Child life specialist demographics and statistics in the US
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Child life specialist demographics by:
Child life specialist gender statistics
75.1% of child life specialists are women and 24.9% of child life specialists are men.
- Female, 75.1%
- Male, 24.9%
Child life specialist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 75.1% |
| Male | 24.9% |
Child life specialist gender pay gap
Women earn 93¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$63,268
Female income
$58,564
Child life specialist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in child life specialist positions over time. Currently, 75.1% of child life specialists are female.
Child life specialist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 27.10% | 72.90% |
| 2011 | 23.06% | 76.94% |
| 2012 | 25.04% | 74.96% |
| 2013 | 27.42% | 72.58% |
| 2014 | 23.22% | 76.78% |
| 2015 | 22.00% | 78.00% |
| 2016 | 25.43% | 74.57% |
| 2017 | 25.64% | 74.36% |
| 2018 | 23.54% | 76.46% |
| 2019 | 24.99% | 75.01% |
| 2020 | 24.69% | 75.31% |
| 2021 | 24.93% | 75.07% |
Child life specialist related jobs gender ratio
We compared child life specialists 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% |
| Child Life Specialist | 25% | 75% |
| 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%
Child life specialist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among child life specialists is White, which makes up 60.5% of all child life specialists. Comparatively, 15.6% of child life specialists are Hispanic or Latino and 10.2% of child life specialists are Black or African American.
- White, 60.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 15.6%
- Black or African American, 10.2%
- Asian, 7.0%
- Unknown, 4.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8%
Child life specialist race
| Child life specialist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 60.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 15.6% |
| Black or African American | 10.2% |
| Asian | 7.0% |
| Unknown | 4.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.8% |
Child life specialist race and ethnicity over time
See how child life specialist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Child life specialist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.16% | 14.33% | 5.96% | 11.58% |
| 2011 | 66.70% | 13.60% | 5.75% | 10.88% |
| 2012 | 64.76% | 11.80% | 5.42% | 12.46% |
| 2013 | 63.07% | 13.16% | 6.24% | 12.38% |
| 2014 | 66.45% | 10.26% | 6.59% | 12.93% |
| 2015 | 65.12% | 12.29% | 5.56% | 12.39% |
| 2016 | 64.83% | 12.06% | 6.27% | 12.74% |
| 2017 | 63.11% | 11.90% | 5.82% | 14.33% |
| 2018 | 63.35% | 10.02% | 6.62% | 15.68% |
| 2019 | 63.37% | 11.14% | 6.37% | 15.03% |
| 2020 | 60.35% | 10.62% | 6.10% | 16.09% |
| 2021 | 60.49% | 10.23% | 7.01% | 15.59% |
Child life specialist wage gap by race
According to our data, asian child life specialists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american child life specialists have the lowest average salary at $59,969.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $63,174 |
| White | $61,605 |
| Black or African American | $59,969 |
| Asian | $68,416 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $63,487 |
Average child life specialist age
See how the average age of child life specialists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Child life specialist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 41.5 | 46 |
| Unknown | 40.5 | 40 |
| Asian | 40.5 | 38 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 38 | 37 |
| White | 46 | 44 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 48.5 |
Child life specialist age breakdown
The average age of child life specialists is 40+ years years old, representing 58% of the child life specialist population.
Child life specialist age breakdown
| Child Life Specialist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 58% |
| 30-40 years | 25% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Child life specialist educational attainment
The most common degree for child life specialists is bachelor's degree, with 67% of child life specialists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 11% and master's degree degree at 10%.
- Bachelor's, 67%
- Master's, 11%
- Associate, 10%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Child life specialists by degree level
| Child life specialist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 67% |
| Master's | 11% |
| Associate | 10% |
| High School Diploma | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Child life specialist jobs you might like
Child life specialist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, child life specialists with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $75,078 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, child life specialists earn a median annual income of $64,104 compared to $52,362 for child life specialists with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $75,078 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $51,754 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $64,104 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $52,362 |
Child life specialist employment statistics
Most child life specialists work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where child life specialists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where child life specialists work.
Child life specialist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 15% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 19% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 37% |
| > 10,000 employees | 14% |
Child life specialist jobs by company type
Employees with the child life specialist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most child life specialists prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Child life specialist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 18% |
| Public | 4% |
| Private | 72% |
| Government | 6% |
Child life specialist jobs by industry
The most common industries for child life specialists are health care, education and non profits.
Child life specialist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 58% |
| Education | 12% |
| Non Profits | 5% |
| Government | 4% |
| Fortune 500 | 4% |
| Insurance | 4% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
Child life specialist turnover and employment statistics
Child life specialist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for child life specialists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Child life specialist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Child life specialist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.13% |
| 2011 | 7.37% |
| 2012 | 7.31% |
| 2013 | 6.59% |
| 2014 | 5.50% |
| 2015 | 3.99% |
| 2016 | 3.87% |
| 2017 | 3.26% |
| 2018 | 2.50% |
| 2019 | 2.81% |
| 2020 | 4.13% |
| 2021 | 3.99% |
Average child life specialist tenure
The average child life specialist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,090 child life specialists resumes in Zippia's database.
Child life specialist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 26% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 7% |
Child life specialist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of child life specialists 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sexual Assault Counselor | 8.96% | 75,374 |
| Certified Juvenile Probation Officer | 9.50% | 89,939 |
| Guidance Adviser | 10.75% | 11,305 |
| Criminal Justice Social Worker | 11.25% | 85,917 |
| Child Life Specialist | 11.48% | - |
| Certified Lactation Counselor | 15.06% | 61,633 |
| Mental Health Assistant | 15.06% | 133,248 |
Similar child life specialist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Sexual Assault Counselor | 8.96% | 75,374 |
| Certified Juvenile Probation Officer | 9.50% | 89,939 |
| Guidance Adviser | 10.75% | 11,305 |
| Criminal Justice Social Worker | 11.25% | 85,917 |
| Certified Lactation Counselor | 15.06% | 61,633 |
| Mental Health Assistant | 15.06% | 133,248 |
Foreign languages spoken by child life specialists
The most common foreign language among child life specialists is Spanish at 55.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.9% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 5.4%.
- Spanish, 55.4%
- French, 8.9%
- Arabic, 5.4%
- Korean, 5.4%
- Armenian, 3.6%
- Other, 21.3%
Child life specialist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 55.4% |
| French | 8.9% |
| Arabic | 5.4% |
| Korean | 5.4% |
| Armenian | 3.6% |
| Other | 21.3% |
