Student worker demographics and statistics in the US
Student worker demographics research summary. Zippia estimates student worker demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our student worker estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about student workers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 299,674 student workers currently employed in the United States.
- 61.3% of all student workers are women, while 38.7% are men.
- The average student worker age is 42 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of student workers is White (63.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (15.1%), Black or African American (13.4%) and Unknown (4.2%).
- Student workers are most in-demand in Portland, OR.
- The retail industry is the highest-paying for student workers.
- Albany, NY pays an annual average wage of $33,403, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women student workers earned 101% of what men earned.
- 10% of all student workers are LGBT.
- Connecticut is the best state for student workers to live.
- Student workers are 91% more likely to work at education companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Student worker demographics by:
Student worker gender statistics
61.3% of student workers are women and 38.7% of student workers are men.
- Female, 61.3%
- Male, 38.7%
Student worker gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 61.3% |
| Male | 38.7% |
Student worker gender pay gap
Women earn $1.01 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$24,220
Female income
$24,391
Student worker gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in student worker positions over time. Currently, 61.3% of student workers are female.
Student worker gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 46.01% | 53.99% |
| 2011 | 44.74% | 55.26% |
| 2012 | 44.66% | 55.34% |
| 2013 | 43.54% | 56.46% |
| 2014 | 45.05% | 54.95% |
| 2015 | 44.68% | 55.32% |
| 2016 | 45.12% | 54.88% |
| 2017 | 44.45% | 55.55% |
| 2018 | 43.33% | 56.67% |
| 2019 | 42.81% | 57.19% |
| 2020 | 39.61% | 60.39% |
| 2021 | 38.73% | 61.27% |
Student worker related jobs gender ratio
We compared student workers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, public health worker and rehabilitation engineer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Breastfeeding Educator | 2% | 98% |
| Certified Lactation Counselor | 3% | 97% |
| Lactation Specialist | 5% | 95% |
| Student Worker | 39% | 61% |
| Donation Worker | 70% | 30% |
| Rehabilitation Engineer | 70% | 30% |
| Public Health Worker | 81% | 19% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Student worker demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among student workers is White, which makes up 63.1% of all student workers. Comparatively, 15.1% of student workers are Hispanic or Latino and 13.4% of student workers are Black or African American.
- White, 63.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 15.1%
- Black or African American, 13.4%
- Unknown, 4.2%
- Asian, 2.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
Student worker race
| Student worker race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 63.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 15.1% |
| Black or African American | 13.4% |
| Unknown | 4.2% |
| Asian | 2.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.5% |
Student worker race and ethnicity over time
See how student worker racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Student worker race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.83% | 17.57% | 2.59% | 10.00% |
| 2011 | 65.42% | 18.60% | 3.01% | 10.04% |
| 2012 | 65.75% | 17.96% | 2.81% | 10.36% |
| 2013 | 65.67% | 17.74% | 2.90% | 10.11% |
| 2014 | 65.32% | 17.27% | 3.07% | 11.30% |
| 2015 | 65.17% | 17.67% | 2.89% | 11.38% |
| 2016 | 64.92% | 17.21% | 3.27% | 11.88% |
| 2017 | 65.28% | 15.66% | 3.37% | 12.35% |
| 2018 | 64.71% | 18.85% | 2.11% | 11.31% |
| 2019 | 65.91% | 17.78% | 2.01% | 9.63% |
| 2020 | 61.48% | 15.43% | 2.92% | 14.22% |
| 2021 | 63.14% | 13.37% | 2.67% | 15.12% |
Student worker wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino student workers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american student workers have the lowest average salary at $22,999.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $24,323 |
| White | $23,391 |
| Black or African American | $22,999 |
| Asian | $25,215 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $25,258 |
Average student worker age
See how the average age of student workers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Student worker age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 40 | |
| White | 39.5 | 41 |
| Black or African American | 48 | |
| Asian | 41 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 43 |
Student worker age breakdown
The average age of student workers is 40+ years years old, representing 57% of the student worker population.
Student worker age breakdown
| Student Worker Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 57% |
| 30-40 years | 26% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Student worker educational attainment
The most common degree for student workers is bachelor's degree, with 65% of student workers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 15% and associate degree degree at 12%.
- Bachelor's, 65%
- Associate, 15%
- High School Diploma, 12%
- Master's, 5%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Student workers by degree level
| Student worker degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 65% |
| Associate | 15% |
| High School Diploma | 12% |
| Master's | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Student worker jobs you might like
Student worker wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $30,031 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $25,000 |
Student worker employment statistics
Most student workers work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where student workers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where student workers work.
Student worker jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 3% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 8% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 22% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 21% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 41% |
| > 10,000 employees | 7% |
Student worker jobs by company type
Employees with the student worker job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most student workers prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Student worker jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 91% |
| Public | 2% |
| Private | 4% |
| Government | 3% |
Student worker jobs by industry
The most common industries for student workers are education, government and manufacturing.
Student worker industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 87% |
| Government | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Professional | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
Student worker turnover and employment statistics
Student worker unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for student workers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Student worker unemployment rate by year
| Year | Student worker unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.89% |
| 2011 | 4.68% |
| 2012 | 4.85% |
| 2013 | 3.77% |
| 2014 | 2.89% |
| 2015 | 2.27% |
| 2016 | 2.28% |
| 2017 | 1.90% |
| 2018 | 2.12% |
| 2019 | 1.07% |
| 2020 | 1.73% |
| 2021 | 1.89% |
Average student worker tenure
The average student worker stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 62,372 student workers resumes in Zippia's database.
Student worker tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 37% |
| 1-2 years | 37% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 9% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 2% |
Student worker LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of student workers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Anger Control Counselor | 8.96% | 58,069 |
| Juvenile Probation Officer | 9.50% | 66,217 |
| Student Worker | 10.37% | - |
| Criminal Justice Social Worker | 11.25% | 85,917 |
| Addictions Counselor Assistant | 11.48% | 86,506 |
| Certified Alcohol Counselor | 15.06% | 61,543 |
| Behavioral Health Specialist | 15.06% | 130,222 |
Similar student worker jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Anger Control Counselor | 8.96% | 58,069 |
| Juvenile Probation Officer | 9.50% | 66,217 |
| Criminal Justice Social Worker | 11.25% | 85,917 |
| Addictions Counselor Assistant | 11.48% | 86,506 |
| Certified Alcohol Counselor | 15.06% | 61,543 |
| Behavioral Health Specialist | 15.06% | 130,222 |
Foreign languages spoken by student workers
The most common foreign language among student workers is Spanish at 52.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 10.1% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 5.6%.
- Spanish, 52.9%
- French, 10.1%
- Chinese, 5.6%
- German, 4.6%
- Mandarin, 4.2%
- Other, 22.6%
Student worker languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 52.9% |
| French | 10.1% |
| Chinese | 5.6% |
| German | 4.6% |
| Mandarin | 4.2% |
| Other | 22.6% |
