Does Part-Time Work Count for Social Security?
Uncover how your work, even part-time, helps secure your Social Security benefits for the future.
Social Security is a federal program designed to provide financial protection to millions of Americans, offering retirement, disability, and survivor benefits. Eligibility for these benefits is primarily determined by an individual’s work history and the contributions made to the system. A common question among workers, especially those with flexible schedules, is whether part-time employment contributes to these future benefits.
Understanding Social Security Credits
Social Security measures an individual’s work history through a system of “credits,” also known as “quarters of coverage.” These credits are earned based on annual earnings from employment or self-employment, rather than the number of hours worked. For 2025, an individual earns one Social Security credit for every $1,810 in covered earnings.
A maximum of four credits can be earned in a single year. To earn all four credits in 2025, an individual must earn at least $7,240. These earnings must be subject to Social Security taxes, known as Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes, which fund the Social Security and Medicare programs.
FICA taxes include a 6.2% Social Security tax and a 1.45% Medicare tax for employees, with employers matching these amounts. For 2025, the Social Security portion of FICA taxes applies only to earnings up to $176,100. There is no wage limit for the Medicare tax.
How Part-Time Work Contributes
Earnings from part-time employment contribute to Social Security credits in the same manner as full-time work. The key factor is the amount earned, not the number of hours dedicated to work. As long as an individual earns at least the minimum required amount for a credit in a given year, their part-time work will contribute to their Social Security record.
For instance, a part-time worker earning $1,810 in 2025 earns one credit, while someone earning $3,620 would earn two credits. If a person works multiple part-time jobs, their earnings from all jobs subject to FICA taxes are combined to determine the total credits earned in a year. Employers must correctly withhold FICA taxes from part-time wages to ensure these earnings are properly credited.
Qualifying for Social Security Benefits
The Social Security credits accumulated throughout a working lifetime are used to determine eligibility for various benefits. For retirement benefits, most individuals need to earn 40 credits, which typically equates to about 10 years of work. These 40 credits do not need to be earned consecutively; they remain on an individual’s Social Security record permanently.
Eligibility for disability and survivor benefits also depends on earned credits, though the requirements can vary. For disability benefits, the number of credits needed often depends on an individual’s age at the time the disability begins.
Survivor benefits, paid to eligible family members after a worker’s death, also rely on the deceased worker’s credits. While 40 credits generally provide full eligibility, a special rule allows benefits for children and a spouse caring for them if the worker had earned at least 6 credits in the three years immediately before their death.