Issue brief

AGE

In 2011, women veterans were more likely to be younger 

than men veterans and older than non-veterans of either 

gender. Almost 84 percent of women veterans were of 

working age (17-64 years), compared to 55 percent of men 

veterans and 81 percent of women non-veterans.2

EDUCATION

In 2013, more women veterans completed some college or 

obtained an Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s or higher 

degree, compared to men veterans or non-veterans of 

either gender.3

41 47

MEDIAN

AGE

Male

Nonveterans Women Nonveterans MaleVeterans

Women Veterans

64

MEDIAN

AGE

MEDIAN

AGE

49

MEDIAN

AGE

Median Age

10.1 7.8

High School Some College or Associate Bachelor’s Master’s or Higher

Women

Veterans

Women

Women

Nonveterans

20.9

29.4

43.1

21.2 19.1

29.9

7.5 6.7

High School Some College or Associate Bachelor’s Master’s or Higher

32.7 30.5 33.7

16.7 19

26.2

Male

Veterans

Male

Male

Nonveterans

Educational Attainment in Percent

EMPLOYMENT BY PROFESSION

In 2013, more women veterans worked in management, 

professional and related occupations than did men 

veterans or non-veterans of either gender. Fewer women 

veterans worked in sales, office and service occupations 

than women non-veterans. Men veterans and men nonveterans worked at nearly the same rates for similar 

occupations.4

Women veterans are the fastest growing segment of the veteran community. In 2013, 

about 2.2 million (or 10 percent) of the nation’s nearly 22 million veterans were women. 

This number is projected to increase to 2.4 million by 2020. In contrast, the number of 

male veterans is projected to decrease from 20.1 million to 17.2 million by 2020.1

WOMEN VETERANS PROFILE

34.9

14.6

16.7

16.4

17.5

36.7

13.8

15.4

15.9

18.2

Production, Transportation and

Material Moving Occupations

Natural Resources, Construction

and Maintenance Occupations

Sales and Oce Occupations

Service Occupations

Management, Professionals 

and Related Occupations 47.8

30.8

15.2

4.9 1.4

41.9

21.5

30.3

5.4 0.9

Employment by Profession in Percent

Male

Veterans

Male

Nonveterans Women Veterans

Women Nonveterans

Page 1
Page 2

Issue brief

LOCATION

The map below shows the total population of women 

veterans by state.8

The map below shows the population of women veterans 

as a percentage of the total population of each state.

The number and percentage of women veterans in each 

state, as reflected in the maps, is listed below:

Women Veterans Population by State

Less than 

50,00

50,000 - 

100,000

Greater than 100,000

DC

Women Veterans as Percentage of Total State Population

Less than .5% .5% - .99% 1% - 1.5% Greater than 1.5%

DC

EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY

In 2013, women veterans worked in government more than 

any other industry. The education and health services 

industries employ the second highest percentage of women 

veterans. Women veterans worked in education and health 

services at a similar rate as women non-veterans.5

INCOME LEVELS

In 2012, men and women veterans had a higher median 

income than their non-veteran counterparts. However, 

women veterans had a lower median income than men 

veterans and men non-veterans.6 In 2011, about 7 percent 

of women veterans and 3 percent of men veterans had no 

earnings or income.7

Mining, Quarrying, and Oil

and Gas Extraction

Agricultural and Related 

Industries

Wholesale Trade

Construction

Information

Transportation and Utilities

Other Service

Self-Employment

Financial Activities

Leasure and Hospitality

Manufacturing

Professional and Business 

Services

Retail Trade

Education and Health 

Services

Government

Male

Veterans MaleNonveterans Women Veterans Women Nonveterans

9.0

8.0

7.4

6.4

3.5

20.0

6.9

8.3

10.4

13.7

3.6

4.4

3.5

7.2

7 4

6.4

2.0

6 4

2.8

16.9

24.1

10.8

8.9

6.2

9.1

7.2

5.2 

4.6

1.9 3.4

2.1

3.9 

5.7

2.2

10.6

6.7

10.5

11.0

13.6

5.6

6.6

28.6

22.5

9.4

9.1

6.5

4.4 

5.4 

3.9

2.8

2.6 1.5

1.5

0.5

0.1

1.2 1.5

1.5

0.8

0.2

1.1 1.9

1.3 1.2

Employment by Industry in Percent

Women

Veterans

$30,929

Male

Veterans

$36,672

Women

Nonveterans

$21,071

Male

Nonveterans

$31,586

Median Income Levels
Page 3

Issue brief

State Total Population Women Veteran Population Women Veterans as Percentage of Total Population

Alabama 3,683,815 29,470 0.80%

Alaska 528,429 11,154 2.11%

Arizona 4,915,131 44,618 0.91%

Arkansas 2,232,468 18,595 0.83%

California 28,663,319 129,346 0.45%

Colorado 3,923,756 44,466 1.13%

Connecticut 2,789,272 10,929 0.39%

Delaware 709,551 7,749 1.09%

District of Columbia 519,476 4,058 0.78%

Florida 15,264,844 120,977 0.79%

Georgia 7,372,727 76,803 1.04%

Hawaii 1,051,883 10,880 1.03%

Idaho 1,168,256 8,121 0.70%

Illinois 9,795,470 44,713 0.46%

Indiana 4,944,218 26,712 0.54%

Iowa 2,349,788 14,061 0.60%

Kansas 2,145,653 15,101 0.70%

Kentucky 3,345,524 20,932 0.63%

Louisiana 3,467,978 23,936 0.69%

Maine 1,062,141 9,131 0.86%

Maryland 4,513,635 48,215 1.07%

Massachusetts 5,240,927 21,230 0.41%

Michigan 7,612,370 37,465 0.49%

Minnesota 4,098,333 22,528 0.55%

Mississippi 2,226,363 15,598 0.70%

Missouri 4,598,394 33,052 0.72%

Montana 781,686 8,469 1.08%

Nebraska 1,387,492 11,348 0.82%

Nevada 2,085,544 16,918 0.81%

New Hampshire 1,044,195 7,982 0.76%

New Jersey 6,830,487 24,893 0.36%

New Mexico 1,561,375 14,945 0.96%

New York 15,284,210 50,107 0.33%

North Carolina 7,383,857 65,213 0.88%

North Dakota 540,213 5,030 0.93%

Ohio 8,876,493 53,652 0.60%

Oklahoma 2,859,530 23,378 0.82%

Oregon 3,036,050 23,757 0.78%

Pennsylvania 10,019,703 51,396 0.51%

Rhode Island 830,726 3,850 0.46%

South Carolina 3,609,405 36,464 1.01%

South Dakota 626,965 5,425 0.87%

Tennessee 4,944,681 32,619 0.66%

Texas 18,982,973 136,874 0.72%

Utah 1,964,059 9,092 0.46%

Vermont 501,611 3,089 0.62%

Virginia 6,221,883 89,325 1.44%

Washington 5,266,221 51,439 0.98%

West Virginia 1,470,678 7,811 0.53%

Wisconsin 4,407,746 26,315 0.60%

Wyoming 437,264 4,000 0.91%
Page 4

Issue brief

PARENTAL STATUS

In 2011, the percentage of working-age women with 

children under 18 years old increased with age until 44 

years, when the percentage began to decrease. Through 

the age of 34, more women veterans than women nonveterans had children who were under 18 years of age.11

17-24

Years 25-34Years 35-44Years 45-54Years 55-64Years

Women Veterans

Women Nonveterans

29.0

13.5

57.7

64.6

26.2

31.1

3.8 3.4

66.5

51.7

Percentage of Working-Age Women with Children Under

18 Years Old by Age and Veteran Status in Percent

MILITARY SERVICE

In 2011, nearly 9 percent of women veterans had served as 

officers during their military service as compared to 6 

percent of men veterans. Ninety-one percent of women 

veterans were enlisted.9

The largest cohort of men veterans served during the 

Vietnam era, while the largest cohort of women veterans 

served in the Gulf War 2 era (after 9/11) or during 

peacetime only. Just over 72 percent of women veterans 

served prior to 9/11.10

Women

Veterans

Male

Veterans

9%

91%94%

6%

Ocers

Enlisted

Ocers

Enlisted

Rank

Women Veterans Male Veterans

Period of Military Service of Veterans in Percent

World War 2 Korean War Gulf War 1 Peacetime Only

11.2

24.9

Vietnam Era

34.9

12.7

27.6

5

23.7

10.7

Gulf War 2

27.7

10.4 7.9 3.3 POVERTY LEVELS

In 2011, 10 percent of women veterans and 6.6 percent of 

men veterans lived below the poverty threshold. These 

rates were lower than for their non-veteran counterparts 

(15.6 percent for women non-veterans and 13.3 percent for 

men non-veterans).12

6.6% 10% 13.3% 15.6%

Women

Veterans

Male

Veterans

Women

Nonveterans

Male

Nonveterans
Page 5

Issue brief

RACE/ETHNICITY

In 2011, women and men veterans of any race were less 

likely to be Hispanic than non-veterans. Women veterans 

of any race were more likely to be Hispanic than men 

veterans.13

SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY

In 2011, about 14.5 percent of women veterans had a 

service-connected disability, compared to 15 percent of 

men veterans.14

Of those with a service-connected disability, women 

veterans were more likely to be unemployed than men 

veterans. In 2013, 12.2 percent of women veterans with a 

service-connected disability were unemployed, compared 

to 5.3 percent of men veterans.15

White Non-HispanicNon-White Non-HispanicHispanic

Women

Veterans

Race/Ethnicity of Women in PercentRace/Ethnicity of Males in Percent

Women

Nonveterans

66.9 65.3

25.3

7.8

15.2 19.5

White Non-HispanicNon-White Non-HispanicHispanic

Male

Veterans Male

Nonveterans

80.9

62.4

13.2

5.9

18.3 19.3

15% 14.5%

Women

Veterans

with a 

Service-Connected

Disability

Male

Veterans

with a 

Service-Connected

Disability

12.2%

Women

Veterans

with a 

Service-Connected

Disability

Who are Unemployed

Male

Veterans

with a 

Service-Connected

Disability

Who are Unemployed

5.3%

UNEMPLOYMENT RATES

In 2013, women veterans were more likely to be 

unemployed than men veterans and women non-veterans. 

However, the difference in the unemployment rate of 

women veterans and women non-veterans was not 

statistically significant. The unemployment rate for women 

veterans was lower than the rate for men non-veterans.16

Unemployment rate

WOMEN

VETERANS

6.9%

Unemployment rate

WOMEN

NON-VETERAN VETERANS

6.8%

Unemployment rate

MEN

NON-VETERANS

7.5%

U empl me t te

NON- ETERANS

Unemployment rate

NON-VETERAN

Unemployment rate

MEN

VETERANS

6.5%

ploymen
Page 6

Issue brief

SUMMARY

Comparisons between Women Veterans and Women Non-veterans

Compared to women non-veterans, women veterans:

• Were more likely to be older.

• Were more likely to have completed some college or obtained an Associate degree, a Bachelor’s degree, Master’s 

degree or higher.

• Were more likely to be in management, professional and related occupations and less likely to be in service 

occupations.

• Were more likely to work in government.

• Had a higher median income.

• Until the age of 34, were more likely to have children under 18 years of age.

• Were less likely to live below the poverty threshold.

• Were less likely to be of Hispanic ethnicity, regardless of race.

Comparisons between Women Veterans and Men Veterans

Compared to men veterans, women veterans: 

• Were more likely to be younger.

• Were more likely to be in management, professional and related occupations and in sales and office occupations.

• Were more likely to work in government.

• Had a lower median income and were more likely to have no earnings or income.

• Were more likely to have served as officers.

• Were more likely to have served in the Gulf War 2 era or during peacetime only.

• Were more likely to live below the poverty threshold.

• Were more likely to be Hispanic, regardless of race.

• Were more likely to have a service-connected disability rating.

DEFINITIONS

• Earnings: Salary, wages, and self-employment income. [U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2011 

(U.S. Census Bureau. (2012). 2011 American Community Survey PUMS (as cited in U.S. Department of Veterans 

Affairs, NCVAS, Profile of Veterans: 2011 [PDF]). Retrieved from http://www.va.gov/vetdata/docs/SpecialReports/

Profile_of_Veterans_2011.pdf]

• Income: The total of earnings and other sources of income such as pension, Supplemental Security Income, public 

assistance, etc. Median Income is calculated for the total population with personal income greater than zero. [U.S. 

Census Bureau. (2012). 2011 American Community Survey PUMS (as cited in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 

NCVAS, Profile of Veterans: 2011 [PDF]). Retrieved from http://www.va.gov/vetdata/docs/SpecialReports/Profile_of_

Veterans_2011.pdf]

• Non-veterans: Men and women who have never served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces. [U.S. Bureau of 

Labor Statistics. (2013). Current Population Survey Data on Women Veterans [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.dol.

gov/vets/womenveterans/outlook.pdf]

• Poverty threshold: Dollar amounts the Census Bureau uses to determine a family’s or person’s poverty status. 

[U.S. Census Bureau. (no date). Poverty: Definitions. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/

methods/definitions.html] 
Page 7

Issue brief • Veterans: Men and women who previously served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces and were civilians at the 

time they were surveyed. [U.S. Department of Labor. (2013). Current Population Survey Data on Women Veterans. 

Retrieved from http://www.dol.gov/vets/womenveterans/outlook.pdf]

• Unemployed persons: Persons aged 16 years and older who had no employment during the reference week, were 

available for work, except for temporary illness, and had made specific efforts to find employment sometime during 

the 4-week period ending with the reference week. Persons who were waiting to be recalled to a job from which 

they had been laid off need not have been looking for work to be classified as unemployed. [U.S. Department of 

Labor. (2013). Bureau of Labor Statistics Glossary. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/bls/glossary.htm] 

• Unemployment rate: The unemployment rate represents the number unemployed as a percent of the labor force. 

[U.S. Department of Labor. (2013). Bureau of Labor Statistics Glossary. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/bls/

glossary.htm] 

ENDNOTES

1 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2010). Veteran Population Projection Model 2011 – National Center for Veterans 

Analysis and Statistics [Excel]. Retrieved from most recent version of data source: http://www.va.gov/VETDATA/docs/

Demographics/New_Vetpop_Model/3lVetPop11_Race_National.xlsx

2 U.S. Census Bureau. (2012). 2011 American Community Survey PUMS (as cited in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 

NCVAS, Profile of Veterans: 2011 [PDF]). Retrieved from http://www.va.gov/vetdata/docs/SpecialReports/Profile_of_

Veterans_2011.pdf

3 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2013). Current Population Survey, Unpublished Table 9. 2013 annual averages.

4 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2014). Bureau of Labor Statistics Economic News Release, Table 4. Employed persons 

18 years and over by occupation, sex, veteran status, and period of service, 2013 annual averages. Retrieved from http://

www.bls.gov/news.release/vet.t04.htm

5 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2014). Bureau of Labor Statistics Economic News Release, Table 5. Employed persons 

18 years and over by industry, class of worker, sex, veteran status, and period of service, 2013 annual averages. 

Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/news.release/vet.t05.htm

6 U.S. Census Bureau. (2013). 2012 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates [Data file S2101]. Retrieved from http://

factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/searchresults.xhtml?refresh=t#

7 U.S. Census Bureau. (2011). 2011 American Community Survey PUMS (as cited in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 

NCVAS, Profile of Veterans: 2011 [PDF]). Retrieved from http://www.va.gov/vetdata/docs/SpecialReports/Profile_of_

Veterans_2011.pdf

8 U.S. Census Bureau. (2013). 2012 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates [Data file B21001]. Retrieved from 

http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/searchresults.xhtml?refresh=t 

9 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2010). Veteran Population Projection Model 2011 – National Center for Veterans 

Analysis and Statistics [Excel]. Retrieved from http://www.va.gov/VETDATA/docs/Demographics/New_Vetpop_

Model/5lVetPop11_Rank.xlsx

10 U.S. Census Bureau. (2012). 2011 American Community Survey PUMS (as cited in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 

NCVAS, Profile of Veterans: 2011 [PDF]). Retrieved from http://www.va.gov/vetdata/docs/SpecialReports/Profile_of_

Veterans_2011.pdf

11 U.S. Census Bureau. (2012). 2011 American Community Survey PUMS (as cited in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 

NCVAS, Profile of Veterans: 2011 [PDF]). Retrieved from http://www.va.gov/vetdata/docs/SpecialReports/Profile_of_

Veterans_2011.pdf
Page 8

Issue brief 12 U.S. Census Bureau. (2012). 2011 American Community Survey PUMS (as cited in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 

NCVAS, Profile of Veterans: 2011 [PDF]). Retrieved from http://www.va.gov/vetdata/docs/SpecialReports/Profile_of_

Veterans_2011.pdf

13 U.S. Census Bureau. (2012). 2011 American Community Survey PUMS (as cited in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 

NCVAS, Profile of Veterans: 2011 [PDF]). Retrieved from http://www.va.gov/vetdata/docs/SpecialReports/Profile_of_

Veterans_2011.pdf

14 U.S. Census Bureau. (2012). 2011 American Community Survey PUMS (as cited in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 

NCVAS, Profile of Veterans: 2011 [PDF]). Retrieved from http://www.va.gov/vetdata/docs/SpecialReports/Profile_of_

Veterans_2011.pdf

15 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2013). Bureau of Labor Statistics Economic News Release, Table 7. Employed persons 

18 years and over by veteran status, presence of service-connected disability, period of service, and class of worker, 

August 2013, not seasonally adjusted. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/news.release/vet.t07.htm

16 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2014). Bureau of Labor Statistics Economic News Release, Table 1. Employment status 

of persons 18 years and over by veteran status, period of service, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2013 annual 

averages. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/news.release/vet.t01.htm

CONTACT US

Website: www.dol.gov/wb/

E-mail: WomensBureau@dol.gov

Mail:

WOMEN’S BUREAU

U.S. Department of Labor

200 Constitution Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20210

Phone: 1-800-827-5335 or (202) 693-6710

Women’s Bureau

Veterans’ Employment and Training Service

October 2014