NRFC 

Quick Statistics 

National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse  101 Lake Forest Boulevard, Suite 360  Gaithersburg, MD 20877 

 Toll-free: 1 (877) 4DAD411  Fax: (301) 948-4325  www.fatherhood.gov  March 2008 

Fathers and Child Support 

Frequency of Contributions of Child Support in the Last 12 Months (Nonresident Fathers 

Ages 20-44 with Children under 19) by Poverty Level, 2002 

Percent of Poverty Level 

Number of 

Men (000s) 

Did not 

contribute 

Contributed 

once in a while 

Contributed on 

a regular basis 

Total* 7,405 15.3% 8.9% 75.8% 

0-149 percent 2,366 23.9% 11.7% 64.4% 

150-299 percent 2,049 11.7% 12.6% 75.6% 

300 percent or higher 2,890 11.1% 3.7% 85.2% 

*Poverty level data is limited to men aged 20-44. “Total” category includes men 15-44. 

Source: Martinez GM, Chandra A., Abma JC, Jones J, Mosher WD. Fertility, Contraception, and Fatherhood: Data on Men and 

Women From Cycle 6 (2002) of the National Survey of Family Growth. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 

23(26). 2006. 

• Overall, three-quarters (75.8 percent) of nonresident fathers with children under 19 years 

of age reported paying child support on a regular basis. 

• Fathers living below 150 percent of the poverty line were less likely than non-poor 

fathers to report paying child support on a regular basis (64.4 percent as compared to 

75.6 percent for those living between 150-299 percent and 85.2 percent for living at 300 

percent or higher). 

Frequency of Contributions of Child Support in the Last 12 Months (Nonresident Fathers 

Ages 15-44 with Children under 19) by Labor Force Status 2002 

Labor Force Status 

Number of 

Men (000s) 

Did not 

contribute 

Contributed 

once in a while 

Contributed on 

a regular basis 

Total 7,405 15.3% 8.9% 75.8% 

Full time 5,186 14.9% 6.2% 78.9% 

Other* 2,219 16.3% 15.3% 68.4% 

*Other includes fathers employed part-time and unemployed fathers 

Source: Martinez GM, Chandra A., Abma JC, Jones J, Mosher WD. Fertility, Contraception, and Fatherhood: Data on Men and 

Women From Cycle 6 (2002) of the National Survey of Family Growth. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 

23(26). 2006. 

• In 2002, fathers working full time in the labor force were more likely than those that were 

not to report paying child support on a regular basis over the past 12 months (78.9 

percent as compared to 68.4 percent). 
 

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NRFC Quick Statistics 

Fathers and Child Support 

Frequency of Contributions of Child Support in the Last 12 Months (Nonresident Fathers 

Ages 20-44 with Children under 19), by Educational Attainment 2002 

Educational Attainment 

Number of 

Men (000s) 

Did not 

contribute 

Contributed 

once in a while 

Contributed on 

a regular basis 

Total* 7,405 15.3% 8.9% 75.8% 

No high school diploma or GED 1,577 20.2% 12.3% 67.5% 

High school diploma or GED 2,992 17.7% 6.8% 75.5% 

Some college or higher 2,545 10.4% 8.3% 81.3% 

*Education data only available for men ages 20-44. “Total” category includes men ages 15-44. 

Source: Martinez GM, Chandra A., Abma JC, Jones J, Mosher WD. Fertility, Contraception, and Fatherhood: Data on Men and 

Women From Cycle 6 (2002) of the National Survey of Family Growth. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 

23(26). 2006. 

• The frequency with which fathers pay child support increases with educational 

attainment. In 2002, those who had completed at least some college were the most 

likely to pay child support on a regular basis (81.3 percent), followed by those with a high 

school diploma or GED (75.5 percent). Fathers with no high school diploma or GED 

were the least likely to pay child support on a regular basis (67.5 percent). 

Frequency of Contributions of Child Support in the Last 12 Months (Nonresident Fathers 

Ages 15-44 with Children under 19), by Age 2002 

Age 

Number of 

Men (000s) 

Did not 

contribute 

Contributed 

once in a while 

Contributed on 

a regular basis 

Total 7,405 15.3% 8.9% 75.8% 

15-29 years 1,555 18.6% 7.6% 73.8% 

30-44 years 5,850 14.5% 9.3% 76.3% 

Source: Martinez GM, Chandra A., Abma JC, Jones J, Mosher WD. Fertility, Contraception, and Fatherhood: Data on Men and 

Women From Cycle 6 (2002) of the National Survey of Family Growth. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 

23(26). 2006. 

• In 2002, about 3 in 4 nonresidential fathers (75.8 percent) reported paying child support 

on a regular basis. The differences in the frequency of contributions between older and 

younger men were slight. 
 

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NRFC Quick Statistics 

Fathers and Child Support 

Average Amount of Child Support Paid in the Last 12 Months (Nonresident Fathers Ages 

20-44 with Children under 19), by Poverty Level 2002 

Amount Paid 

Percent of Poverty 

Level 

Number 

of Men 

(000s) 

Median 

Amount of 

Child Support 

$3,000 or 

less 

$3,001-

$5,000 

$5,001-

$9,000 

More than 

$9,000 

Total* 7,405 $4,250 36.0% 22.9% 23.5% 17.6% 

0-149 percent 2,366 $3,000 51.5% 18.5% 19.2% 10.8% 

150-299 percent 2,049 $3,600 44.5% 23.7% 19.0% 12.7% 

300 percent or higher 2,890 $5,800 17.6% 25.5% 30.7% 26.2% 

*Poverty level data is limited to men aged 20-44. “Total” category includes men 15-44. 

Source: Martinez GM, Chandra A., Abma JC, Jones J, Mosher WD. Fertility, Contraception, and Fatherhood: Data on Men and 

Women From Cycle 6 (2002) of the National Survey of Family Growth. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 

23(26). 2006. 

• In 2002, the median amount of child support paid in the last 12 months by nonresident 

fathers with children under 19 years of age was $4,250. 

• The median payment for men living at 300 percent of the poverty level or higher was 

$5,800, $2,200 more than fathers living between 150 and 299 percent of the poverty 

level, and $2,800 more than fathers living below 150 percent of the poverty level. 

• Just over half (51.5 percent) of fathers living below 150 percent of the poverty level paid 

$3,000 or less in child support over the last 12 months. By comparison, only 17.6 

percent of men living at 300 percent or higher of the poverty level paid $3,000 or less. 
 

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NRFC Quick Statistics 

Fathers and Child Support 

Average Amount of Child Support Paid in the Last 12 Months (Nonresident Fathers Ages 

20-44 with Children under 19), by Educational Attainment 2002 

Amount Paid 

Educational 

Attainment 

Number 

of Men 

(000s) 

Median Amount 

of Child Support 

$3,000 or 

less 

$3,001-

$5,000 

$5,001-

$9,000 

More than 

$9,000 

Total* 7,405 $4,250 36.0% 22.9% 23.5% 17.6% 

No high school 

diploma or GED 1,577 $3,000 50.5% 17.5% 24.3% 7.7% 

High school 

diploma or GED 2,992 $4,500 36.2% 25.4% 23.2% 15.2% 

Some college or 

higher 2,545 $5,000 27.6% 22.7% 23.9% 25.7% 

*Education data is limited to men aged 20-44. “Total” category includes men 15-44. 

Source: Martinez GM, Chandra A., Abma JC, Jones J, Mosher WD. Fertility, Contraception, and Fatherhood: Data on Men and 

Women From Cycle 6 (2002) of the National Survey of Family Growth. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 

23(26). 2006. 

• In 2002, the median amount of child support paid in the last 12 months by nonresident 

fathers with children under 19 years of age was $4,250. 

• The median payment for fathers with no high school diploma or GED was $3,000, 

$1,500 less than fathers with a high school diploma or GED and $2,000 less than fathers 

with at least some college experience. 

• One in four fathers (25.7 percent) with some college experience or higher paid more 

than $9,000 in child support over the past 12 months. By comparison only 7.7 percent of 

fathers with no high school diploma or GED paid this amount. 
 

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NRFC Quick Statistics 

Fathers and Child Support 

Average Amount of Child Support Paid in the Last 12 Months (Nonresident Fathers Ages 

15-44 with Children under 19), by Age 2002 

Amount Paid 

Age 

Number of 

Men (000s) 

Median Amount 

of Child Support 

$3,000 or 

less 

$3,001-

$5,000 

$5,001-

$9,000 

More than 

$9,000 

Total 7,405 $4,250 36.0% 22.9% 23.5% 17.6% 

15-29 years 1,555 $4,000 39.6% 23.0% 22.0% 15.5% 

30-44 years 5,850 $4,500 35.1% 22.8% 24.0% 18.1% 

Source: Martinez GM, Chandra A., Abma JC, Jones J, Mosher WD. Fertility, Contraception, and Fatherhood: Data on Men and 

Women From Cycle 6 (2002) of the National Survey of Family Growth. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 

23(26). 2006. 

• In 2002, the median amount of child support paid in the last 12 months by nonresident 

fathers with children under 19 years of age was $4,250. 

• The median payment for fathers under 30 was $4,000 only $500 less than fathers aged 

30 to 44. 

• Older fathers were slightly more likely than younger fathers to report paying over $5,000 

in child support over the past year (42.1 percent of fathers 30-44 years old as compared 

with 37.5 percent of fathers ages 15-29). 

Reasons Non-Custodial Fathers Give for Not Paying Child Support, 1997 

Reason Percentage 

Lack of money 38% 

Not allowed to visit the child 23% 

Did not want the child 23% 

No control over spending 14% 

Not the father 12% 

Source: Argys, Laura M. et al. “Contributions of Absent Fathers to Child Well-Being: The Impact of Child Support Dollars and 

Father-Child Contact.” Mothering (Fall 1997): 32. In: National Fatherhood Initiative. (2002). Father Facts 4. Gaithersburg, MD: 

National Fatherhood Initiative. Pg. 63 

• Lack of money was the most popular reason given by non-custodial fathers for not 

paying child support, 38 percent of fathers listed this as a reason. 

• “Not the father” was the least cited reason for not paying child support. Only12 percent 

of non-custodial fathers provided this reason.