20+ Essential Part-Time Job Statistics [2023]: Who Works Part-Time And Why?

Research Summary: Part-time workers make up a large part of the U.S. workforce, as many seasonal industries rely on them to keep their businesses operational. Here are some statistics about this segment of employees:

• There are 27.52 million part-time workers in the U.S. as of January 2023.

• 63% of part-time workers are women.

• Part-time workers constitute about 17% of the employed U.S. workforce as of 2020.

• The number one reason why people choose to work part-time is so that they can also attend school or a training program.

For further analysis, we broke down the data in the following ways:
Working Part-time | Trends and Projections | Industry | Employee | Work Demographics

General Part-Time Job Statistics

• There were about 24.61 million people employed part-time in the U.S. in 2020.

  This was a significant drop from the 26.94 million part-time workers in 2019. The number of part-time employees has been falling steadily since 2016 when there were about 27.68 million part-time workers, but the change from 2019 to 2022 was the most dramatic drop during that time frame.

  This significant decrease in part-time workers is likely due at least in part to shutdowns in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that closed businesses or significantly reduced their staffing needs.

• Approximately 17% of the employed U.S. workforce works part-time.

  There are about 132.34 million employed full-time workers and 27.52 million employed part-time workers in the U.S. as of 2023

  Of the U.S.’s unemployed workers, 10.22 million are looking for full-time work, and 2.73 are looking for part-time opportunities.



• The Netherlands has a part-time employment rate of 51%.

  This is one of the highest rates in Europe, North America, and Australia. It’s followed by Switzerland, which has a rate of 27% — almost half that of the Netherlands.

Percent of Population That Works Part-Time by Country

Country	% Of The Population That Works Part-Time
Netherlands	51
Switzerland	27
Israel	26
Australia	25
United Kingdom	23
Ireland	23
Germany	22
Japan	22
Austria	21
New Zealand	21
Denmark	20
Canada	19
United States	17

Reasons for Working Part-Time

• Over 75% of part-time workers choose this style of work for noneconomic reasons.

  This means that most of these workers aren’t stuck with a part-time job only because they can’t find a full-time position. Instead, they either aren’t available or don’t want to work 35 or more hours a week.

  In statistical studies, these employees are often called “voluntary” part-time workers, even though the reasons keeping them from working full-time aren’t always truly voluntary (having to take care of an invalid family member, for example).

• Attending school or a training program is the top reason why voluntary part-time workers choose to work 34 hours or less per week.

  In 2016, over six million of the country’s 20.68 million voluntary part-time workers said that they work these hours because they’re also attending classes of some kind.

  Non-childcare-related family/personal obligations were the second most common reason, and a full-time workweek required to be less than 35 hours was the third most common. (Safety standards or unions can prohibit employees from working more than 35 hours per week in a full-time position).

  Other reasons include childcare problems, health or medical limitations, and retirement or social security limits on earnings.

• 28% of female part-time workers cited family and personal obligations as the reason why they chose to work full-time.

  This doesn’t include those who said that a problem with childcare was their number one reason why they chose to pursue part-time employment.

  In contrast, only 7% of men cited family and personal obligations as the reason why they work part-time.

Part-Time Work Trends and Projections

• The number of part-time workers in the U.S. increased from 20.13 million in 1990 to 26.05 million in 2022.

  This number peaked in 2016 at 27.68 million part-time employees and has steadily declined since then.

  The number of part-time workers has risen and fallen many times over the years, and several significant jumps occurred during these 30 years.

  Some of the most notable ones took place between 1993 and 1994 when the number of part-time employees grew from 21.5 million to 23.29 million, as well as between 2008 and 2009 when it changed from 25.33 million to 27.24 million.

• The number of part-time workers in the U.S. increased from 25.87 million in January 2022 to 27.52 million in January 2023.

  This number went up and down throughout the year due to businesses’ seasonal needs, peaking at 27.52 million in January 2023 and hitting its lowest point at 25.05 million in June 2022.

Part-Time Industry Statistics

• The education and health services industry has 8,104 part-time workers, the highest number of any industry.

  The wholesale and retail trade industry has 5,072 part-time workers, the second-highest.

  Just behind this category are leisure and hospitality with 4,845 part-time workers, self-employed and unincorporated workers with 3,182, and professional and business services with 3,098.

• 46% of the workers in the leisure and hospitality industry are part-time employees.

  This is the highest rate of any industry. The second-highest is self-employed workers, with 42% working part-time.

• The education and health services industry has about 1.26 million involuntary part-time workers, the most of any industry.

  These workers are designated as involuntary part-time workers because they can and want to work at least 35 hours a week. Still, they’re having trouble finding a full-time position, or their industry is seasonal, keeping them from working full-time all year.

  The industries with the next-highest number of involuntary part-time workers are leisure and hospitality with 1.22 million workers and wholesale and retail trade with 1.08 million.

Part-Time Employee Statistics

• The median weekly earnings of part-time workers is $340 as of 2022.

  This is up from $317 in 2021 and refers to part-time workers who are at least 16 years old. It also includes both those who are paid by the hour and those who are salaried.

• Approximately 79% of companies offer health insurance benefits to part-time workers.

  Part-time jobs with benefits are becoming more common as companies work to keep their turnover levels lower.

  In addition to health insurance, these benefits often include holidays, paid sick days, parental leave, retirement plans, and even tuition reimbursement programs.

• Married women are the most likely to voluntarily work part-time as of 2017.

  Married women make up 16.7% of prime-age (25 to 54 years old), voluntary part-time workers in the U.S. In contrast, married men make up 2.3% of the same group.

  Widowed women make up the next-highest percentage, and separated women follow closely behind.

Part-Time Work Demographics

• 63% of part-time workers are women.

  According to a survey conducted in 2020, women make up the majority of part-time workers in the U.S. In contrast, they only make up 43.6% of full-time workers across the country.

• 20- to 24-year-olds hold about 17% of part-time positions as of 2016.

  They are closely followed by the 16- to 19-year-old and 55- to 64-year-old demographics, who each hold just under 15% of part-time jobs. Those 65 years and older hold about 14% of positions.

  Workers who are at the prime working age (25 to 55 years old) still hold the greatest number of part-time jobs because they are the largest demographic in the workforce, but teenagers and older workers are still more likely to work part-time than those prime-age workers are.

• Over 80% of 16- to 17-year-olds choose to work part-time jobs.

  This is by far the highest rate of any age group, and it’s followed by the approximately 52% of 18- to 19-year-olds who choose to work part-time jobs.

  About 35% of workers 65 years of age and older work part-time jobs as well, which is still higher than anyone who is between 20 and 64 years of age.

• White women make up the greatest percentage of the part-time workforce at 23.4%.

  Hispanic women are close behind, making up 23.3% of the part-time workforce. Asian and Black women follow at 19.1% and 18%, respectively.

  Asian men account for the smallest percentage of the part-time workforce at 9.7%. Hispanic men make up 11.3%, white men make up 11.5%, and Black men 12.6%.

Part-Time Job Statistics FAQ

1. What does working part-time mean?

   Working part-time means working an average of 34 or fewer hours per week. In reality, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t provide a great definition for part-time work, but there are similar trends companies choose to follow.

   For instance, the majority of part-time jobs don’t offer benefits, unlike full-time work. This includes things like employer-sponsored retirement plans, healthcare plans, life insurance, and more.

2. Does the Affordable Care Act require companies to provide health insurance for part-time employees?

   No, the Affordable Care Act doesn’t require companies to provide health insurance for part-time employees. Companies can choose to provide these benefits to their part-time workers, but they don’t have to.

3. How old do you have to be to get a part-time job?

   You have to be at least 16 years old to get a part-time job.

   Depending on the state, teens ages 14 to 15 can often work part-time jobs as well, but their hours and the types of work they can do are much more restricted.

4. What percentage of U.S. jobs are full-time?

   63.1% of U.S. jobs are full-time. In more detail, 63.1% of U.S. workers work full-time, 17% work part-time, and 14.7% are unemployed.

   As of 2020, there are about 123.19 million employed full-time workers. Further, of the U.S.’s unemployed workers, 10.22 million are looking for full-time work.

   Gender-wise, men are more likely to work full-time jobs than women, as 63% of the part-time workforce are women. Overall, the demographic with the least number of part-time workers is Asian Men, as only 9.7% work part-time.

5. Is a zero-hour contract good?

   A zero-hour contract is neither good nor bad but has pros and cons for different people. This type of contract doesn’t provide you with a guaranteed number of work hours.

   While you’ll likely have more flexibility and opportunities, you’re also sacrificing a predictable work schedule. Here are some of the main pros and cons outlined:

   Pros:

   • Flexibility: If you already have another job or are currently a student, zero-hour contracts can provide the flexibility you need. You can turn down hours and request time off rather easily.

   • Opportunities: zero-hour contracts are a great way to put your foot in the door of a company without making any huge commitments. That way, you can spring on prime opportunities when the time is right.

   • Supplemental Income: If you need extra money, zero-hour contracts can be a great way to supplement your monthly income without going overboard with work hours.

   Cons:

   • Unpredictability: You might find it difficult to make plans in advance when your schedule is unpredictable.

   • Pressure: Some employers might exploit the flexible work schedule by consistently asking you to work last minute or take extra hours.

   • Light Income: When the company doesn’t have many hours for you to work, you might start to find that you’re not earning enough income.

6. What are the pros of working part-time?

   There are many pros to working part-time. While there are many to cover, here are some of the most important:

   • Work-Life Balance: Working fewer hours per week or shorter hours per day can help you recharge and have more energy in the workplace. Plus, you’ll be able to maintain relationships and plan activities outside of your work schedule much easier.

   • Experience and Opportunity: You might find that it’s easier to get into a part-time job, as most require less experience than full-time jobs. Then, once you earn experience working part-time, you’ll have more opportunities.

   • Supplemental Income: If you find that you need extra money, part-time work can be a great way to supplement your monthly income while still being able to work other jobs.

7. What are the cons of working part-time?

   There are a few cons to working part-time, mainly the lack of benefits. While some part-time jobs do have them, the overwhelming majority don’t. Here are the cons of part-time work outlined:

   Cons:

   • Few to No Benefits: If having free health care or other benefits is important to you, part-time work may not be a great fit. That’s because most part-time jobs don’t offer many or any benefits.

   • Less Job Security: Part-time workers can sometimes be seen as more expendable to employers, meaning that you’ll have less job security during a layoff situation.

   • “On-Call” Stress: Employers tend to ask part-time workers to work last-minute shifts, leading to schedule stress.

Conclusion

Part-time workers are a vital part of the U.S. workforce and seem to only be growing in number.

Women make up the majority of part-time workers, and young people and older workers are far more likely to opt for part-time hours than those who are at prime working age are.

Some people have no choice but to work part-time, whether that’s because they’re struggling to land a full-time position or because their industry doesn’t allow them to work more than 35 hours per week.

The majority of part-time workers, however, have some degree of choice about their work schedule. Many of them take classes or take care of family members and need the flexibility to manage these areas of their lives while still earning a paycheck.

The good news for those workers is that companies are recognizing how important part-time employees are and are offering them health, retirement, and even college tuition benefits, making it possible for employees to balance both their work and their personal lives.

References

1. Statista. “Number of Part-Time Employees in the U.S. From 1990 to 2022.” Accessed on February 26, 2023.

2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Labor Force Statistics From the Current Population Survey.” Accessed on August 27, 2021.

3. World Atlas. “12 Countries with the Highest Rates of Part-Time Employment.” Accessed on August 27, 2021.

4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Monthly Labor Review: Who Chooses Part-Time Work and Why?” Accessed on August 27, 2021.

5. Statista. “Monthly Number of Part-Time Employees in the United States From July 2020 to January 2023.” Accessed on February 26, 2023.

6. Trading Economics. “United States Part Time Employment.” Accessed on August 27, 2021.

7. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Labor Force Statistics From the Current Population Survey-21.” Accessed on August 27, 2021.

8. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Labor Force Statistics From the Current Population Survey-38.” Accessed on August 27, 2021.

9. HR Dive. “Part-Timers are Gaining Ground in Employee Benefits.” Accessed on August 27, 2021.

10. U.S. Department of Labor. “Full-Time/Part-Time Employment.” Accessed on August 27, 2021.

11. Paychex. “What To Know About Offering Employment Benefits to Part-Time Employees.” Accessed on August 27, 2021.

12. U.S. Department of Labor. “Age Requirements.” Accessed on August 27, 2021.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.