Peer counselor demographics and statistics in the US
Peer counselor demographics research summary. Zippia estimates peer counselor demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our peer counselor estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about peer counselors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 4,030 peer counselors currently employed in the United States.
- 67.0% of all peer counselors are women, while 33.0% are men.
- The average peer counselor age is 41 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of peer counselors is White (67.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (14.2%), Black or African American (10.6%) and Unknown (3.8%).
- Peer counselors are most in-demand in Vancouver, WA.
- The education industry is the highest-paying for peer counselors.
- 11% of all peer counselors are LGBT.
On this page
Peer counselor demographics by:
Peer counselor gender statistics
67.0% of peer counselors are women and 33.0% of peer counselors are men.
- Female, 67.0%
- Male, 33.0%
Peer counselor gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 67.0% |
| Male | 33.0% |
Peer counselor gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$33,154
Female income
$32,400
Peer counselor gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in peer counselor positions over time. Currently, 67.0% of peer counselors are female.
Peer counselor gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 43.42% | 56.58% |
| 2011 | 41.62% | 58.38% |
| 2012 | 41.38% | 58.62% |
| 2013 | 41.11% | 58.89% |
| 2014 | 40.00% | 60.00% |
| 2015 | 40.08% | 59.92% |
| 2016 | 38.80% | 61.20% |
| 2017 | 37.97% | 62.03% |
| 2018 | 33.63% | 66.37% |
| 2019 | 35.14% | 64.86% |
| 2020 | 31.08% | 68.92% |
| 2021 | 32.97% | 67.03% |
Peer counselor related jobs gender ratio
We compared peer counselors 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% |
| Peer Counselor | 33% | 67% |
| 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%
Peer counselor demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among peer counselors is White, which makes up 67.0% of all peer counselors. Comparatively, 14.2% of peer counselors are Hispanic or Latino and 10.6% of peer counselors are Black or African American.
- White, 67.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 14.2%
- Black or African American, 10.6%
- Unknown, 3.8%
- Asian, 3.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Peer counselor race
| Peer counselor race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 67.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.2% |
| Black or African American | 10.6% |
| Unknown | 3.8% |
| Asian | 3.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Peer counselor race and ethnicity over time
See how peer counselor racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Peer counselor race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 70.45% | 15.69% | 2.72% | 8.31% |
| 2011 | 69.57% | 15.56% | 2.82% | 8.79% |
| 2012 | 68.76% | 15.46% | 2.62% | 9.65% |
| 2013 | 69.18% | 15.73% | 2.66% | 9.33% |
| 2014 | 68.78% | 15.39% | 2.79% | 9.76% |
| 2015 | 69.46% | 14.13% | 3.09% | 10.11% |
| 2016 | 68.87% | 14.04% | 2.98% | 10.56% |
| 2017 | 69.66% | 14.06% | 2.85% | 10.41% |
| 2018 | 70.75% | 10.81% | 4.54% | 11.44% |
| 2019 | 69.83% | 12.09% | 4.04% | 11.42% |
| 2020 | 68.46% | 10.85% | 3.30% | 12.57% |
| 2021 | 67.03% | 10.64% | 3.74% | 14.20% |
Peer counselor wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino peer counselors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american peer counselors have the lowest average salary at $32,367.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $32,711 |
| White | $32,777 |
| Black or African American | $32,367 |
| Asian | $33,622 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $34,331 |
Average peer counselor age
See how the average age of peer counselors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Peer counselor age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 44 | 44 |
| Unknown | 40 | 43.5 |
| Asian | 40 | 38 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 38.5 | 39 |
| White | 41 | 42 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 48 |
Peer counselor age breakdown
The average age of peer counselors is 40+ years years old, representing 55% of the peer counselor population.
Peer counselor age breakdown
| Peer Counselor Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 55% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 14% |
Peer counselor educational attainment
The most common degree for peer counselors is bachelor's degree, with 61% of peer counselors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 16% and associate degree degree at 9%.
- Bachelor's, 61%
- Associate, 16%
- High School Diploma, 9%
- Master's, 8%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Peer counselors by degree level
| Peer counselor degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 61% |
| Associate | 16% |
| High School Diploma | 9% |
| Master's | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Peer counselor jobs you might like
Peer counselor wage gap by degree level
According to the data, peer counselors with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $43,387 annually. With a Master's degree, peer counselors earn a median annual income of $42,382 compared to $35,049 for peer counselors with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $42,382 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $35,049 |
| Doctorate Degree | $43,387 |
Peer counselor employment statistics
Most peer counselors work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where peer counselors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where peer counselors work.
Peer counselor jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 29% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 12% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 31% |
| > 10,000 employees | 6% |
Peer counselor jobs by company type
Employees with the peer counselor job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most peer counselors prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Peer counselor jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 60% |
| Public | 1% |
| Private | 28% |
| Government | 11% |
Peer counselor jobs by industry
The most common industries for peer counselors are education, health care and non profits.
Peer counselor industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 45% |
| Health Care | 19% |
| Non Profits | 12% |
| Government | 8% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
Peer counselor turnover and employment statistics
Peer counselor unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for peer counselors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Peer counselor unemployment rate by year
| Year | Peer counselor unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.18% |
| 2011 | 5.42% |
| 2012 | 4.84% |
| 2013 | 4.91% |
| 2014 | 3.67% |
| 2015 | 3.13% |
| 2016 | 3.01% |
| 2017 | 2.42% |
| 2018 | 2.05% |
| 2019 | 1.74% |
| 2020 | 2.08% |
| 2021 | 2.02% |
Average peer counselor tenure
The average peer counselor stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 4,660 peer counselors resumes in Zippia's database.
Peer counselor tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 32% |
| 1-2 years | 40% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 9% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 4% |
Peer counselor LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of peer counselors 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 |
|---|---|---|
| HIV Counselor | 8.96% | 34,058 |
| Attendance Officer | 9.50% | 55,661 |
| Peer Counselor | 10.75% | - |
| Welfare Adviser | 11.25% | 11,336 |
| Counselor/Case Manager | 11.48% | 88,285 |
| Pre-Parole Counseling Aide | 15.06% | 43,059 |
| Crisis Intervention Specialist | 15.06% | 80,817 |
Similar peer counselor jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| HIV Counselor | 8.96% | 34,058 |
| Attendance Officer | 9.50% | 55,661 |
| Welfare Adviser | 11.25% | 11,336 |
| Counselor/Case Manager | 11.48% | 88,285 |
| Pre-Parole Counseling Aide | 15.06% | 43,059 |
| Crisis Intervention Specialist | 15.06% | 80,817 |
Foreign languages spoken by peer counselors
The most common foreign language among peer counselors is Spanish at 59.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 9.1% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 5.5%.
- Spanish, 59.7%
- French, 9.1%
- Chinese, 5.5%
- Mandarin, 4.4%
- Arabic, 3.1%
- Other, 18.2%
Peer counselor languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 59.7% |
| French | 9.1% |
| Chinese | 5.5% |
| Mandarin | 4.4% |
| Arabic | 3.1% |
| Other | 18.2% |
