Volunteer demographics and statistics in the US
Volunteer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates volunteer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our volunteer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about volunteers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 134,253 volunteers currently employed in the United States.
- 64.0% of all volunteers are women, while 36.0% are men.
- The average volunteer age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of volunteers is White (52.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (19.5%), Black or African American (13.2%) and Asian (7.3%).
- In 2022, women earned 96% of what men earned.
- 11% of all volunteers are LGBT.
- Volunteers are 68% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
On this page
Volunteer demographics by:
Volunteer gender statistics
64.0% of volunteers are women and 36.0% of volunteers are men.
- Female, 64.0%
- Male, 36.0%
Volunteer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 64.0% |
| Male | 36.0% |
Volunteer gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$33,477
Female income
$32,183
Volunteer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in volunteer positions over time. Currently, 64.0% of volunteers are female.
Volunteer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 38.61% | 61.39% |
| 2011 | 33.64% | 66.36% |
| 2012 | 36.10% | 63.90% |
| 2013 | 38.98% | 61.02% |
| 2014 | 33.85% | 66.15% |
| 2015 | 32.30% | 67.70% |
| 2016 | 36.58% | 63.42% |
| 2017 | 36.84% | 63.16% |
| 2018 | 34.24% | 65.76% |
| 2019 | 36.04% | 63.96% |
| 2020 | 35.67% | 64.33% |
| 2021 | 35.96% | 64.04% |
Volunteer related jobs gender ratio
We compared volunteers 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% |
| Volunteer | 36% | 64% |
| 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%
Volunteer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among volunteers is White, which makes up 52.5% of all volunteers. Comparatively, 19.5% of volunteers are Hispanic or Latino and 13.2% of volunteers are Black or African American.
- White, 52.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 19.5%
- Black or African American, 13.2%
- Asian, 7.3%
- Unknown, 5.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.3%
Volunteer race
| Volunteer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 52.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.5% |
| Black or African American | 13.2% |
| Asian | 7.3% |
| Unknown | 5.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 2.3% |
Volunteer race and ethnicity over time
See how volunteer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Volunteer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 57.22% | 17.31% | 6.28% | 15.51% |
| 2011 | 58.76% | 16.58% | 6.07% | 14.82% |
| 2012 | 56.82% | 14.78% | 5.74% | 16.40% |
| 2013 | 55.13% | 16.14% | 6.56% | 16.31% |
| 2014 | 58.50% | 13.24% | 6.91% | 16.87% |
| 2015 | 57.18% | 15.27% | 5.88% | 16.32% |
| 2016 | 56.89% | 15.04% | 6.59% | 16.67% |
| 2017 | 55.17% | 14.89% | 6.14% | 18.27% |
| 2018 | 55.40% | 13.00% | 6.94% | 19.62% |
| 2019 | 55.43% | 14.12% | 6.70% | 18.96% |
| 2020 | 52.41% | 13.60% | 6.42% | 20.03% |
| 2021 | 52.54% | 13.21% | 7.33% | 19.53% |
Volunteer wage gap by race
According to our data, asian volunteers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american volunteers have the lowest average salary at $32,575.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $33,451 |
| White | $33,025 |
| Black or African American | $32,575 |
| Asian | $34,839 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $33,535 |
Average volunteer age
See how the average age of volunteers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Volunteer 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 |
Volunteer age breakdown
The average age of volunteers is 40+ years years old, representing 58% of the volunteer population.
Volunteer age breakdown
| Volunteer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 58% |
| 30-40 years | 25% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Volunteer educational attainment
The most common degree for volunteers is bachelor's degree, with 61% of volunteers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 15% and associate degree degree at 11%.
- Bachelor's, 61%
- Associate, 15%
- High School Diploma, 11%
- Master's, 8%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Volunteers by degree level
| Volunteer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 61% |
| Associate | 15% |
| High School Diploma | 11% |
| Master's | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Volunteer jobs you might like
Volunteer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, volunteers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $36,530 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, volunteers earn a median annual income of $33,701 compared to $30,397 for volunteers with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $36,530 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $30,217 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $33,701 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $30,397 |
Volunteer employment statistics
Most volunteers work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where volunteers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where volunteers work.
Volunteer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 19% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 25% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 26% |
| > 10,000 employees | 13% |
Volunteer jobs by company type
Employees with the volunteer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most volunteers prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Volunteer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 13% |
| Public | 6% |
| Private | 68% |
| Government | 13% |
Volunteer jobs by industry
The most common industries for volunteers are health care, non profits and education.
Volunteer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 34% |
| Non Profits | 30% |
| Education | 7% |
| Government | 6% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Volunteer turnover and employment statistics
Volunteer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for volunteers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Volunteer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Volunteer 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 volunteer tenure
The average volunteer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 544,263 volunteers resumes in Zippia's database.
Volunteer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 39% |
| 1-2 years | 27% |
| 3-4 years | 10% |
| 5-7 years | 11% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Volunteer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of volunteers 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 |
| Family Preservation Officer | 9.50% | 68,575 |
| Trained Counselor | 10.75% | 27,923 |
| Sexual Assault Social Worker | 11.25% | 42,731 |
| Volunteer | 11.48% | - |
| Relief Counselor | 15.06% | 32,787 |
| Mental Health Technician Lead | 15.06% | 127,535 |
Similar volunteer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| HIV Counselor | 8.96% | 34,058 |
| Family Preservation Officer | 9.50% | 68,575 |
| Trained Counselor | 10.75% | 27,923 |
| Sexual Assault Social Worker | 11.25% | 42,731 |
| Relief Counselor | 15.06% | 32,787 |
| Mental Health Technician Lead | 15.06% | 127,535 |
Foreign languages spoken by volunteers
The most common foreign language among volunteers is Spanish at 49.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 10.7% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 5.9%.
- Spanish, 49.7%
- French, 10.7%
- Chinese, 5.9%
- Mandarin, 5.3%
- German, 3.1%
- Other, 25.3%
Volunteer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 49.7% |
| French | 10.7% |
| Chinese | 5.9% |
| Mandarin | 5.3% |
| German | 3.1% |
| Other | 25.3% |
