COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA

 FULL REPORT
Corporation for National and Community Service Authors

Lillian Dote, Policy Analyst, Office of Research and Policy Development

Kevin Cramer, Deputy Director for Evaluation and Research, Office of Research and Policy Development

Nathan Dietz, Research Associate and Statistician, Office of Research and Policy Development

Robert Grimm, Jr., Director, Office of Research and Policy Development

Acknowledgements

There were several individuals that generously provided their time and input on this project. Their comments and 

thoughts contributed mightily to improving the quality of the final report. We would like to thank the following 

staff at the Corporation for National and Community Service: Sandy Scott, Peter Shifter, Amy Cohen, Shelby 

Jennings, Carla Manuel, Amiko Matsumoto, LaMonica Shelton, Kimberly Spring, and Norris West who were 

helpful in shaping the final direction of the report, and reviewed drafts. We are also grateful for our partnership 

with the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Office of Research and Policy Development

The Office of Research and Policy Development (RPD) is part of the CEO’s Office within the Corporation for 

National and Community Service. RPD’s mission is to develop and cultivate knowledge that will enhance the 

mission of the Corporation and of volunteer and community service programs. 

Related Research Reports on Volunteering

Volunteering in America: State Trends and Rankings, June 2006. Presents a national, regional, and state-by-state analysis of volunteering trends. 

Volunteers Mentoring Youth: Implications for Closing the Mentoring Gap, May 2006. Provides a greater understanding of the characteristics and traits that distinguish individuals whose volunteering includes mentoring youth from 

volunteers who do not mentor. 

Youth Helping America Series: Educating for Active Citizens: Service-Learning, School-Based Service, and Youth Civic 

Engagement, March 2006. Takes a closer look at participation in school-based service among middle school and high school aged youth, paying particular attention to the relationship between different service-learning 

experiences and civic attitudes and outcomes. 

Youth Helping America Series: Building Active Citizens: The Role of Social Institutions in Teen Volunteering, November 2005. 

Explores the state of youth volunteering and the connections between youth volunteering and the primary social 

institutions to which teenagers are exposed—family, schools, and religious congregations. 

To read or download our reports, visit www.nationalservice.gov.

Upon request this material will be made available in alternative formats for people with disabilities. 

October 2006

The mission of the Corporation for National and Community Service is to 

improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through 

service and volunteering. Each year, the Corporation provides opportunities 

formore than two million Americans of all ages and backgrounds to serve 

their communities and country through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps and Learn 

and Serve America.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

 2 Executive Summary

 4 Introduction

 5 College Student Volunteering Displays 

 Substantial Growth

 7 College Students Engage More in Episodic Volunteering

 9 Who Are College Student Volunteers?

 9 How Does Going to College and Working 

 Affect Volunteering?

11 Where Do College Students Volunteer?

13 Many College Students Tutor and Mentor Youth 

14 State Rankings of College Student Volunteering

16 The Future of College Student Volunteering

18 Footnotes

20 Technical Note

22 References
BACKGROUND

Every day, colleges and universities provide college 

students—who represent a large and growing source of the 

nation’s volunteers—with opportunities to deliver valuable 

services to communities across the country. Since the 

terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the nation has 

witnessed a significant upsurge in volunteers, particularly 

among this demographic. Both on campuses and in 

surrounding communities, millions of college students are 

participating in a wide range of volunteer service activities, 

from teaching and mentoring children from disadvantaged 

circumstances, to raising funds for worthy causes, to helping 

their fellow Americans recover from hurricanes and other 

disasters.

The mission of the Corporation for National and 

Community Service is to improve lives, strengthen 

communities, and foster civic engagement through service 

and volunteering. As part of that mission, the Corporation 

makes a significant investment in nurturing a culture of 

service on college campuses. Building on that support, the 

Corporation is working with other federal agencies, colleges 

and universities, higher education and student associations, 

and nonprofit organizations to encourage even greater levels 

of college student volunteering and to ensure that college 

graduates embark on a lifetime of service. Our goal is to 

increase the number of college students volunteering each 

year, reaching 5 million by 2010. 

To identify key trends in college student volunteering and 

to understand their implications for growing volunteering 

among college students, the Corporation has produced a 

new report, titled College Students Helping America. The report 

analyzes data collected from 2002 to 2005 as part of the 

Current Population Survey (CPS), a comprehensive and 

scientifically rigorous survey of 60,000 American households conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau 

of Labor Statistics. With the Corporation’s support, the 

Census Bureau has administered a volunteer supplement to 

the CPS each September since 2002.1

 For the purposes 

of this analysis, college students were defined as individuals between 16 and 24 years of age who, at the time of the 

survey, were enrolled in a post-secondary higher education 

institution. 

To read or download the full report, visit 

www.nationalservice.gov.

KEY FINDINGS

The number of college students who volunteer is up 

by approximately 20 percent from 2002 to 2005 

n The number of college students volunteering grew 

by 600,000 from 2.7 million in 2002 to 3.3 million in 

2005. 

n The growth rate of college student volunteers 

(approximately 20%) is more than double the growth 

rate of all adult volunteers (9%). 

n In 2005, approximately 30.2 percent of college 

students volunteered, exceeding the volunteer rate 

for the general adult population of 28.8 percent.

The growth in college volunteering has been generated primarily by youth who attended high school or 

were first-year college students during the terrorist 

attacks of 9/11 

n The vast majority (84%) of current college student 

volunteers were of high-school age (14 to 18 years old) 

in 2001. 

n Since September 2001, the overall percent of college 

students who volunteer has increased from 27.1 percent 

to 30.2 percent. 

n The bulk of the increase in the college student 

volunteering rate comes from the difference in the 

volunteer rates of 18 to 24 year old college students 

in 2005 (30.2%) and 18 to 24 year old college students 

in 2002 (26.8%).

Tutoring and mentoring are the most popular 

volunteer activities among college students

n Among college student volunteers, tutoring (26.6%) 

and mentoring (23.8%) are the most popular volunteer 

activities. 

n 39.2 percent of black college student volunteers 

engage in mentoring activities, compared to 22.3 

percent of white college student volunteers. 

Students who work part time volunteer more than 

students who do not work at all

n Volunteer rates are highest among students who 

work 1-10 hours (46.4%) and 11-15 hours (35%) a 

week, while students who are not employed volunteer 

at a considerably lower rate (29.8%).

n The volunteering rate declines substantially as 

college students work more hours each week. Students 

who work 31-35 hours and 36-40 hours exhibit volunteer 

rates of 22.8 percent and 23.2 percent, respectively. 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

2
PROFILE OF COLLEGE STUDENT VOLUNTEERS

Who Volunteers

n College students follow the national trend in volunteering, with females (33%) volunteering at a higher rate 

than males (26.8%), and whites (32%) volunteering at a 

higher rate than students of other races and ethnicities 

(23.6%).

n College students are twice as likely to volunteer as 

individuals of the same age who are not enrolled in an 

institution of higher education (30.2% and 15.1%, 

respectively).

n College students who are enrolled full time (31.4%) 

are more likely to be volunteers than college students who 

are enrolled part time (21%). 

 

Where They Volunteer

n Nearly a third (31.6%) of college student volunteers 

serve with educational or youth services organizations, 

compared to about a quarter (26.3%) of the general adult 

volunteer population. 

n Less than a quarter (23.4%) of college student 

volunteers serve with religious organizations, compared 

to more than a third (34.8%) of the general adult 

volunteer population.

How They Volunteer

n 44.1 percent of college student volunteers engage in 

“regular” volunteering (volunteering 12 or more weeks a 

year with their main organization). 

n College student volunteers are more likely than the 

general adult volunteer population (27% to 23.4%) to be 

“episodic” volunteers (volunteering fewer than two weeks 

per year with their main organization). 

State Rankings of College Student Volunteering 

As part of our 2006 report Volunteering in America: State 

Trends and Rankings, the Corporation produced the firstever state volunteer rankings for the overall population 

and college students. Those results are reproduced 

in the full College Students Helping America report. Key 

findings include: 

n Across the 50 states and the District of Columbia, 

college student volunteer rates ranged from 21.4 

percent to 62.9 percent between 2003 and 2005. 

n Six of the 10 states that rank in the top ten for 

overall volunteering rates also rank in the top 10 

for college student volunteering rates.

BUILDING A CULTURE OF COLLEGE SERVICE

The Corporation for National and Community Service 

applauds the growing number of higher education 

institutions that are embracing their civic mission and 

building strong community connections in new and 

creative ways. The Corporation believes that colleges 

and universities and the students that attend them are 

critical to building a culture of citizenship, service, 

and responsibility in America. 

Each year, the Corporation makes a significant 

investment in building a culture of service on college 

campuses through: Learn and Serve America, AmeriCorps, VISTA, and Senior Corps grant programs; the 

provision of training and technical assistance; and 

Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards provided to 

AmeriCorps members who use their awards to pay 

for college tuition or to pay back student loans.

In addition, the Corporation is working closely with 

our various governmental, educational, and nonprofit 

partners to increase the number of college students who 

volunteer to 5 million a year by 2010. Key strategies 

include:

 

n Strengthening and expanding our network of 

intermediary organizations and institutions (Campus 

Compacts, higher education and student associations, 

Volunteer Centers, State Service Commissions, faithbased and other community-based organizations) that 

provide key support for service and service-learning.

n Ensuring that more college students have opportunities to serve as part of their academic studies through 

high-quality service-learning, and building the pipeline 

for future college student volunteers by expanding 

service-learning in K-12 schools. 

n Encouraging campuses to develop more community 

service offices, offer more courses and degrees in 

nonprofit management, and take other steps to build 

connections with community organizations.

n Increasing the number of college students serving 

as tutors and mentors to youth from disadvantaged 

circumstances, particularly to prepare them for high 

school completion and college attendance.

n Supporting efforts to expand service opportunities 

through the Federal Work-Study program. 

n Promoting the value and importance of service on 

campus and reducing barriers that inhibit students 

from engaging in service.

Results do not include volunteer activities since Hurricane Katrina.

Annual College Student Volunteering

3.2

3.0

2.8

2.5

3.4

2002 2003 2004 2005

3.0

2.7

3.3 3.3

(In millions)

3
COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA

INTRODUCTION

America’s colleges and universities promote 

volunteering and community service among their 

students in an effort to cultivate an ethic of civic 

responsibility1

 and in part to respond to concerns 

that active civic and political engagement may be 

in decline.2

 In many respects, institutions of higher 

learning are uniquely positioned for the task. The 

college environment, with its adult population, its 

flexible course schedules, and its emphasis on practical 

experience to enrich students’ academic growth, 

is particularly conducive to involving students in 

volunteer activities.3

 Colleges provide the administrative, 

organizational, and cultural supports for volunteering, 

encourage the inclusion of service-learning in academic 

courses,4

 have expectations that students will serve,5

and provide pathways to connect students with their 

surrounding communities by identifying local volunteer 

opportunities.6

 In addition, service organizations 

often recruit on college campuses. As a result, college 

campuses have become settings where students are 

exposed to a variety of volunteering organizations and 

can easily find opportunities to match their interests.

The importance of colleges, and of college education, 

to volunteering cannot be overstated. We have seen 

how colleges can be very influential in facilitating 

volunteering behaviors. We have also seen unequivocal 

research that those who attend college are significantly 

more likely to volunteer than those who do not.7

 As 

indicated in the 2005 Current Population Survey’s 

Volunteer Supplement, college graduates volunteered 

at more than twice the rate of high school graduates. 

Among those over the age of 25, the volunteering rate 

was 46 percent for college graduates, compared to 21 

percent for high school graduates. 

As more Americans pursue and attain a college degree, 

the United States is experiencing record enrollments in 

higher education institutions. According to the National 

Center for Education Statistics, annual enrollment 

in degree-granting institutions is expected to exceed 

18 million by 2010. With this increase, colleges and 

universities have the potential to further establish 

themselves as powerful institutions for developing 

students’ volunteering and civic engagement in 

conjunction with students’ education. Research suggests 

that college experience and substantial volunteering8

are associated with higher levels of civic engagement.9

When college and universities incorporate volunteering 

into the educational practice known as service-learning, 

the relationship is even stronger.10 

Concurrent with our increased understanding of 

the relationship between college education and 

volunteering, and with rising college enrollments, we 

are now seeing the first cohort of what some people 

call the “9/11 Generation” transition into college. They 

may bring an acute sense of civic responsibility to the 

college campus, but the effects of their enrollment 

in college are just emerging. Thus, exploring the 

connection between college and volunteering has never 

been more salient. 

4
COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA

College Student Volunteering Displaying 

Substantial Growth 

Today’s college students are volunteering in record 

numbers. Between September 2004 and September 

2005, nearly 3.3 million college students,11 ages 16 to 24, 

performed volunteer service12 throughout the United 

States.13 This represents 30.2 percent of the over 10.8 

million 16 to 24 year-old students who were enrolled in 

college in 2005. More importantly, the percent and the 

number of college students volunteering has increased 

significantly since the Current Population Survey (CPS) 

began measuring annual volunteering in the United 

States in 2002. Over the last three years, the number of 

16 to 24 year-old college students who volunteered has 

increased by almost 600,000, from 2.7 million in 2002 

to nearly 3.3 million in 2005 (see Figure 1).

To put this growth in perspective, volunteering by 

college students is growing at twice the rate of overall 

volunteering. The almost 600,000 additional college 

student volunteers represent roughly a 20 percent 

increase. In contrast, the United States experienced a 

9 percent increase in the number of adult volunteers, 

from 59.8 million to 65.4 million, between 2002 

and 2005. 

The growth in the number of 16 to 24 year-olds 

attending college certainly affects the growing number 

of college student volunteers, but an approximate 20 

percent increase in the number of college volunteers 

is much faster than the increase in the college student 

or college-age populations. Between 2002 and 2005, 

the proportion of “college-age” young adults increased 

from 35.3 million in 2002 to 36.7 million—an increase 

of 4 percent. Meanwhile, over that same time period, 

the number of 16 to 24 year-olds attending college 

increased from 10.0 million in 2002 to 10.8 million in 

2005—an increase of 8 percent.

Since September 2001, the percent of college students 

who volunteer has similarly increased from 27.1 percent 

to 30.2 percent.15 The increase in the college student 

volunteer rate is due in part to increased volunteer rates 

among key groups of college students. Given the vast 

majority (84%) of current college student volunteers 

were of high-school age (between 14-18 years old) when 

the terrorist attacks occurred in 2001, we highlight 

evidence of an emerging “9/11 Generation”—young 

people who are more likely to volunteer and engage 

in politics after the September 11 terrorist attacks.16

As Table 1 illustrates, college students ages 18 to 

22 volunteered at a higher rate in 2005 than their 

counterparts did in 2002. Since the majority of these 

18 to 22 year-old college students were in high school 

or just entering college in 2001, the substantial increase 

in their volunteering rate is consistent with growing 

research suggesting a “9/11 Generation.” 

*Results do not include volunteer activities since Hurricane Katrina

2002 2003 2004 2005

3.3 3.3

3.0 2.7

In Millions

Figure 1. Annual College Student Volunteering, 16 to 24 

3.5

3.0

2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0

5
COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA

In 2005, the volunteer rate among college students was 

also much higher than 16 to 24 year-olds in general, 

and higher than many other age-groups in the general 

adult population (see Figure 2). At 30.2 percent, the 

college student volunteering rate exceeded the national 

volunteering rate of 28.8 percent, the volunteering rate 

of 25 to 34 year-olds (25.3%), and the volunteering 

rate of those over 65 (24.8%). Only 35 to 44 year-olds 

(34.5%) and 45 to 54 year-olds (32.7%) had higher 

volunteering rates than college students. College 

students were also nearly twice as likely to volunteer as 

their 16 to 24 year-old peers who were not enrolled in 

college (30.2% vs. 15.1%, respectively).

6

Figure 2. 2005 Volunteering Rates

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

65 and Over

55-64

45-54

35-44

25-34

General Adult Population

 College Students, 16-24

24.8%

30.2%

32.7%

34.5%

25.3%

24.4%

28.8%

30.2%

All Young Adults, 16-24

Ages

Table 1: 2002 and 2005 Volunteering Rates for College Students

Volunteering Rate

2002 2005 Difference

18-22 27.9% 30.7% +2.8% 

* The 18 to 22 year-olds in 2005 were 14 to 18 year-olds in 2002.
COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA

College Students Engage More 

In Episodic Volunteering 

While the college student volunteering rate was higher 

than that of other cohorts of Americans, college 

students volunteered fewer hours than the general adult 

population. In 2005, the median number of hours 

served by a college student volunteer was 40 hours, 

compared to 36 hours for all youth ages 16 to 24, and 

50 hours for the general adult population (see Table 2). 

Several observers have speculated that while 

volunteering in general may have increased over the past 

few years, the nature of volunteering may be changing. 

In a more traditional model, volunteers would provide 

intensive, regular service at one or a few organizations; 

but a “new style” of volunteering would involve more 

episodic or occasional volunteering. As Figure 3 shows, 

the volunteering behavior of college students tends 

to be consistent with this new style of volunteering. 

Compared to the general adult population, college 

students are more likely to be episodic volunteers 

(defined as volunteers who serve fewer than two 

weeks per year with their main service organization) or 

occasional volunteers (defined as volunteers who serve 

three to eleven weeks per year with their main service 

organization) and less likely to be regular volunteers 

(twelve weeks or more with their main organization). 

The largest group of college student volunteers 

(27%) served 15-49 hours in 2005. In comparison, 

the largest group of volunteers in the general adult 

population (27.8%) reported contributing 100-499 

hours. Nonetheless, it is important to emphasize that a 

substantial number of college students spend a lot of 

time volunteering each year. We found that 44.1 percent 

of all college student volunteers engage in regular 

volunteering (volunteering twelve or more weeks a 

year with their main organization) and 24.4 percent of 

college student volunteers gave 100-499 hours in 2005 

(see Figure 4). 

7

Table 2: Median Hours Volunteered in 2005

Population Median Hours

College Students 40

General Adult Population 50

All Young Adults, 16-24 36

25-34 36

35-44 48

45-54 50

55-64 56

Over 65 96
8 COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA

General Adult Population

College Student

Figure 3. Volunteering Frequency: College Students 

vs. General Adult Population in 2005

28.9%

23.7%

52.9%

44.1%

27.0%

23.4%

Episodic Volunteering 

(0–2 weeks per year)

Regular Volunteering 

(12 or more weeks per year)

Occasional Volunteering 

(3–11 weeks per year)

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

0%

Figure 4. How Much Time Did College Students Spend Volunteering in 2005?

1-14 hours 22.7%

15-49 hours

27.0%

50-99 hours 15.2%

100-499 hours 24.4%

Over 500 hours 2.7%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA

Who Are College Student Volunteers? 

In our 2006 Volunteering in America: State Trends and 

Rankings report,17 we found that among Americans 

of all ages and in every state across the country, females 

volunteered at higher rates than males, and whites 

volunteered at higher rates than persons of other 

races and ethnicities. Following these national patterns, 

female college students volunteered at higher rates than 

males and white college students volunteered at higher 

rates than students of other races (see Tables 3 and 4). 

Among female college students, the volunteering rate 

was 33.0 percent, compared to 26.8 percent for male 

college students. Among white college students, the 

volunteering rate was 32.0 percent, compared to 24.1 

percent for black/African American college students 

and 22.9 percent for college students of other races.18

How Does Going to College and Working Affect 

Volunteering?

In addition to their educational activities (e.g., attending 

class, studying, meeting with professors, participating 

in labs), college students face an array of demands on 

their time. Many students engage in out-of-classroom 

extracurricular activities such as, participating in athletics, 

joining clubs, sororities, or fraternities, and socializing 

with peers.19 Equally demanding, a growing number of 

college students are working, or are planning to work,20

while attending school. 

Whether a student is employed, and the number of 

hours he/she works, appears to be a factor in explaining 

college student volunteering rates. Contrary to some 

assumptions, college students who are employed are 

more likely to be volunteers than college students who 

are not working at all; volunteer rates are highest among 

9

students who work 1-10 hours (46.4%) and 11-15 hours 

(35%) a week while students who are not 

employed volunteer at a considerably lower rate 

(29.8%). 

However, as illustrated in Figure 5, volunteering among 

students working part-time declines with additional 

hours of work. In fact, the volunteering rate declines 

substantially as college students work more hours each 

week: college students employed 31-35 hours and 36-40 

hours exhibit volunteer rates of 22.8 percent and 23.2 

percent respectively. Within both the college student 

and general adult population, the high volunteering rates 

for individuals working part-time seems to be driven by 

very high volunteer rates among college students with 

part-time jobs of only a few hours per week. 

Interestingly, the hardest-working college students 

(over 40 hours per week) are actually more likely to 

volunteer than students employed 26-40 hours. It is a 

pattern seen among adults in the general population as 

well. Lewis Friedland and Shauna Morimoto offer one 

explanation: students working over 40 hours a week, 

and volunteering, may be “high-achievers,” 21 engaged 

in a “remarkable range of activities.” 22 John Wilson 

offers an alternative explanation: it may be that working hours are measuring job prestige, and “people with 

higher prestige jobs tend to volunteer more.” 23 Still, 

college students juggling school responsibilities and 40+ 

work hours each week volunteer at rates below students 

working fewer (1-25) hours.

Table 3: Volunteering Rates for College Students, by Gender

Gender Volunteering Rate

Male 26.8%

Female 33.0%

Table 4: Volunteering Rates for College Students, by Race

Race Volunteering Rate

White 32.0%

Black/African American 24.1%

Other 22.9%
10 COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

College Students 29.8% 46.4% 35.0% 32.5% 31.5% 28.4% 22.8% 23.2% 30.3%

General Adult Population 24.4% 50.3% 44.8% 39.4% 36.7% 34.1% 31.0% 25.8% 37.9%

Not in the 

Labor

Force

1-10 11-15 16-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 Over 40

Figure 5. Volunteer Rate by Hours Worked per Week:

College Students vs. General Adult Popluation
COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA

Where Do College Students Volunteer?

For college student volunteers, educational or youth 

services organizations are the most popular type of 

organization in which to serve, followed by religious 

organizations. In 2005, 31.6 percent of college student 

volunteers served at an educational or youth services 

organization, while 23.4 percent served at a religious 

organization. Both male and female college students 

were more likely to volunteer for an educational or 

youth services organization than any other type of 

organization: 33.6 percent of male college students, 

and 30.2 percent of female college students volunteered 

at an educational or youth services organization. With 

a little over 22 percent of both male and female college 

students, religious organizations remained the second 

most popular place for volunteering among both 

genders (see figures 6, 7, and 8). 

In comparison, volunteers in the general adult 

population are more likely to volunteer at religious 

organizations, followed by educational or youth services 

organizations. More than a third of volunteers in the 

general population served at a religious organization 

(34.8%), and more than a quarter served in an 

educational or youth services organization (26.3%). 

Compared to college students, 16 to 24 year-old young 

adults not enrolled in college are also more likely to 

volunteer at religious organizations. Over 30 percent 

of 16 to 24 year-old young adults not enrolled in college 

volunteered at a religious organization. 

Within organizational types, sports, hobby and related 

organizations had the highest proportion (56.7%) of 

male college student volunteers. Meanwhile, hospital 

or other health-related organizations are likely to find 

that their college student volunteers are predominantly 

female (64.5%). 

11

Civic, professional, 

political, or international 5.4%

Religious 23.4%

Environmental 

or animal care 2.0%

Hospital or health care 10.5% 

Public safety 1.2%

Social or community service 16.3%

Educational or 

youth services 31.6%

Figure 6. College Student Volunteering by Type of Organization

Other 4.1%

Undetermined 2.3%

Sports, hobby, 

cultural, or arts 3.2%
COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA

Civic, professional, 

political, or international 5.6%

Religious 22.0%

Environmental 

or animal care 1.9%

Hospital or health care 9.3% 

Public safety 1.5%

Social or community service 14.8%

Educational or 

youth services 33.6%

Figure 7. Male College Student Volunteering by Type of Organization

Other 4.0%

Undetermined 2.8%

Sports, hobby, 

cultural, or arts 4.5%

Civic, professional, 

political, or international 5.2%

Religious 24.3%

Environmental 

or animal care 2.1%

Hospital or health care 11.4% 

Public safety 1.0%

Social or community service 17.3%

Educational or 

youth services 30.2%

Figure 8. Female College Student Volunteering by Type of Organization

Other 4.1%

Undetermined 2.0%

Sports, hobby, 

cultural, or arts 2.3%

12
COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA

Many College Students Tutor and Mentor Youth 

In 2005, tutoring, teaching, and mentoring were the 

most popular activities performed by college student 

volunteers.24 Over a quarter of college student 

volunteers tutored or taught (26.6%), and 23.8 percent 

mentored. In comparison, among members of the 

general adult population, 21.3 percent tutored or 

taught, and 17.6 percent mentored youth. In fact, 

tutoring, teaching and mentoring are the most common 

volunteer activities for college students, when they 

are analyzed as a group. For both males and females, 

tutoring and teaching, followed by mentoring, were 

the most popular activities. The trend was similar for 

whites and other races.25 For black/African Americans, 

however, mentoring was the most popular volunteer 

activity, followed by tutoring or teaching (see Figures 9 

and 10). 

Following tutoring, teaching and mentoring, other 

popular activities for college students included 

fundraising or selling items to raise money (23.1%); 

collecting, preparing, distributing, or serving food 

(20.5%); and engaging in general labor or supplying 

transportation for people (19.9%). The popularity 

of some volunteer activities differed by gender, with 

female college students being more likely to fundraise, 

while male college students were more likely to engage 

in general labor or supply transportation. 

13

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

Females

Males

Figure 9. What activities do college students perform, by gender?

Engage in general labor or supply 

transportation for people 

Collect, prepare, distribute,

or serve food

Fundraise or sell items

 to raise money

Mentor

Tutor or teach

15.7%

20.6%

24.2%

21%

20.5%

21.5%

20.4%

26%

26%

30.4%

Figure 10. What activities do college students perform, by race? White

Black/African American

Tutor or teach

Mentor

Other

25.3%

32.2%

33.7%

39.2%

Fundraise or sell items

 to raise money

Collect, prepare, distribute,

or serve food

Engage in general labor or supply 

transportation for people 

0% 5% 10% 15%

9.2%

14.0%

22.6%

20% 25% 30% 35%

22.3%

20.2%

23.9%

22.0%

15.9%

20.5%

20.3%

29.6%

40% 45%
COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA

State Rankings of College Student Volunteering

In Volunteering in America: State Trends and Rankings,

26

we reported that the general adult population (age 

16+) volunteering rate varied from 48 percent to 18.8 

percent among states and the District of Columbia. 

We also found that volunteering rates among college 

students varied considerably by state, with rates ranging 

from 21.4 percent to 62.9 percent. Table 5 compares 

each state’s adult volunteering rate to its college student 

volunteering rate27 while the United States map further 

illustrates the geographical differences in the college 

student rates. 

We find that the ranking of states on college student 

volunteering does not always follow the states’ adult 

volunteer ranking. In fact, more often than not, a 

states’ college student volunteering rate differs from 

its overall adult volunteering rate. We do find that six 

of the ten states that rank in the top ten, based on the 

adult volunteering rate, also rank in the top ten for their 

college student volunteering rate. At the same time, 

the sometimes wide variation between a state’s adult 

volunteer ranking and its college volunteer ranking 

shows that a high rate among adults or college students 

does not necessarily translate into a high rate with the 

other. 

14

C O L L E G E S T U D E N T V O L U N T E E R I N G R A T E S B Y S T A T E *

Th is map illustrates diff erences between the states in their rates of volunteering among college students 

for 2003 to 2005. Over 3 million people attending college performed volunteer work per year over the 3 year 

period, for a college student volunteering rate of 30.5%. During this same period, the state college volunteering rates ranged from 21.4% to 62.9%.

Rate = More than 37%

Rate = 33%–37%

Rate = 31%–32%

Rate = 27%–30%

Rate = Less than 27%

*Rankings are based on 3-year rate for 2003–2005.

T O P S T A T E S 

 1. Utah 6. Wyoming 11. Washington

 2. Idaho 7. Alaska 

 3. Oklahoma 8. Minnesota 

 4. Vermont 9. Missouri 

 5. Nebraska 10. Colorado

For more information, including detailed state-level volunteering tables for 2002–2005, 

go to www.nationalservice.gov
COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA 15

Table 5. States’ General Adult Population Volunteer Rates vs. States’ College Student Volunteer Rates, 2003-200

General Adult Population College Students, ages 16-24

State Volunteering Rate State Rank Volunteering Rate State Rank

Alabama 28.9% 32 34.8% 16

Alaska 38.9% 5 40.1% 7

Arizona 24.9% 45 30.8% 32

Arkansas 25.6% 43 31.7% 22

California 26.1% 40 28.5% 38

Colorado 32.8% 17 38.3% 10

Connecticut 30.8% 21 31.5% 23

Delaware 26.7% 37 26.4% 42

District of Columbia 30.8% 22 31.0% 30

Florida 24.1% 48 25.9% 43

Georgia 25.9% 41 21.4% 51

Hawaii 25.4% 44 29.6% 35

Idaho 35.5% 14 44.4% 2

Illinois 29.7% 28 31.2% 27

Indiana 29.5% 29 37.3% 13

Iowa 39.2% 4 31.1% 29

Kansas 38.6% 8 31.5% 24

Kentucky 29.8% 27 30.4% 33

Louisiana 22.7% 49 27.8% 40

Maine 33.2% 16 31.4% 25

Maryland 30.3% 25 30.2% 34

Massachusetts 27.0% 36 24.0% 47

Michigan 32.1% 18 37.4% 12

Minnesota 40.7% 3 39.9% 8

Mississippi 26.4% 39 33.1% 20

Missouri 31.9% 20 38.9% 9

Montana 37.9% 10 34.6% 17

Nebraska 42.8% 2 41.5% 5

Nevada 18.8% 51 23.6% 49

New Hampshire 32.0% 19 32.0% 21

New Jersey 26.5% 38 25.0% 45

New Mexico 28.5% 33 31.3% 26

New York 21.3% 50 23.4% 50

North Carolina 29.1% 30 28.8% 37

North Dakota 36.5% 13 33.7% 19

Ohio 30.7% 24 34.4% 18

Oklahoma 30.0% 26 43.0% 3

Oregon 33.6% 15 31.1% 28

Pennsylvania 30.8% 23 35.1% 15

Rhode Island 24.9% 46 25.8% 44

South Carolina 28.0% 35 28.3% 39

South Dakota 38.8% 6 31.0% 31

Tennessee 25.9% 42 24.0% 48

Texas 28.3% 34 29.2% 36

Utah 48.0% 1 62.9% 1

Vermont 38.1% 9 41.5% 4

Virginia 29.0% 31 24.6% 46

Washington 36.8% 12 37.6% 11

West Virginia 24.6% 47 27.4% 41

Wisconsin 37.0% 11 36.2% 14

Wyoming 38.8% 7 40.3% 6

5
COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA

The Future of College Student Volunteering

The years spent in college provide an opportunity to 

foster and sustain volunteering and civic engagement 

behaviors among incoming undergraduates who 

volunteered in high school, as well as to develop 

those behaviors in college students who have 

never volunteered in the past.28 Those efforts are 

extremely important given researchers’ suggestion 

that volunteering as a youth is a strong predictor of 

volunteering later in life.29 Despite the encouraging 

findings in this report, some researchers have started 

questioning the nature of volunteering among 

young people. Research conducted by Friedland and 

Morimoto30 argues that many youth volunteer out 

of self-interest and to “pad their resume.”31 Similarly, 

Helen Marks and Susan Jones32 have found that 

volunteering increases are occurring among those who 

volunteer for situational purposes, rather than among 

those who view volunteering as an expression of their 

core values. 

There is cause for optimism, however. Regardless 

of young adults’ motivations for volunteering, there 

are positive outcomes for communities and students. 

Communities benefit from the valuable services 

provided by students,33 and students can begin to shape 

their civic interests and participation. Researchers 

note that quality volunteering experiences can have 

a significant impact on young people’s civic attitudes 

and behaviors.34 America’s future college volunteers—

today’s high school students—are being introduced 

to volunteering and service in record numbers and 

demonstrating positive pro-social behaviors. 

In Our Youth Helping America 35 series, we found that 

31 percent of high school students had participated in 

school-based service in the past year. More importantly, 

when students participate in quality service activities—

that is, when they are given the opportunity to shape 

their activities and reflect on their experiences—they are 

more likely to demonstrate other positive civic attitudes 

and behaviors.36

There are other promising signs among what is 

being characterized as the “9/11 Generation.” 

Recent research highlights the record high levels of 

commitment to civic and social responsibility among 

incoming freshman. In 2005, the Higher Education 

Research Institute (HERI) reported that two-thirds of 

entering college students believed it was very important 

to help others, which is the highest percentage in the 

last 25 years.37 Similarly, HERI found a nine-year high in 

the percentage of entering college students (25.6%) that 

report that it is essential or very important to personally 

participate in community action programs.38

The most significant impact on the future of college 

student volunteering may be the consistently high 

volunteering rates among high school and college 

students, coupled with the rising number of young 

adults attending college. As described in this report, 

between 2002 and 2005 the number of college student 

volunteers increased from 2.7 million to nearly 3.3 

million. As the proportion of young adults enrolling 

in college continues to rise, the effects on volunteering 

numbers may be significant. According to the National 

Center on Education Statistics,39 in the ten years 

between 1994 and 2004, enrollment in degree-granting 

16
COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA

postsecondary institutions increased by 21 percent, 

surpassing a 17 percent increase between 1984 and 

1994. Projecting into the future, the National Center 

on Education Statistics predicts that by 2010, over 18.8 

million people will enroll annually in postsecondary 

institutions. By 2014, the number of annual enrollments 

will be more than 19.4 million. With the projected 

growth in the number of college students and strong 

support for service on campus, the number of college 

volunteers could increase substantially over the 

coming years.

Concurrent with rising youth volunteering and college 

enrollments, however, there are shifts in higher 

education that may present some challenges to college 

student volunteering rates in the future. Rising tuition 

might somewhat adversely affect volunteering rates 

as more students work more hours to pay for their 

education. The College Board, in its Trends in College 

Pricing, 2005,

40 noted that tuition and fees at 4-year 

public colleges and universities increased 7.1 percent 

between the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 school years. 

Using College Board data and similar estimates, the 

Educational Policy Institute predicted that tuition at 

public 4-year colleges and universities will increase to 

$8,552 by 2014-2015 and to $11,972 by 2024-2025.41

These increases in tuition may result in an increased 

use of student loans, and a greater number of students 

working more hours.42 Already researchers have 

documented this trend. Students report a growing 

anxiety over their ability to finance their education43

and a growing number of college students are working, 

or planning to work,44 while attending school. In some 

instances, students are spending more time working 

and less time studying.45

The consequences for college student volunteering may 

be important to watch. Large student loans increase 

the likelihood that a student will stop volunteering.46

As described in this report, volunteering rates varied by 

the number of hours a student works while attending 

college. Students working the fewest hours had the 

highest volunteering rate, and the volunteering rate 

declined as students worked additional hours up to fulltime work status. If an increasing number of students 

increase their work hours to pay for college,47 the 

number of college volunteers and/or the number of 

volunteer hours given by college students could decline. 

Despite these challenges, the positive trends in college 

student volunteering and record number of students 

who will attend college in the coming years present 

an opportunity to provide these students with quality 

volunteer experiences, whether through servicelearning, alternative spring breaks, AmeriCorps, workstudy, or a local community organization. Colleges 

and other non-profit organizations can seize this 

opportunity to collaborate on service projects that both 

meet students’ interests and work toward the goal of 

engaging five million college students by 2010. While 

bolstering America’s civic traditions, the effort has 

the potential to substantially increase the number of 

children tutored and mentored, the amount of food 

distributed to people in need, the number of homes 

rebuilt after a disaster, and the amount of funds raised 

for charity. 

17
18 COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA

FOOTNOTES

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1

 The 2002 data include results from September 2001 to September 

2002, thus including volunteering that occurred in the year 

immediately after the September 11 attacks. The September 2005 

survey asks individuals not only if they volunteer, but also where 

they volunteer, how they volunteer and how often they volunteer. 

Results do not include data since Hurricane Katrina. 

FULL REPORT

1 J.R. Ferrari & M.J. Bristow, Are We Helping Them Serve Others? 

Student Perceptions of Campus Altruism in Support of Community 

Service Motives, Education, 125(3), 2005: 404-413. S. Dodge, 

Colleges Urge Students to do Community Service Work: Some Even 

Require It, Chronicle of Higher Education 36(38), 1990:A1 & A30.

2

 R. Putnam, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American 

Community (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000).

3

 J.R. Ferrari & M.J. Bristow, 2005. M.J. Gray, E.H. Ondaatje, R.D. 

Fricker, Jr., & S.A. Geschwind, 2000. H.M. Marks & S.R. Jones, 

Community Service in Transition, The Journal of Higher Education 

75(3), 2004: 307-339.

4

 M.J. Gray, E.H. Ondaatje, R.D. Fricker, Jr., & S.A. Geschwind, 

Assessing Service-Learning: Results from a Survey of “Learn and 

Serve America, Higher Education,” Change, 2000: 30-39.

5

 J.R. Ferrari & M.J. Bristow, Are We Helping Them Serve Others? 

Student Perceptions of Campus Altruism in Support of Community 

Service Motives, Education, 125(3), 2005: 404-413. S. Dodge, 

Colleges Urge Students to do Community Service Work: Some Even 

Require It, Chronicle of Higher Education 36(38), 1990:A1 & A30.

6

 M. Gwynne. A Place for National Service in Higher Education. 

Educational Record 70(3-4), 1989: 66-70. R.G. Bringle & J.A. 

Hatcher, Implementing Service Learning in Higher Education, 

Journal of Higher Education, 67(2), 1996: 221-239. R.T. Taylor & 

M.C. Keim, Student Community Service Programs in Illinois Public 

Universities. College Student Affairs Journal 18(2), 1999: 81-91.

7

 E. Brown, The Scope of Volunteer Activity and Public Service, 

Law and Contemporary Problems 62(4), 1999: 17-42. S.B. White, 

Volunteering in the United States, 2005, Monthly Labor Review. 

(Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor 

Statistics, 2006).

8

 R.G. Niemi, M.A. Hepburn, & C. Chapman, Community Service 

by High School Students: A Cure for Civic Ills? Political Behavior 

22(1), 2000: 45-69.

9

 M.J. Gray, E.H. Ondaatje, R.D. Fricker, Jr., & S.A. Geschwind, 

2000. 

10 S.J. Myers-Lipton, Effect of a Comprehensive Service-Learning 

Program on College Students’ Civic Responsibility. Teaching 

Sociology 26(4), 1998: 243-258.

11 The CPS only asks respondents between the ages of 16-24 

about school enrollment. As a result, “young adult college student” 

is defined as a respondent between the ages of 16-24, who was 

enrolled in a post-secondary institution (i.e., college, university, 

technical school) in the week prior to the administration of the 

CPS. The primary strength of the CPS Volunteering Supplement is 

the size of its sample, which permits detailed analysis of narrowly 

defined subpopulations. In a typical annual September Volunteer 

Supplement dataset, about 13,000 respondents [unweighted] to the 

Volunteer Supplement fall within this age range. About 3,800 of 

these respondents are college students, and of these, about 1,200 are 

volunteers. See the Technical Note for more detailed information 

about the CPS. 

12 This report uses the CPS definition of “volunteer.” Specifically, 

“volunteers are persons who performed unpaid volunteer activities 

at any point from September 1 of the survey year through the 

survey period in September of the following year. The count of 

volunteers only includes persons who volunteered through or for an 

organization; the data do not include persons who volunteered in a 

more informal manner.”

13 The volunteering data in this report were collected for volunteer 

services performed before September 2005. Therefore, the data 

do not reflect volunteering in response to Hurricane Katrina. Data 

on volunteering in the year following Hurricane Katrina will be 

collected in September 2006 and will be available in summer 2007.

14 The CPS only includes questions about school enrollment to 

respondents between the ages of 16-24. As a result, the college 

student information presented in this report reflects only 16-24 

year olds enrolled in post-secondary higher education institutions. 

Defining “college-age” students using the 16-24 age range excludes, 

among others, graduate students over the age of 25 as well as “nontraditional” undergraduates.

15 The 2002 volunteer rate, 27.1 percent, represents volunteering 

between September 2001 and September 2002.

16 See for example, the report entitled, America’s Civic Health Index: 

Broken Engagement (Washington, D.C.: National Conference on 

Citizenship, 2006). 

17 Corporation for National and Community Service, Volunteering 

in America: State Trends and Rankings, (Washington, DC: 

Corporation for National and Community Service, 2006).

18 Includes Alaskan Native, American Indian, Asian, Hawaiian/

Pacific Islander, and those indicating more than one race.

19 M. Moffatt, College Life: Undergraduate Culture and Higher 

Education, Journal of Higher Education 62(1), 1991: 44-61.

20 L.J. Sax, Our Incoming Students: What are They Like? About 

Campus, 2003: 5-20.

21 L.A. Friedland & S. Morimoto, The Changing Lifeworld of Young 

People: Risk, Resume-Padding, and Civic Engagement, The Center 

for Information and Research on Civic Learning & Engagement 

(CIRCLE) Working Paper 40, 2005: 13.

22 Ibid., 13.

23 J. Wilson, Volunteering, Annual Review of Sociology, 26, 2000: 

220-221.

24 Prior to 2005, mentoring, tutoring, teaching, coaching, and 
COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA 19

refereeing were included in one response category. In 2005, the 

CPS separated the category into three categories: 1) mentoring; 2) 

tutoring and teaching; and 3) coaching, refereeing, or supervising a 

sports team. As a result, a more in-depth analysis was possible. The 

2005 data suggests tutoring, teaching and mentoring were the most 

common activities in this category, with significantly fewer responses 

for coaching and refereeing. 

25 Includes Alaskan Native, American Indian, Asian, Hawaiian/

Pacific Islander, and those indicating more than one race.

26 Corporation for National and Community Service, 2006.

27 Data for these tables were collected from 2003-2005, and were 

derived from the Current Population Survey (CPS). We used three 

years of data to ensure an adequate number of cases per state. 

28 S. Oesterle, M.K. Johnson, & J.T. Mortimer, Volunteerism During 

the Transition to Adulthood: A Life Course Perspective. Social 

Forces 82(3), 2004: 1123-1149.

29 E. Brown, 1999. A.W. Astin, L.J. Sax, & J. Avalos, Long-term 

Effects of Volunteerism During the Undergraduate Years. The 

Review of Higher Education, 22.2, 1999: 187-202.

30 L.A. Friedland & S. Morimoto, 2005.

31 Ibid.: 3.

32 H.M. Marks & S.R. Jones, 2004.

33 Ibid.

34 S. Oesterle, M.K. Johnson, & J.T. Mortimer, 2004.

35 Corporation for National and Community Service, Educating 

for Active Citizenship: Service-Learning, School-based Service, and 

Civic Engagement, Brief 2 in the Youth Helping America Series 

(Washington, D.C.: Corporation for National and Community 

Service, 2006).

36 Hedin, D. P. (1989). The Power of Community Service. 

Proceedings of the Academy of Political Science 37(2), Caring for 

America’s Children, 201-213.

37 Higher Education Research Institute, The American Freshman: 

National Norms for Fall 2005. (Los Angeles: University of 

California, 2005).

38 Ibid.

39 U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education 

Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics, 2004, (Washington, D.C., 

2004).

40 College Board, Trends in College Pricing, 2005.

41 Educational Policy Center, Tuition Prices: History and Future, 

2004.

42 S.A. Nonis & G.I. Hudson, Academic Performance of College 

Students: Influence of Time Spent Studying and Working, Journal 

of Education for Business, 2006: 151-159.

43 L.J. Sax, 2003.

44 Ibid.

45 S.A. Nonis & G.I. Hudson, 2006.

46 H.M. Marks & S.R. Jones, 2004.

47 S.A. Nonis & G.I. Hudson, 2006.
COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA

TECHNICAL NOTE

The purpose of this technical note is to document data 

sources, identify differences in the survey instrument 

from year to year, address issues of statistical reliability, 

and define terms used in the report. Readers requiring 

further technical information should refer to the 

technical notes prepared for the report, Volunteering 

in America: State Trends and Rankings 2002–2005, and 

to the technical notes prepared by Bureau of Labor 

Statistics for each of the annual reports on Volunteering 

in the United States from 2002 to 2005. 

The data used in this report were collected through a 

supplement to the September 2002, 2003, 2004, and 

2005 Current Population Survey (CPS). The CPS is a 

monthly survey of about 60,000 households conducted 

by the U.S. Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor 

Statistics. It focuses on obtaining information on 

employment and unemployment among the nation’s 

civilian noninstitutional population age 16 or older. The 

purpose of this supplement is to obtain information on 

the incidence of volunteering and the characteristics of 

volunteers in the United States. 

Reliability of the Estimates

Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both sampling 

and nonsampling error. When a sample, rather than the 

entire population, is surveyed, there is a chance that the 

sample estimates may differ from the “true” population 

values they represent. The exact difference, or sampling 

error, varies depending on the particular sample 

selected, and this variability is measured by the standard 

error of the estimate. There is about a 90 percent 

chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based 

on a sample will differ by no more than 1.6 standard 

errors from the “true” population value because of 

sampling error. 

The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error. 

Nonsampling error can occur for many reasons, 

including the failure to sample a segment of the 

population, inability to obtain information for all 

respondents in the sample, inability or unwillingness of 

respondents to provide correct information, and errors 

made in collecting or processing the data.

COMMON TERMS

College

College, as defined in this report, refers to any postsecondary higher education institution. Therefore, 

it includes colleges, universities, and technical and 

vocational schools. 

College Student 

College student, as defined in this report, is a 

respondent between the ages of 16 to 24, who was 

enrolled in a post-secondary institution. College student 

includes undergraduate and graduate students, as well as 

students enrolled in a technical or vocational school.

The CPS only includes questions about college 

enrollment for respondents between the ages of 16 and 

24. That is close to what many people mean when they 

say “college age,” but the CPS data do not allow for the 

identification of other subgroups of college students, 

such as college students over age 24. 

Employed

Persons 16 years of age and over in the civilian 

noninstitutional population who, during the reference 

week, (a) did any work at all (at least 1 hour) as paid 

employees; worked in their own business, profession, 

or on their own farm, or worked 15 hours or more as 

unpaid workers in an enterprise operated by a member 

of the family; and (b) all those who were not working 

but who had jobs or businesses from which they were 

temporarily absent because of vacation, illness, bad 

weather, childcare problems, maternity or paternity 

leave, labor-management dispute, job training, or other 

family or personal reasons, whether or not they were 

paid for the time off or were seeking other jobs. Each 

employed person is counted only once, even if he or 

she holds more than one job. 

General Adult Population 

General adult population refers to any noninstitutionalized civilian over the age of 16.

20
COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA

Not in the Labor Force

Includes persons aged 16 years and older in the civilian 

noninstitutional population who are neither employed 

nor unemployed in accordance with the definitions 

contained in this glossary. Information is collected on 

their desire for and availability for work, job search 

activity in the prior year, and reasons for not currently 

searching. 

Organizations and Activities

For the purpose of this CPS supplement, organizations 

are grouped into major categories, including religious, 

youth, and social or community service organizations. 

In 2005, immigrant/refugee assistance was added 

to the questionnaire; however, few people reported 

volunteering for immigrant/refugee assistance 

organizations and because the group was not a definite 

subset of any of the major organization categories, 

those persons who did report that they volunteered for 

immigrant/refugee assistance organizations were placed

in the “other” group.

The main organization is the organization for which the

volunteer worked the most hours during the year. If a 

respondent volunteered for only one organization, it 

was considered the main organization. To identify the 

type of main organization, respondents had to provide 

information about the organization and, for those who 

volunteered for more than one organization, annual 

hours worked for each. 

Undergraduate Student 

The definition of an undergraduate student is a 

respondent who was between the ages of 16 to 24, 

enrolled in a postsecondary institution, and who had 

not yet received a Bachelor’s degree or higher at the 

time of the survey. 

Volunteers

Volunteers are persons who performed unpaid 

volunteer activities at any point from September 1 of 

the survey year through the survey period in September 

of the following year. The count of volunteers only 

includes persons who volunteered through or for an 

organization; the data do not include persons who 

volunteered in a more informal manner.

Young Adult 

A young adult is defined in this report as a respondent 

between the ages of 16 to 24. Note that young adult 

includes college students, as well as high school 

students.

WEIGHT ESTIMATION

The final weight for each case is the product of 

the inverse of the selection probability (accounting 

for selection to the CPS and selection into the 

volunteer survey), a weight adjustment to account 

for noninterviews, a first-stage weighting factor to 

reduce the variance due to the selection on non-selfrepresenting primary sampling units (PSUs), and a 

second-stage weighting factor to bring sample estimates 

into agreement independent population controls by age, 

race, and sex.

21
22 COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA

REFERENCES

Astin, A. W., Sax, L. J., & Avalos, J. (1999). Long-term 

 Effects of Volunteerism During the Undergraduate 

 Years. The Review of Higher Education, 22.2, 187-202. 

Bringle, R. G. & Hatcher, J. A. (1996). Implementing 

 Service-Learning in Higher Education. Journal of 

 Higher Education, 67(2), 221-239. 

Brown, E. (1999). The Scope of Volunteer Activity 

 and Public Service. Law and Contemporary Problems 

62(4), 17-42. 

College Board. (2005). Trends in College Pricing, 2005. 

Corporation for National and Community Service. 

 (2006). Educating for Active Citizenship: Service-Learning, 

 School-based Service, and Civic Engagement. Brief 2 in 

 the Youth Helping America Series. Washington, 

 D.C.: Corporation for National and Community 

 Service. 

Corporation for National and Community Service. 

 (2006). Volunteering in America: State Trends and 

 Rankings. Washington, DC: Corporation for National 

 and Community Service. 

Dodge, S. (1990). Colleges Urge Students to Do 

 Community Service Work: Some Even Require It. 

Chronicle of Higher Education 36(38), A1 & A30.

 

Educational Policy Center. (2004). Tuition Prices: 

 History and Future.

Ferrari, J. R., & Bristow, M. J. (2005). Are We Helping 

 Them Serve Others? Student Perceptions of 

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 Motives. Education, 125(3), 404-413.

Friedland, L. A. & Morimoto, S. (2005). The Changing 

 Lifeworld of Young People: Risk, Resume-Padding, and 

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Gray, M. J., Ondaatje, E. H., Fricker, Jr., R. D., & 

 Geschwind, S. A. (2000). Assessing Service- 

 Learning: Results from a Survey of “Learn and 

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Gwynne, M. (1989). A Place for National Service in 

 Higher Education. Educational Record 70(3-4), 66-70.

Hedin, D. P. (1989). The Power of Community Service. 

Proceedings of the Academy of Political Science 37(2), 

 Caring for America’s Children, 201-213. 
COLLEGE STUDENTS HELPING AMERICA 23

Higher Education Research Institute. (2005). 

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Moffatt, M. (1991). College Life: Undergraduate 

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Myers-Lipton, S. J. (1998). Effect of a Comprehensive 

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Nonis, S. A., & Hudson, G. I. (2006). Academic 

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Oesterle, S., Johnson, M. K., & Mortimer, J T. (2004). 

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Putnam, R. (2000). Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival 

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