How hard is it to get approved for monthly disability benefits from the federal government? In fact, the real answer is, “it depends.” Knowing what specific program you apply for can make a huge difference. In addition, disability application approval rates for children are often much higher than those for adults. Another factor most people don’t take into consideration? The state where they currently live when they apply for benefits. While the Social Security Administration administers both federal disability programs, your state plays a role in the application approval process. Below, we list average approval rates in all 50 states for both federal disability programs in 2021.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Disability Application Approval Rates By State
The table below shows average SSI application approval rates in every state broken down into the following categories:
- SSI application approval rates for children as well as adults
- Overall SSI application approval rate by state, shown as a percentage of total claims filed
| State | Adult SSI Application Approval Rates | Child SSI Application Approval Rates | Avg. SSI Application Approval Rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| AL | 31% | 42% | 36.5% |
| AK | 66% | 82.4% | 74.2% |
| AR | 36.5% | 45% | 40% |
| AZ | 35% | 50% | 42.5% |
| CA | 40% | 58% | 49% |
| CO | 41% | 69% | 55% |
| CT | 39.5% | 53% | 46% |
| DE | 37% | 44% | 41% |
| FL | 38% | 49% | 44% |
| GA | 38% | 39% | 39% |
| HI | 38% | 66% | 52% |
| ID | 49% | 75% | 62% |
| IL | 37% | 50% | 44% |
| IN | 30% | 38% | 34% |
| IA | 44.3% | 56% | 50% |
| KS | 62% | 65% | 64% |
| KY | 34% | 49% | 42% |
| LA | 40% | 47% | 44% |
| ME | 36% | 57% | 47% |
| MD | 38% | 62.4% | 50% |
| MA | 47% | 62% | 55% |
| MI | 38% | 48% | 43% |
| MN | 45% | 62% | 54% |
| MS | 32% | 42% | 37% |
| MO | 38% | 55% | 47% |
| MT | 46% | 62% | 54% |
| NE | 52% | 68% | 60% |
| NV | 39% | 53% | 46% |
| NH | 52% | 67% | 60% |
| NJ | 41% | 54% | 48% |
| NM | 40% | 56% | 48% |
| NY | 38% | 54% | 46% |
| NC | 35% | 48% | 42% |
| ND | 52% | 68% | 60% |
| OH | 37% | 46% | 42% |
| OK | 32% | 50% | 36% |
| OR | 47% | 69% | 58% |
| PA | 36% | 45% | 41% |
| RI | 43% | 57% | 50% |
| SC | 36% | 40% | 38% |
| SD | 44% | 70% | 57% |
| TN | 36% | 45% | 41% |
| TX | 39% | 53% | 46% |
| UT | 47% | 65% | 56% |
| VT | 49% | 68% | 59% |
| VA | 45% | 48% | 46.5% |
| WA | 42% | 59% | 51% |
| WV | 30% | 47% | 44% |
| WI | 41% | 59% | 50% |
| WY | 46% | 62% | 54% |
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Application Approval Rates By State
Then, find your state’s SSDI application approval rates for adult claimants in 2021 below:
- AL – 38%
- AK – 61%
- AR – 37%
- AZ – 34%
- CA – 40%
- CO – 38%
- CT – 48%
- DE – 43%
- FL – 36%
- GA – 45%
- HI – 40%
- ID – 50%
- IL – 47%
- IN – 38%
- IA – 50%
- KS – 67%
- KY – 39%
- LA – 45%
- ME – 43%
- MD – 42%
- MA – 49%
- MI – 47%
- MN – 51%
- MS – 37%
- MO – 47%
- MT – 48%
- NE – 54%
- NV – 42%
- NH – 59%
- NJ – 45%
- NM – 41%
- NY – 44%
- NC – 38%
- OH – 46%
- OK – 33%
- OR – 49%
- PA – 45%
- RI – 54%
- SC – 42%
- SD – 49%
- TN – 43%
- TX – 37%
- UT – 41%
- VT – 47%
- VA – 48%
- WA – 49%
- WV – 37%
- WI – 45%
- WY – 52%
Concurrent Claim & Combined Adult Disability Application Approval Rates By State
We averaged the overall adult disability application approval rates for each U.S. state below. This includes all individual disability application approval rates as well as what the SSA calls “concurrent claims.” Concurrent application approval rates indicate when the SSA screens a single claim for both SSI and SSDI programs at once.
| State | Avg. Application Approval Rate (All Programs) | Avg. Application Approval Rate, Concurrent Claims Only |
|---|---|---|
| AL | 31% | 22% |
| AK | 56% | 42% |
| AZ | 30% | 20% |
| AR | 37% | 24% |
| CA | 34% | 23% |
| CO | 35% | 20% |
| CT | 40% | 22% |
| DE | 38% | 28% |
| FL | 34% | 23% |
| GA | 38% | 29% |
| HI | 34% | 20% |
| ID | 44% | 25% |
| IL | 38% | 24% |
| IN | 31% | 21% |
| IA | 39% | 29% |
| KS | 60% | 45% |
| KY | 33% | 20% |
| LA | 39% | 29% |
| ME | 35% | 20% |
| MD | 36% | 23% |
| MA | 44% | 24% |
| MI | 39% | 25% |
| MN | 43% | 24% |
| MS | 31% | 22% |
| MO | 38% | 25% |
| MT | 42% | 29% |
| NE | 47% | 30% |
| NV | 37% | 26% |
| NH | 51% | 32% |
| NJ | 39% | 23% |
| NM | 36% | 24% |
| NY | 38% | 24% |
| NC | 33% | 22% |
| ND | 44% | 26% |
| OH | 37% | 24% |
| OK | 29% | 19% |
| OR | 42% | 23% |
| PA | 37% | 24% |
| RI | 46% | 28% |
| SC | 36% | 28% |
| SD | 41% | 26% |
| TN | 36% | 24% |
| TX | 35% | 25% |
| UT | 38% | 21% |
| VT | 43% | 27% |
| VA | 43% | 30% |
| WA | 40% | 22% |
| WV | 31% | 20% |
| WI | 38% | 21% |
| WY | 45% | 31% |
Related: How Do They Calculate Social Security Disability Payments?
Lori Polemenakos is Director of Consumer Content and SEO strategist for LeadingResponse, a legal marketing company. An award-winning journalist, writer and editor based in Dallas, Texas, she's produced articles for major brands such as Match.com, Yahoo!, MSN, AOL, Xfinity, Mail.com, and edited several published books. Since 2016, she's published hundreds of articles about Social Security disability, workers' compensation, veterans' benefits, personal injury, mass tort, auto accident claims, bankruptcy, employment law and other related legal issues.