Monthly Labor Review February 2006 65

Volunteering in

the United States, 2005

Stephanie Boraas White

Visual Essay: Volunteers in 2005

These data on volunteering were collected through a

supplement to the September 2005 Current Population Survey (CPS). The CPS is a monthly survey of about

60,000 households that obtains information on employment

and unemployment among the nation’s civilian noninstitutional population age 16 and older. Volunteers are defined

as persons who worked without being paid (except for expenses) through or for an organization at least once during

the past year. In this essay, “the past year” refers to the period from September 2004 through September 2005. For

more information about the volunteer supplement, see http:/

/www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/volun.pdf.

This essay was prepared by Stephanie Boraas White, an

economist in the Division of Labor Force Statistics, Bureau

of Labor Statistics.

E-mail: White.Stephanie@bls.gov

• Over the year ending in September

2005, nearly 3 out of 10 persons in

the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years old and older did

volunteer work. This was about the

same proportion as in 2003 and

2004, but higher than in 2002.

• About 65.4 million people volunteered at least once between September 2004 and September 2005.

1. U.S. volunteer rates, 2002–2005

Percent Percent

2002 2003 2004 200

25

26

27

28

29

30

25

26

27

28

29

30

September

2002

September

2003

September

2004

September

2005
Visual Essay: Volunteers in 2005

66 Monthly Labor Review February 2006

White Black or African Ame Asian Hispanic or Latino e

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

• Whites volunteer at a higher rate 3. Volunteer rates by major race/ethnic groups, September 2005

than persons in other major racial

and ethnic groups. This has been

true in each of the past 4 years.

• In 2005, Hispanic men were the

least likely to volunteer (12.2 percent), while white women were

most likely (34.3 percent).

Percent Percent

White Black or

African American Asian Hispanic orLatino ethnicity

• In each of the past 4 years, nearly 1 2. Volunteer rates by gender, 2002–2005

in 3 women did some volunteer

work, compared with about 1 in 4

men.

• Among all major demographic

categories—age, race, marital

status, educational attainment, and

labor force status—women have

been more likely to volunteer than

their male counterparts.

Percent Percent

Men

Women

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

September

2002

September

2003

September

2004

September

2005
 Monthly Labor Review February 2006 67

16-19 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65 and older

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

• A little more than one-third of per- 4. Volunteer rates by age group, September 2005

sons age 35–44 did some volunteer

work in 2005, the highest proportion of any 10-year age group.

Many people in this age group have

school-age children, and parents

often volunteer for organizations in

which their children are involved.

• Although volunteer rates for

younger persons tend to be lower

than rates for those in the middle

age groups, about 3 out of 10 teenagers volunteered in 2005. This

may reflect an emphasis on volunteer activities by schools. Individuals age 20–24 had the lowest volunteer rate.

Percent Percent

65 and

older

Fathers Men without children Mothers Women without childr

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

• Parents with children under age 18

were more likely to volunteer than

were persons without children.

Parents often volunteer for organizations in which their children are

involved or from which their children benefit.

• Among volunteers in 2005, parents

were more than twice as likely to

volunteer for an educational or

youth service organization than

were persons without children under age 18.

5. Volunteer rates of fathers, mothers, and men and women without children, September 2005

NOTE: "Children" refers to own children under age 18 and includes sons, daughters, adopted

children, and stepchildren. Not included are nieces, nephews, grandchildren, other related children, and unrelated children.

Percent Percent

Fathers Men without

children

Women without

children

Mothers
Visual Essay: Volunteers in 2005

68 Monthly Labor Review February 2006

Less than a high sch High school graduate Less than a bachelor College graduates

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

• Volunteering increases with educational attainment. In 2005, almost

half of all college graduates age 25

and older volunteered, compared

with 10 percent of persons in that

age group without a high school

diploma.

• Individuals with higher levels of

educational attainment were more

likely to volunteer for multiple organizations than were less-educated individuals. The types of activities in which volunteers engaged also varied with education.

For example, college graduates

were more than twice as likely to

mentor youth than were people with

less than a high school diploma.

6. Volunteer rates of individuals age 25 and older by educational

attainment, September 2005

Percent Percent

Less than a

high school

diploma

High school

graduates,

no college

Less than a

bachelor's

degree

College

graduates

Employed full time Employed part time Unemployed Not in the labor for

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

7. Volunteer rates by labor force status, September 2005

Percent Percent

Employed

full time

Employed

part time Unemployed Not in thelabor force

• Almost 4 out of 10 part-time workers did some volunteer work between September 2004 and September 2005.

• Employed persons, regardless of

whether they worked full or part

time, volunteered at a higher rate

than persons who were unemployed or not in the labor force.
 Monthly Labor Review February 2006 69

16-19 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65 and older

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

8. Median annual hours spent volunteering, by age group,

September 2005

Median

annual hours

Median

annual hours

65 and

older

• As a whole, volunteers spent a median of 50 hours doing volunteer

activities in the year ended September 2005, down slightly from the

prior survey period. In 2005, persons 16–19 and 25–34 years old

spent the least amount of time volunteering, while persons age 65 and

older spent the most.

• Among volunteers age 65 and

older, the amount of time spent volunteering was lower for the older

members of the group. This may

be due to declines in health or mobility that often accompany advancing age.

• About one-third of volunteers reported that a religious organization

was the main group for which they

performed volunteer work. The

main organization is the one for

which a volunteer worked the most

hours during the reference year.

Educational or youth service organizations were the second most frequently reported type.

• At ages when volunteers are likely

to have school-age children or be

enrolled in school themselves, a

higher percentage report education

or youth service organizations as

their main type. At older ages, the

main organization is most often religious. Even for age groups where

the predominant main organization

is educational or youth service, religious organizations are not far

behind.

Civic, political, or

international Other

Sport, hobby,

cultural, or arts

Social or

community

service

Religious

Hospital or

other health

Educational or

youth service

NOTE: The "other" category includes some volunteers for whom the type of main organization

was not determined.

9. Volunteers by main organization, in percent, September 2005
Visual Essay: Volunteers in 2005

70 Monthly Labor Review February 2006

• Individuals engaged in a variety of 10. Volunteers by activity, September 2005

volunteer activities for their main

organizations. Participation in some

activities (such as providing professional or management assistance

and tutoring or teaching) increased

with educational attainment.

• Women were more likely than men

to collect or distribute food and

other goods, provide general office

services, fundraise, and tutor or

teach. Men were more likely than

women to coach, referee, or supervise sports teams, engage in general

labor, provide professional and

management assistance, or be an

usher, greeter, or minister.

Percent

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Percent

Fundraise or sell

items to raise money

Tutor or teach

Collect, prepare,

distribute, or serve food

Engage in general labor; supply

transportation for people

Be an usher, greeter,

or minister

Provide professional or

management assistance

Other and not reporting

Collect, make, or distribute clothing,

crafts, or goods other than food

Provide general office services

Coach, referee, or

supervise sports teams

Engage in music, performance,

or other artistic activities

Provide counseling, medical care,

fire/EMS, or protective services

Mentor youth

NOTE: Volunteers may engage in more than one activity.