Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for volunteers in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- There are over 137,076 volunteers currently employed in the United States.
- 64.0% of all volunteers are women, while 36.0% are men.
- The average age of an employed volunteer is 42 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of volunteers is White (55.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (19.0%), Black or African American (14.1%) and Asian (6.7).
- In 2021, women earned 99% of what men earned.
- 13% of all volunteers are LGBT.
- Volunteers are 58% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
Volunteer Statistics By Gender
64.0% of volunteers are women and 36.0% of volunteers are men.
- Female, 64.0%
- Male, 36.0%
Volunteers By Gender
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 64.0% |
| Male | 36.0% |
Gender Pay Gap For Volunteer
Women Earn 99¢ For Every $1 Earned By Men
Volunteer Gender Over Time
This data shows how men and women predominate in the volunteer position over time.
Volunteer Gender By Year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 40.17% | 59.83% |
| 2011 | 35.12% | 64.88% |
| 2012 | 37.63% | 62.37% |
| 2013 | 40.55% | 59.45% |
| 2014 | 35.33% | 64.67% |
| 2015 | 33.75% | 66.25% |
| 2016 | 38.11% | 61.89% |
| 2017 | 38.38% | 61.62% |
| 2018 | 35.73% | 64.27% |
| 2019 | 37.56% | 62.44% |
Volunteer Male to Female Ratio
We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, public health worker and rehabilitation engineer have the biggest difference in gender.
| 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% |
Volunteer Statistics By Race
The most common ethnicity among volunteers is White, which makes up 55.4% of all volunteers. Comparatively, there are 19.0% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 14.1% of the Black or African American ethnicity.
- White, 55.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 19.0%
- Black or African American, 14.1%
- Asian, 6.7%
- Unknown, 2.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.0%
Volunteer Race
| Volunteer Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 55.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.0% |
| Black or African American | 14.1% |
| Asian | 6.7% |
| Unknown | 2.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 2.0% |
Volunteer Race And Ethnicity Over Time
Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among volunteers.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Volunteer Race 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% |
Volunteer Wage Gap By Race
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $23,728 |
| White | $23,336 |
| Black or African American | $23,501 |
| Asian | $24,208 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $23,390 |
Volunteer JOBS
Average Age of a Volunteer
We determined the average age of volunteers based on ethnicity and gender.
Volunteer Age By Race
| Race | Male Age | Female Age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 40 | 44 |
| Unknown | 38 | |
| Asian | 39 | 46 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 40.5 | 39 |
| White | 43 | 44 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 39.5 |
Volunteer Age Breakdown
This chart breaks down the ages of volunteer employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of volunteers is 40+ years old, which represents 57% of the population.
Volunteer Age
| Volunteer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 57% |
| 30-40 years | 26% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Types of Volunteer Degree Levels
The most common degree for volunteers is bachelor's degree 61% of volunteers earn that degree. A close second is associate degree with 15% and rounding it off is high school diploma with 11%.
- Bachelors, 61%
- Associate, 15%
- High School Diploma, 11%
- Masters, 8%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Volunteers By Education
| Volunteer Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelors | 61% |
| Associate | 15% |
| High School Diploma | 11% |
| Masters | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Volunteer Jobs You Might Like
Volunteer Wage Gap By Education
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $23,294 |
| Master's Degree | $25,217 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $24,212 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $23,536 |
Volunteer Employment Statistics
This section highlights information about where volunteers work. We found most volunteers work for a private company. In addition, the industry that employs the most volunteers is the health care industry.
Company Size
We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire volunteers.
Volunteer Jobs By Employer Size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 5% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 14% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 14% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 44% |
| > 10,000 employees | 18% |
The Types Of Companies Volunteer Work In
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 | 17% |
| Public | 12% |
| Private | 58% |
| Government | 13% |
Top Industries Hiring Volunteers
Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ volunteers. Those industries include health care, non profits and education.
Volunteer Industry Statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 43% |
| Non Profits | 21% |
| Education | 6% |
| Government | 6% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
Volunteer Turnover And Employment Statistics
Volunteer Unemployment Rate Over Time
The Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of volunteers changed.
- Unemployment rate
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% |
The Average Number of Years That Volunteer Stay in a Job
By looking over 544,263 volunteers resumes, we figured out that the average volunteer enjoys staying at their job for Less than 1 year for a percentage of 39%.
Volunteer Tenure
| Number or 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% |
Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Volunteers with Other Job Titles
After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to volunteers.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Disability Counselor | 8.30% | 27,982 |
| Volunteer | 13.09% | |
| Grief Counselor | 13.47% | 27,537 |
| Welfare Adviser | 14.20% | 11,336 |
| Rehabilitation Specialist | 18.25% | 29,177 |
| Nephrology Social Worker | 19.71% | 43,290 |
| Senior Clinician | 22.96% | 32,129 |
Volunteer LGBT Demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Disability Counselor | 8.30% | 27,982 |
| Grief Counselor | 13.47% | 27,537 |
| Welfare Adviser | 14.20% | 11,336 |
| Rehabilitation Specialist | 18.25% | 29,177 |
| Nephrology Social Worker | 19.71% | 43,290 |
| Senior Clinician | 22.96% | 32,129 |
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% |
