2023 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium

Vocational Rehabilitation

Section 14: Vocational Rehabilitation

This section presents statistics on Vocational Rehabilitation programs administered by the Rehabilitation Services Administration in the United States. These data concern the number of individuals with disabilities who apply for services, receive services, and find employment (are successfully rehabilitated). Presented here categorically, vocational rehabilitation agencies often provide services through both state and private rehabilitation agencies (combined), broad state-based services for people (general), and specialized services to people with visual impairments (blind). The data address expenditures associated with vocational rehabilitation and whether vocational rehabilitation agencies are on order of selection. The principal source of this data is the Rehabilitation Services Administration’s Management Information System. For several years 2015 data were the most recent due to changes in the reporting and data collection of state vocational rehabilitation agencies. In 2021, data from 2016 became available. Please note: The statistics presented in this section may vary from those provided by state agencies due to varying methods and analytic procedures.

Tables

Table 14.1: In the Federal Fiscal Year 2016 state vocational rehabilitation agencies served 328,181 participants. 186,570 cases were closed with employment and 141,620 cases were closed without employment.

Table 14.2: In the Federal Fiscal Year 2016, state vocational rehabilitation agencies agencies served 313,844 participants with significant disability and 175,542 were employed.

Table 14.3: In the Federal Fiscal Year 2016, 56.8% of all participants were employed at closure. For participants with significant disabilities, the percentage employed at closure was similar, at 55.9%.

Table 14.4: In the Federal Fiscal Year 2016, the number of participants whose primary financial support was their own at application was 51,370 participants. At closure, the number was 150,645 participants.

Table 14.5: In Federal Fiscal Year 2016, twenty-nine agencies were on Order of Selection. Over the period from 2012 to 2016, fifteen states have never had any agency on Order of Selection while twelve states have always had all their agencies on Order of Selection.

Table 14.6: In the Federal Fiscal Year 2016, the average hourly wage of employed participants was $14.55.

Table 14.1 Vocational Rehabilitation — Number of Participants Served, Number of Cases Closed with and without Employment by State Agency: 2016
State Agency Type Number served Number Closed   State Agency Type Number served Number Closed
Without Employment With Employment Without Employment With Employment
U.S. - 328,181 141,620 186,570 MT Combined   1,598     976     622
AL Combined   6,812   2,205   4,607 NE Blind     143      76      67
AK Combined   1,012     467     554 NE General   2,974     948   2,026
AZ Combined   3,513   2,037   1,476 NV Combined   1,800     903     897
AR Blind     451     147     304 NH Combined   1,774     730   1,044
AR General   3,361     949   2,412 NJ Blind     342     131     211
CA Combined  23,327   9,806  13,521 NJ General   6,211   2,408   3,803
CO Combined   4,060   1,515   2,545 NM Blind      52      30      22
CT Blind     151      46     105 NM General   2,231   1,391     840
CT General   2,754   1,171   1,583 NY Blind     767     204     563
DE Blind      40      10      30 NY General  19,594   8,322  11,272
DE General   1,931     727   1,204 NC Blind     509     139     370
DC Combined   1,518     895     623 NC General  11,348   5,221   6,127
FL Blind   1,451     638     813 ND Combined     772     235     537
FL General  13,345   7,898   5,447 OH Combined  13,246   6,603   6,643
GA Combined   6,239   2,183   4,056 OK Combined   3,947   1,822   2,125
HI Combined     845     404     441 OR Blind     114      54      60
ID Blind     109      25      84 OR General   4,583   1,608   2,975
ID General   3,896   1,643   2,253 PA Combined  15,034   6,596   8,438
IL Combined  11,297   5,600   5,697 RI Combined   1,053     405     648
IN Combined   6,820   3,066   3,754 SC Blind     318     213     105
IA Blind      85      17      68 SC General  11,390   4,584   6,806
IA General   4,227   2,003   2,224 SD Blind     150      35     115
KS Combined   2,428   1,294   1,134 SD General   1,305     529     776
KY Blind     337      88     249 TN Combined   3,648   1,518   2,130
KY General  10,181   5,031   5,150 TX Blind   1,964     508   1,456
LA Combined   4,670   2,388   2,282 TX General  22,122   7,987  14,135
ME Blind     163      51     112 UT Combined   3,986   2,018   1,968
ME General   2,501   1,335   1,166 VT Blind     102      21      81
MD Combined   4,222   1,657   2,565 VT General   2,890   1,316   1,574
MA Blind     320      54     266 VA Blind     316     119     197
MA General   7,148   3,224   3,924 VA General   7,248   3,188   4,060
MI Blind     329     191     138 WA Blind     321     156     165
MI General  11,440   4,619   6,821 WA General   4,743   1,694   3,049
MN Blind     250     110     140 WV Combined   3,313   1,510   1,803
MN General   5,196   2,081   3,115 WI Combined   8,374   3,759   4,615
MS Combined   6,458   2,246   4,212 WY Combined   1,076     464     612
MO Blind     327      54     273 PR Combined   5,009   1,894   3,115
MO General   8,600   3,430   5,170                            

Citation: Paul, S., Rogers, S., Bach, S., & Houtenville, A. (2023). Annual Disability Statistics Compendium: 2023 (Table 14.1). Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability. Note: Sourced from U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, (2016), Management Information System, Ad Hoc Query of the RSA-911 Cumulative Caseload Report. Data for this table can be found at https://rsa.ed.gov.
Table 14.2 Vocational Rehabilitation — Number of Participants with Significant Disabilities Served and Employed by State Agency: 2016
State Agency Type Number of Participants with Significant Disability   State Agency Type Number of Participants with Significant Disability
Served Employed Served Employed
U.S. - 313,844 175,542 MT Combined   1,396     524
AL Combined   6,172   4,213 NE Blind     142      67
AK Combined     980     529 NE General   2,277   1,569
AZ Combined   3,492   1,467 NV Combined   1,743     851
AR Blind     451     304 NH Combined   1,688     972
AR General   3,277   2,340 NJ Blind     272     159
CA Combined  23,269  13,491 NJ General   6,211   3,803
CO Combined   3,874   2,382 NM Blind      52      22
CT Blind     151     105 NM General   2,117     771
CT General   2,676   1,511 NY Blind     760     558
DE Blind      39      29 NY General  19,407  11,136
DE General   1,887   1,174 NC Blind     438     334
DC Combined   1,468     605 NC General   9,656   5,126
FL Blind   1,451     813 ND Combined     687     463
FL General  13,302   5,418 OH Combined  12,764   6,186
GA Combined   5,769   3,715 OK Combined   3,697   1,956
HI Combined     826     434 OR Blind     114      60
ID Blind     107      82 OR General   4,581   2,975
ID General   3,301   1,737 PA Combined  15,033   8,438
IL Combined  11,296   5,696 RI Combined   1,053     648
IN Combined   5,889   2,867 SC Blind     318     105
IA Blind      85      68 SC General  10,916   6,536
IA General   4,202   2,200 SD Blind     149     114
KS Combined   2,374   1,093 SD General   1,290     765
KY Blind     337     249 TN Combined   3,602   2,104
KY General  10,181   5,150 TX Blind   1,961   1,453
LA Combined   4,655   2,273 TX General  19,995  12,241
ME Blind     163     112 UT Combined   3,827   1,867
ME General   2,220     945 VT Blind     102      81
MD Combined   4,222   2,565 VT General   2,886   1,571
MA Blind     319     266 VA Blind     315     196
MA General   7,107   3,898 VA General   7,246   4,060
MI Blind     328     138 WA Blind     318     162
MI General   9,994   5,598 WA General   4,669   2,997
MN Blind     250     140 WV Combined   2,984   1,502
MN General   5,196   3,115 WI Combined   8,366   4,608
MS Combined   5,423   3,304 WY Combined     982     553
MO Blind     326     272 PR Combined   4,355   2,698
MO General   8,416   5,013                    

Citation: Paul, S., Rogers, S., Bach, S., & Houtenville, A. (2023). Annual Disability Statistics Compendium: 2023 (Table 14.2). Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability. Note: Sourced from U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, (2016), Management Information System, Ad Hoc Query of the RSA-911 Cumulative Caseload Report. Data for this table can be found at https://rsa.ed.gov.
Table 14.3 Vocational Rehabilitation — Percent of Participants Employed at Closure by State Agency: 2016
State Agency Type Percent Employed (%)   State Agency Type Percent Employed (%)
All Participants Participants with Significant Disabilities All Participants Participants with Significant Disabilities
U.S. - 56.8 55.9 MT Combined 38.9 37.5
AL Combined 67.6 68.3 NE Blind 46.9 47.2
AK Combined 54.7 54.0 NE General 68.1 68.9
AZ Combined 42.0 42.0 NV Combined 49.8 48.8
AR Blind 67.4 67.4 NH Combined 58.9 57.6
AR General 71.8 71.4 NJ Blind 61.7 58.5
CA Combined 58.0 58.0 NJ General 61.2 61.2
CO Combined 62.7 61.5 NM Blind 42.3 42.3
CT Blind 69.5 69.5 NM General 37.7 36.4
CT General 57.5 56.5 NY Blind 73.4 73.4
DE Blind 75.0 74.4 NY General 57.5 57.4
DE General 62.4 62.2 NC Blind 72.7 76.3
DC Combined 41.0 41.2 NC General 54.0 53.1
FL Blind 56.0 56.0 ND Combined 69.6 67.4
FL General 40.8 40.7 OH Combined 50.2 48.5
GA Combined 65.0 64.4 OK Combined 53.8 52.9
HI Combined 52.2 52.5 OR Blind 52.6 52.6
ID Blind 77.1 76.6 OR General 64.9 64.9
ID General 57.8 52.6 PA Combined 56.1 56.1
IL Combined 50.4 50.4 RI Combined 61.5 61.5
IN Combined 55.0 48.7 SC Blind 33.0 33.0
IA Blind 80.0 80.0 SC General 59.8 59.9
IA General 52.6 52.4 SD Blind 76.7 76.5
KS Combined 46.7 46.0 SD General 59.5 59.3
KY Blind 73.9 73.9 TN Combined 58.4 58.4
KY General 50.6 50.6 TX Blind 74.1 74.1
LA Combined 48.9 48.8 TX General 63.9 61.2
ME Blind 68.7 68.7 UT Combined 49.4 48.8
ME General 46.6 42.6 VT Blind 79.4 79.4
MD Combined 60.8 60.8 VT General 54.5 54.4
MA Blind 83.1 83.4 VA Blind 62.3 62.2
MA General 54.9 54.8 VA General 56.0 56.0
MI Blind 41.9 42.1 WA Blind 51.4 50.9
MI General 59.6 56.0 WA General 64.3 64.2
MN Blind 56.0 56.0 WV Combined 54.4 50.3
MN General 59.9 59.9 WI Combined 55.1 55.1
MS Combined 65.2 60.9 WY Combined 56.9 56.3
MO Blind 83.5 83.4 PR Combined 62.2 62.0
MO General 60.1 59.6              

Citation: Paul, S., Rogers, S., Bach, S., & Houtenville, A. (2023). Annual Disability Statistics Compendium: 2023 (Table 14.3). Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability. Note: Sourced from U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, (2016), Management Information System, Ad Hoc Query of the RSA-911 Cumulative Caseload Report. Data for this table can be found at https://rsa.ed.gov.
Table 14.4 Vocational Rehabilitation — Number of Participants Whose Primary Support is Own Income at Application and Closure by State Agency: 2016
State Agency Type Number of Participants - Primary Support is Own Income   State Agency Type Number of Participants - Primary Support is Own Income
At Application At Closure At Application At Closure
U.S. - 51,370 150,645 MT Combined    508     847
AL Combined    731   4,482 NE Blind     50      69
AK Combined    360     647 NE General  1,219   2,425
AZ Combined  1,129   2,044 NV Combined    321   1,648
AR Blind    256     310 NH Combined    620     998
AR General  1,510   2,520 NJ Blind    206     234
CA Combined  1,953  10,779 NJ General  1,355   6,625
CO Combined    890   2,397 NM Blind     18      29
CT Blind     81     101 NM General    413     876
CT General  1,104   1,698 NY Blind    296     457
DE Blind      7      22 NY General  1,787   7,499
DE General    206   1,206 NC Blind    332     368
DC Combined    362     683 NC General  2,520   5,888
FL Blind    406     700 ND Combined    316     640
FL General  2,536   5,683 OH Combined  1,746   5,730
GA Combined  1,021   3,805 OK Combined    672   5,071
HI Combined    150   1,257 OR Blind     37      57
ID Blind     82      77 OR General    948   2,625
ID General  1,475   2,648 PA Combined  4,280   8,707
IL Combined  1,308   4,070 RI Combined    195     570
IN Combined  2,405   3,828 SC Blind    127     164
IA Blind     35      59 SC General  2,940   7,238
IA General    737   1,858 SD Blind     88     111
KS Combined    614   1,365 SD General    406     859
KY Blind    190     241 TN Combined    679   1,806
KY General  3,685   5,689 TX Blind  1,089   1,404
LA Combined    897   4,924 TX General  9,049  16,034
ME Blind     17      74 UT Combined  1,147   2,447
ME General    496   1,237 VT Blind     34      42
MD Combined    645   2,148 VT General    788   1,385
MA Blind    137     198 VA Blind     90     365
MA General  1,576   3,820 VA General    615   2,912
MI Blind     74     113 WA Blind    106     168
MI General  1,855  12,390 WA General    950   2,872
MN Blind     70     133 WV Combined    703   1,580
MN General    612   2,732 WI Combined  2,724  10,517
MS Combined  2,430   4,947 WY Combined    496     721
MO Blind    143     203 PR Combined    245   3,251
MO General  1,100   2,732                   

Citation: Paul, S., Rogers, S., Bach, S., & Houtenville, A. (2023). Annual Disability Statistics Compendium: 2023 (Table 14.4). Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability. Note: Sourced from U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, (2016), Management Information System, Ad Hoc Query of the RSA-911 Cumulative Caseload Report. Data for this table can be found at https://rsa.ed.gov.
Table 14.5 Vocational Rehabilitation — State Agencies with Individuals on Order of Selection at Fiscal Year-End: 2012 to 2016
State Agency Type Federal Fiscal Year   State Agency Type Federal Fiscal Year
12 13 14 15 16 12 13 14 15 16
AL Combined No No No No No MT Combined No No No No Yes
AK Combined No No No No No NE Blind No No No No No
AZ Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes NE General Yes Yes Yes Yes No
AR Blind No No No No No NV Combined No No No No No
AR General Yes Yes Yes Yes No NH Combined No No No No No
CA Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes NJ Blind No No No No No
CO Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes No NJ General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
CT Blind No No No No No NM Blind No No No No No
CT General Yes Yes Yes Yes No NM General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
DE Blind No No No No No NY Blind No No No No No
DE General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes NY General No No No No No
DC Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes No NC Blind No No No No No
FL Blind No No No No No NC General No No No No No
FL General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ND Combined No No No No Yes
GA Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes OH Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes No
HI Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes No OK Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes No
ID Blind No No No No No OR Blind Yes Yes Yes Yes No
ID General No No No No No OR General Yes Yes Yes Yes No
IL Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes PA Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
IN Combined No No No No No RI Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
IA Blind No No No No No SC Blind No No No No No
IA General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes SC General No No No No No
KS Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes SD Blind No No No No No
KY Blind Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes SD General Yes Yes Yes Yes No
KY General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes TN Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
LA Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes TX Blind No No No No No
ME Blind No No No No No TX General No No No No No
ME General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes UT Combined No No No No Yes
MD Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes VT Blind No No No No No
MA Blind No No No No No VT General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
MA General No No No No No VA Blind Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
MI Blind No No No No No VA General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
MI General No No No No No WA Blind No No No No No
MN Blind No No No No Yes WA General No No No No No
MN General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes WV Combined No No No No Yes
MS Combined No No No No No WI Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
MO Blind No No No No No WY Combined No No No No No
MO General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes              

Citation: Paul, S., Rogers, S., Bach, S., & Houtenville, A. (2023). Annual Disability Statistics Compendium: 2023 (Table 14.5). Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability. Note: Sourced from U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, 2016. Information provided directly from RSAData. Special thanks to Yann-Yann Shieh and Vernita Washington for their assistance.
Table 14.6 Vocational Rehabilitation — Average Hourly Wage of Employed Participants by State Agency: 2016
State Agency Type Average Hourly Wage of Employed Workers ($)   State Agency Type Average Hourly Wage of Employed Workers ($)
U.S. - 14.55 MT Combined  9.55
AL Combined 12.10 NE Blind 12.88
AK Combined 10.62 NE General 14.56
AZ Combined 12.59 NV Combined 11.96
AR Blind 11.37 NH Combined 12.35
AR General 13.13 NJ Blind 11.85
CA Combined 11.80 NJ General 17.52
CO Combined 19.24 NM Blind 11.99
CT Blind 14.08 NM General 19.76
CT General 20.87 NY Blind 11.03
DE Blind 10.98 NY General 20.78
DE General 12.32 NC Blind 13.62
DC Combined 10.70 NC General 12.44
FL Blind 10.01 ND Combined 11.80
FL General 13.96 OH Combined 11.60
GA Combined 12.84 OK Combined 12.50
HI Combined 12.00 OR Blind 12.55
ID Blind 10.62 OR General 17.77
ID General 14.38 PA Combined  9.31
IL Combined 13.17 RI Combined 11.44
IN Combined 10.09 SC Blind 10.51
IA Blind 12.02 SC General 13.30
IA General 14.73 SD Blind 10.17
KS Combined 15.33 SD General 12.71
KY Blind 11.92 TN Combined 13.25
KY General 14.60 TX Blind 11.61
LA Combined 13.53 TX General 13.44
ME Blind 13.46 UT Combined 10.24
ME General 16.02 VT Blind 18.41
MD Combined 13.79 VT General 12.39
MA Blind 11.10 VA Blind 11.20
MA General 23.80 VA General 16.20
MI Blind 12.17 WA Blind 20.46
MI General 15.46 WA General 12.59
MN Blind 10.59 WV Combined 13.20
MN General 16.75 WI Combined 11.75
MS Combined 12.16 WY Combined 12.06
MO Blind 12.53 PR Combined 12.27
MO General 14.27          

Citation: Paul, S., Rogers, S., Bach, S., & Houtenville, A. (2023). Annual Disability Statistics Compendium: 2023 (Table 14.6). Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability. Note: Sourced from the RSA-911 Cumulative Caseload Report, 2016. Data for this table can be found at https://rsa.ed.gov.