Systems operator demographics and statistics in the US
Systems operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates systems operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our systems operator estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about systems operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 26,940 systems operators currently employed in the United States.
- 21.8% of all systems operators are women, while 78.2% are men.
- The average systems operator age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of systems operators is White (64.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.5%), Black or African American (8.8%) and Asian (8.8%).
- Systems operators are most in-demand in Indianapolis, IN.
- San Diego, CA pays an annual average wage of $47,789, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women systems operators earned 94% of what men earned.
- Alaska is the best state for systems operators to live.
- Systems operators are 49% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Systems operator demographics by:
Systems operator gender statistics
21.8% of systems operators are women and 78.2% of systems operators are men.
- Male, 78.2%
- Female, 21.8%
Systems operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 78.2% |
| Female | 21.8% |
Systems operator gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$39,024
Female income
$36,627
Systems operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in systems operator positions over time. Currently, 21.8% of systems operators are female.
Systems operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 74.08% | 25.92% |
| 2011 | 73.97% | 26.03% |
| 2012 | 71.67% | 28.33% |
| 2013 | 74.53% | 25.47% |
| 2014 | 74.42% | 25.58% |
| 2015 | 74.82% | 25.18% |
| 2016 | 74.00% | 26.00% |
| 2017 | 71.77% | 28.23% |
| 2018 | 76.89% | 23.11% |
| 2019 | 74.29% | 25.71% |
| 2020 | 77.33% | 22.67% |
| 2021 | 78.18% | 21.82% |
Systems operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared systems operators with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, dell certified systems expert and software applications architect have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Informatics Nurse Specialist | 13% | 87% |
| Clinical Support Specialist | 22% | 78% |
| Clinic Administrator | 23% | 77% |
| Systems Operator | 78% | 22% |
| Senior Data Center Engineer | 98% | 2% |
| Software Applications Architect | 98% | 2% |
| Dell Certified Systems Expert | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Systems operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among systems operators is White, which makes up 64.5% of all systems operators. Comparatively, 12.5% of systems operators are Hispanic or Latino and 8.8% of systems operators are Black or African American.
- White, 64.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.5%
- Black or African American, 8.8%
- Asian, 8.8%
- Unknown, 5.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Systems operator race
| Systems operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 64.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.5% |
| Black or African American | 8.8% |
| Asian | 8.8% |
| Unknown | 5.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Systems operator race and ethnicity over time
See how systems operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Systems operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 69.65% | 10.25% | 7.96% | 9.74% |
| 2011 | 69.74% | 9.92% | 8.06% | 9.97% |
| 2012 | 68.87% | 9.35% | 8.64% | 10.30% |
| 2013 | 69.68% | 10.41% | 8.18% | 9.23% |
| 2014 | 68.08% | 10.36% | 8.88% | 10.12% |
| 2015 | 68.35% | 8.98% | 7.72% | 11.84% |
| 2016 | 68.02% | 10.38% | 8.88% | 9.98% |
| 2017 | 67.37% | 9.79% | 9.37% | 10.91% |
| 2018 | 66.39% | 10.27% | 8.57% | 11.32% |
| 2019 | 66.50% | 10.32% | 8.23% | 11.46% |
| 2020 | 64.06% | 8.55% | 8.67% | 13.44% |
| 2021 | 64.45% | 8.84% | 8.78% | 12.53% |
Systems operator wage gap by race
According to our data, asian systems operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White systems operators have the lowest average salary at $37,784.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $38,845 |
| White | $37,784 |
| Black or African American | $38,015 |
| Asian | $42,085 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $38,541 |
Average systems operator age
See how the average age of systems operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Systems operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 41 | |
| White | 42 | 47 |
| Black or African American | 44 | 43.5 |
| Asian | 45 | 48 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 38 | 40.5 |
Systems operator age breakdown
The average age of systems operators is 40+ years years old, representing 60% of the systems operator population.
Systems operator age breakdown
| Systems Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 60% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 8% |
Systems operator educational attainment
The most common degree for systems operators is bachelor's degree, with 43% of systems operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 28% and associate degree degree at 16%.
- Bachelor's, 43%
- Associate, 28%
- High School Diploma, 16%
- Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Systems operators by degree level
| Systems operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 43% |
| Associate | 28% |
| High School Diploma | 16% |
| Diploma | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Systems operator jobs you might like
Systems operator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, systems operators with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $42,652 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, systems operators earn a median annual income of $41,237 compared to $37,535 for systems operators with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $42,652 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $37,080 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $41,237 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $37,535 |
Systems operator employment statistics
Most systems operators work for a private in the technology industry.
Company size where systems operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where systems operators work.
Systems operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 9% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 17% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 23% |
| > 10,000 employees | 37% |
Systems operator jobs by company type
Employees with the systems operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most systems operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Systems operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 6% |
| Public | 35% |
| Private | 49% |
| Government | 10% |
Systems operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for systems operators are technology, manufacturing and government.
Systems operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Fortune 500 | 18% |
| Technology | 12% |
| Manufacturing | 10% |
| Government | 7% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Utilities | 5% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Retail | 4% |
| Energy | 4% |
| Education | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
Systems operator turnover and employment statistics
Systems operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for systems operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Systems operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Systems operator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.00% |
| 2011 | 3.88% |
| 2012 | 3.29% |
| 2013 | 3.35% |
| 2014 | 2.81% |
| 2015 | 2.68% |
| 2016 | 2.27% |
| 2017 | 2.77% |
| 2018 | 2.33% |
| 2019 | 2.71% |
| 2020 | 2.42% |
| 2021 | 2.37% |
Average systems operator tenure
The average systems operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 8,529 systems operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Systems operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 12% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 24% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 11% |
Systems operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of systems 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Communications Systems Engineer | 7.31% | 105,092 |
| Enterprise Records Analyst | 8.42% | 44,636 |
| Access Developer | 8.46% | 89,032 |
| Data Security Analyst | 8.59% | 145,078 |
| Systems Operator | 9.03% | - |
| Director Of Online Marketing Strategy & Performance | 10.54% | 86,695 |
| Department Technician | 10.88% | 73,996 |
Similar systems operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications Systems Engineer | 7.31% | 105,092 |
| Enterprise Records Analyst | 8.42% | 44,636 |
| Access Developer | 8.46% | 89,032 |
| Data Security Analyst | 8.59% | 145,078 |
| Director Of Online Marketing Strategy & Performance | 10.54% | 86,695 |
| Department Technician | 10.88% | 73,996 |
Foreign languages spoken by systems operators
The most common foreign language among systems operators is Spanish at 52.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is German at 5.3% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 4.8%.
- Spanish, 52.1%
- German, 5.3%
- Chinese, 4.8%
- French, 4.8%
- Carrier, 4.3%
- Other, 28.7%
Systems operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 52.1% |
| German | 5.3% |
| Chinese | 4.8% |
| French | 4.8% |
| Carrier | 4.3% |
| Other | 28.7% |
