New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - September 10, 2025) - Analysis by OysterLink of July 2025 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reveals a demographic shift among young workers (ages 16-24) in the hospitality sector. While overall employment in the industry fell, the number of Black or African American youth employed grew by 15%, marking a key change in representation.

Young workers in hospitality by race, ethnicity.

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The leisure and hospitality industry employed 5.36 million young workers in July 2025, down from 5.52 million in July 2024 - a net loss of 160,000 jobs. Yet within this contraction, Black youth employment rose from 654,000 to 752,000, making it the only major racial group to see notable gains.

In contrast, White youth employment in hospitality dropped nearly 300,000 year-over-year. Hispanic or Latino employment remained unchanged at 1.22 million.

Table 1. Young workers (16-24) in leisure and hospitality by race/ethnicity (unit: thousands)

Why This Matters

Black youth employment in hospitality grew even as the sector overall contracted, underscoring both resilience and rising participation in a key entry-level industry. Meanwhile, White youth employment declined sharply, with nearly 300,000 fewer workers compared to last year.

Hispanic and Latino workers continue to represent a cornerstone of the workforce, making up more than one in five young hospitality workers nationwide, while Asian youth saw only slight gains.

Because hospitality is the single largest youth employer in the country, these shifts not only affect today's labor market but also foreshadow how workforce pipelines, diversity efforts, and recruitment strategies may evolve in the years ahead.

About OysterLink

OysterLink is a job platform for restaurant and hospitality professionals with over 400,000 monthly visitors. OysterLink connects talent with opportunities across the U.S., including the top server jobs in New York City or bartender jobs in Los Angeles.       

The platform also offers trend reports, expert insights, and interviews with leaders in hospitality. To explore more data-driven insights or post a job that works for today's talent, visit www.oysterlink.com.   

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