Employment
Social assistance provided 1.4 million nongovernment wage and salary jobs in 2004. About 63 percent were in individual and family services (table 1).
| Industry segment | Employment, 2004 | 2004-14Percent change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Percent | ||
| |||
Total, social assistance, except childcare | 1,365 | 100.0 | 32.6 |
| |||
Individual and family services | 853 | 62.5 | 36.0 |
Vocational rehabilitation services | 381 | 27.9 | 28.5 |
Community food and housing, and emergency and other relief services | 131 | 9.6 | 22.1 |
In 2004, about 77 percent of social assistance establishments employed fewer than 20 workers; however, larger establishments accounted for most jobs (chart 1).
Social assistance workers were somewhat older than workers in other industries (table 2). About 40 percent were 45 years old or older, compared with 39 percent of all workers. Jobs in social assistance are concentrated in large States with heavily populated urban areas, such as New York and California.
| Age group | Social assistance, except child day care | All industries |
|---|---|---|
| ||
Total | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| ||
16-19 | 3.8 | 4.2 |
20-24 | 10.2 | 9.9 |
25-34 | 23 | 21.8 |
35-44 | 23.6 | 24.8 |
45-54 | 22.7 | 23.3 |
55-64 | 12.6 | 12.4 |
65 and older | 4.2 | 3.5 |