Surveillance operator demographics and statistics in the US
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Surveillance operator demographics by:
Surveillance operator gender statistics
34.3% of surveillance operators are women and 65.7% of surveillance operators are men.
- Male, 65.7%
- Female, 34.3%
Surveillance operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 65.7% |
| Female | 34.3% |
Surveillance operator gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$34,493
Female income
$33,863
Surveillance operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in surveillance operator positions over time. Currently, 34.3% of surveillance operators are female.
Surveillance operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 68.78% | 31.22% |
| 2011 | 67.30% | 32.70% |
| 2012 | 68.74% | 31.26% |
| 2013 | 68.88% | 31.12% |
| 2014 | 67.88% | 32.12% |
| 2015 | 68.73% | 31.27% |
| 2016 | 68.27% | 31.73% |
| 2017 | 66.80% | 33.20% |
| 2018 | 67.81% | 32.19% |
| 2019 | 67.22% | 32.78% |
| 2020 | 64.71% | 35.29% |
| 2021 | 65.72% | 34.28% |
Surveillance operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared surveillance operators with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, rescue boat operator and bodyguard have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Playground Monitor | 18% | 82% |
| School Crossing Guard | 21% | 79% |
| Crossing Guard | 23% | 77% |
| Surveillance Operator | 66% | 34% |
| Bouncer | 94% | 6% |
| Bodyguard | 96% | 4% |
| Rescue Boat Operator | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Surveillance operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among surveillance operators is White, which makes up 55.6% of all surveillance operators. Comparatively, 20.5% of surveillance operators are Hispanic or Latino and 10.9% of surveillance operators are Black or African American.
- White, 55.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 20.5%
- Black or African American, 10.9%
- Asian, 6.1%
- Unknown, 5.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
Surveillance operator race
| Surveillance operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 55.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20.5% |
| Black or African American | 10.9% |
| Asian | 6.1% |
| Unknown | 5.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.6% |
Surveillance operator race and ethnicity over time
See how surveillance operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Surveillance operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.14% | 11.20% | 4.90% | 15.41% |
| 2011 | 63.09% | 11.15% | 4.88% | 16.99% |
| 2012 | 62.75% | 11.42% | 4.80% | 17.09% |
| 2013 | 63.08% | 10.98% | 5.06% | 17.19% |
| 2014 | 61.77% | 11.83% | 4.77% | 17.52% |
| 2015 | 61.40% | 11.26% | 5.25% | 17.97% |
| 2016 | 61.03% | 11.02% | 5.03% | 18.85% |
| 2017 | 60.93% | 11.95% | 4.70% | 18.65% |
| 2018 | 61.18% | 10.83% | 4.90% | 18.66% |
| 2019 | 60.17% | 11.54% | 5.72% | 18.52% |
| 2020 | 55.50% | 12.10% | 5.77% | 19.91% |
| 2021 | 55.62% | 10.87% | 6.10% | 20.54% |
Surveillance operator wage gap by race
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $33,689 |
| White | $34,898 |
| Black or African American | $34,643 |
| Asian | $34,876 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $34,372 |
Average surveillance operator age
See how the average age of surveillance operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Surveillance operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 45 | 41 |
| Unknown | 37.5 | 39 |
| Asian | 45 | 44 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 36 | 36.5 |
| White | 45 | 47 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 38.5 | 37 |
Surveillance operator age breakdown
The average age of surveillance operators is 40+ years years old, representing 56% of the surveillance operator population.
Surveillance operator age breakdown
| Surveillance Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 56% |
| 30-40 years | 21% |
| 20-30 years | 22% |
Surveillance operator educational attainment
- Bachelor's, 38%
- Associate, 25%
- High School Diploma, 22%
- Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Surveillance operators by degree level
| Surveillance operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 38% |
| Associate | 25% |
| High School Diploma | 22% |
| Diploma | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Surveillance operator jobs you might like
Surveillance operator wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $42,845 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $31,593 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $37,021 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $33,486 |
Surveillance operator employment statistics
Most surveillance operators work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where surveillance operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where surveillance operators work.
Surveillance operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 22% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 19% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 22% |
| > 10,000 employees | 16% |
Surveillance operator jobs by company type
Employees with the surveillance operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most surveillance operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Surveillance operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 17% |
| Private | 76% |
| Government | 6% |
Surveillance operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for surveillance operators are hospitality, media and government.
Surveillance operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 52% |
| Media | 8% |
| Government | 6% |
| Retail | 4% |
| Fortune 500 | 4% |
| Utilities | 3% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Surveillance operator turnover and employment statistics
Surveillance operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for surveillance operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Surveillance operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Surveillance operator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 12.24% |
| 2011 | 11.62% |
| 2012 | 10.40% |
| 2013 | 9.08% |
| 2014 | 8.18% |
| 2015 | 7.21% |
| 2016 | 6.47% |
| 2017 | 5.77% |
| 2018 | 5.47% |
| 2019 | 4.75% |
| 2020 | 6.85% |
| 2021 | 7.46% |
Average surveillance operator tenure
The average surveillance operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,498 surveillance operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Surveillance operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 27% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
Surveillance operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of surveillance operators 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Flagger | 3.84% | 6,597 |
| Surveillance Operator | 6.29% | - |
| Loss Prevention Officer | 7.17% | 106,512 |
| Camp Counselor/Lifeguard | 7.20% | 31,219 |
| Cash Shortage Investigator | 8.27% | 5,394 |
| Airport Screener | 15.51% | 2,474 |
Similar surveillance operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Flagger | 3.84% | 6,597 |
| Loss Prevention Officer | 7.17% | 106,512 |
| Camp Counselor/Lifeguard | 7.20% | 31,219 |
| Cash Shortage Investigator | 8.27% | 5,394 |
| Airport Screener | 15.51% | 2,474 |
Foreign languages spoken by surveillance operators
The most common foreign language among surveillance operators is Spanish at 65.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Japanese at 6.9% and French is the third-most popular at 6.9%.
- Spanish, 65.5%
- Japanese, 6.9%
- French, 6.9%
- Korean, 6.9%
- Serbian, 3.4%
- Other, 10.4%
Surveillance operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 65.5% |
| Japanese | 6.9% |
| French | 6.9% |
| Korean | 6.9% |
| Serbian | 3.4% |
| Other | 10.4% |