty cooks is associate degree, with 44% of specialty cooks earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 20% and bachelor's degree degree at 14%.
- Associate, 44%
- Bachelor's, 20%
- High School Diploma, 14%
- Diploma, 11%
- Other Degrees, 11%
Specialty cooks by degree level
| Specialty cook degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 44% |
| Bachelor's | 20% |
| High School Diploma | 14% |
| Diploma | 11% |
| Other Degrees | 11% |
Specialty cook jobs you might like
Specialty cook wage gap by degree level
According to the data, specialty cooks with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $36,022 annually. With a Associate degree, specialty cooks earn a median annual income of $35,205 compared to $34,444 for specialty cooks with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $34,444 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $36,022 |
| No Education | $34,050 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $35,205 |
Specialty cook employment statistics
Company size where specialty cooks work
Below, you can see the size of companies where specialty cooks work.
Specialty cook jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 14% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 21% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 19% |
| > 10,000 employees | 21% |
Specialty cook jobs by industry
The most common industries for specialty cooks are hospitality, manufacturing and retail.
Specialty cook industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 41% |
| Manufacturing | 10% |
| Retail | 9% |
| Non Profits | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Media | 3% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Internet | 3% |
| Education | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
Specialty cook turnover and employment statistics
Specialty cook unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for specialty cooks between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Specialty cook unemployment rate by year
| Year | Specialty cook unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 13.74% |
| 2011 | 13.72% |
| 2012 | 12.24% |
| 2013 | 11.55% |
| 2014 | 9.93% |
| 2015 | 8.76% |
| 2016 | 8.73% |
| 2017 | 7.83% |
| 2018 | 7.48% |
| 2019 | 6.91% |
| 2020 | 10.00% |
| 2021 | 10.11% |
Average specialty cook tenure
The average specialty cook stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 178 specialty cooks resumes in Zippia's database.
Specialty cook tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 31% |
| 1-2 years | 36% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 11% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 4% |
Specialty cook LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of specialty cooks 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Specialty Cook | 5.53% | - |
| Dietary Clerk | 6.78% | 75,084 |
| Customer Service And Serving | 7.02% | 248,533 |
| Event Host | 7.29% | 15,092 |
| Crew Trainer | 7.36% | 101,338 |
| Bar Back & Bartender | 7.68% | 57,420 |
| Food Service Specialist | 8.43% | 95,112 |
Similar specialty cook jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Dietary Clerk | 6.78% | 75,084 |
| Customer Service And Serving | 7.02% | 248,533 |
| Event Host | 7.29% | 15,092 |
| Crew Trainer | 7.36% | 101,338 |
| Bar Back & Bartender | 7.68% | 57,420 |
| Food Service Specialist | 8.43% | 95,112 |
Foreign languages spoken by specialty cooks
The most common foreign language among specialty cooks is French at 37.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Spanish at 25.0% and Thai is the third-most popular at 12.5%.
- French, 37.5%
- Spanish, 25.0%
- Thai, 12.5%
- Filipino, 12.5%
- Italian, 12.5%
Specialty cook languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| French | 37.5% |
| Spanish | 25.0% |
| Thai | 12.5% |
| Filipino | 12.5% |
| Italian | 12.5% |
