Waitress demographics and statistics in the US
Waitress demographics research summary. Zippia estimates waitress demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our waitress estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about waitresses after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 1,609,224 waitresses currently employed in the United States.
- 80.1% of all waitresses are women, while 19.9% are men.
- The average waitress age is 28 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of waitresses is White (53.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (20.2%), Black or African American (11.9%) and Asian (8.6%).
- Waitresses are most in-demand in Austin, TX.
- The hospitality industry is the highest-paying for waitresses.
- 6% of all waitresses are LGBT.
On this page
Waitress demographics by:
Waitress gender statistics
80.1% of waitresses are women and 19.9% of waitresses are men.
- Female, 80.1%
- Male, 19.9%
Waitress gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 80.1% |
| Male | 19.9% |
Waitress gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$25,743
Female income
$24,954
Waitress gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in waitress positions over time. Currently, 80.1% of waitresses are female.
Waitress gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 17.68% | 82.32% |
| 2011 | 17.81% | 82.19% |
| 2012 | 18.07% | 81.93% |
| 2013 | 18.97% | 81.03% |
| 2014 | 18.73% | 81.27% |
| 2015 | 19.31% | 80.69% |
| 2016 | 20.63% | 79.37% |
| 2017 | 19.87% | 80.13% |
| 2018 | 19.84% | 80.16% |
| 2019 | 19.75% | 80.25% |
| 2020 | 20.46% | 79.54% |
| 2021 | 19.88% | 80.12% |
Waitress related jobs gender ratio
We compared waitresses with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, busboy/waiter and host/waiter have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Barmaid | 5% | 95% |
| Head Waitress | 5% | 95% |
| Bartender, Cook, And Waitress | 5% | 95% |
| Waitress | 20% | 80% |
| Bar Back & Bartender | 86% | 14% |
| Host/Waiter | 90% | 10% |
| Busboy/Waiter | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Waitress demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among waitresses is White, which makes up 53.2% of all waitresses. Comparatively, 20.2% of waitresses are Hispanic or Latino and 11.9% of waitresses are Black or African American.
- White, 53.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 20.2%
- Black or African American, 11.9%
- Asian, 8.6%
- Unknown, 5.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Waitress race
| Waitress race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 53.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20.2% |
| Black or African American | 11.9% |
| Asian | 8.6% |
| Unknown | 5.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Waitress race and ethnicity over time
See how waitress racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Waitress race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.36% | 11.01% | 5.65% | 15.27% |
| 2011 | 64.01% | 12.06% | 5.95% | 15.18% |
| 2012 | 63.32% | 11.88% | 6.17% | 15.67% |
| 2013 | 62.67% | 11.66% | 6.16% | 16.59% |
| 2014 | 61.96% | 11.44% | 6.59% | 16.77% |
| 2015 | 59.75% | 11.76% | 6.82% | 18.23% |
| 2016 | 59.48% | 11.81% | 6.86% | 18.21% |
| 2017 | 58.95% | 11.81% | 6.92% | 18.63% |
| 2018 | 57.85% | 12.14% | 7.44% | 19.06% |
| 2019 | 58.66% | 11.72% | 7.64% | 18.46% |
| 2020 | 54.38% | 12.48% | 7.86% | 19.59% |
| 2021 | 53.22% | 11.86% | 8.59% | 20.23% |
Waitress wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino waitresses have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american waitresses have the lowest average salary at $25,223.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $25,695 |
| White | $25,737 |
| Black or African American | $25,223 |
| Asian | $25,777 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $26,294 |
Average waitress age
See how the average age of waitresses varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Waitress age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 24 | 25 |
| Unknown | 24 | 24 |
| Asian | 28 | 32 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 26 | 26 |
| White | 24 | 25 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 31 | 25 |
Waitress age breakdown
The average age of waitresses is 20-30 years years old, representing 48% of the waitress population.
Waitress age breakdown
| Waitress Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 15% |
| 30-40 years | 20% |
| 20-30 years | 48% |
Waitress educational attainment
The most common degree for waitresses is high school diploma, with 36% of waitresses earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 33% and bachelor's degree degree at 18%.
- High School Diploma, 36%
- Bachelor's, 33%
- Associate, 18%
- Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Waitresses by degree level
| Waitress degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 36% |
| Bachelor's | 33% |
| Associate | 18% |
| Diploma | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Waitress jobs you might like
Waitress wage gap by degree level
According to the data, waitresses with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $28,531 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, waitresses earn a median annual income of $27,671 compared to $26,430 for waitresses with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $28,531 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $25,245 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $27,671 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $26,430 |
Waitress employment statistics
Most waitresses work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where waitresses work
Below, you can see the size of companies where waitresses work.
Waitress jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 11% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 13% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 19% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 30% |
| > 10,000 employees | 18% |
Waitress jobs by company type
Employees with the waitress job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most waitresses prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Waitress jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 17% |
| Private | 82% |
Waitress jobs by industry
The most common industries for waitresses are hospitality, manufacturing and retail.
Waitress industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 65% |
| Manufacturing | 8% |
| Retail | 6% |
| Media | 4% |
| Fortune 500 | 4% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Professional | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
Waitress turnover and employment statistics
Waitress unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for waitresses between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Waitress unemployment rate by year
| Year | Waitress unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 12.70% |
| 2011 | 12.69% |
| 2012 | 11.74% |
| 2013 | 10.91% |
| 2014 | 9.64% |
| 2015 | 7.91% |
| 2016 | 7.56% |
| 2017 | 7.32% |
| 2018 | 6.98% |
| 2019 | 6.26% |
| 2020 | 13.68% |
| 2021 | 12.67% |
Average waitress tenure
The average waitress stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 276,464 waitresses resumes in Zippia's database.
Waitress tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 39% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 10% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 4% |
Waitress LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of waitresses 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Waitress | 6.48% | - |
| Room Service Bellhop | 6.98% | 25,293 |
| Taproom Attendant | 7.82% | 44,552 |
| Cafe Worker | 7.82% | 21,033 |
Similar waitress jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Room Service Bellhop | 6.98% | 25,293 |
| Taproom Attendant | 7.82% | 44,552 |
| Cafe Worker | 7.82% | 21,033 |
Foreign languages spoken by waitresses
The most common foreign language among waitresses is Spanish at 62.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 7.0% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 4.2%.
- Spanish, 62.0%
- French, 7.0%
- Chinese, 4.2%
- Mandarin, 3.6%
- Italian, 2.7%
- Other, 20.5%
Waitress languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 62.0% |
| French | 7.0% |
| Chinese | 4.2% |
| Mandarin | 3.6% |
| Italian | 2.7% |
| Other | 20.5% |
