The value of volunteer time has increased again to $29.95 per hour! [via Independent Sector]
Happy Volunteer Month, everyone! We wanted to share this little tidbit with you as you celebrate your lovely volunteers and the invaluable support and services they provide to our communities and nation:
(WASHINGTON, April 18, 2022) – Independent Sector, with the Do Good Institute, announced today that the latest value of a volunteer hour is estimated to be $29.95, which is a 4.9% increase over 2020.
We know putting numbers to volunteer hours will never do them justice, but this data underscores the significance of the contributions volunteers have made in our communities. What a great way to remember and celebrate all that they do and give!
Full article below:
While the immensity of the contributions made by volunteers can never truly be calculated, new national and state-by-state data underscores the significance of the invaluable support and services volunteers provide in communities across the country.
Independent Sector, with the Do Good Institute, announced today that the latest value of a volunteer hour is estimated to be $29.95, which is a 4.9% increase from 2020 to 2021. Release of the data comes as nonprofits, philanthropy, corporate giving programs, and communities across the country celebrate National Volunteer Week.
“The essential contributions made by our nation’s volunteers to lift up, strengthen, and restore communities to make them healthy and equitable for people are always deeply appreciated, but never more so than during the pandemic,” said Dan Cardinali, President and CEO of Independent Sector. “Despite COVID-19’s devastating impact, which began in 2020 and continues through today, our country’s volunteers continued to show up, virtually and in person, with their compassion, skills, and abilities. They often put their own lives at risk. They are the threads that connect us as a nation, constantly reinforcing the foundation of civil society and helping build pathways so we all can thrive.”
In addition to the national average, we invite you to explore detailed state-level data to see how volunteer hours can be quantified in your community.
The latest value is calculated by the Do Good Institute, based on hourly earnings released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.




