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Labour · North America · High income

United States: the labour market

Labour force is 175m (2025), 3rd of 187 in the world and 1st of 2 in North America. Participation rate is 61.7% (2025), 92nd of 187 in the world and 2nd of 2 in North America. Women's participation is 56.3% (2025), 75th of 187 in the world and 2nd of 2 in North America.

Labour force175m2025 · world 3/187 · region 1/2Participation rate61.7%2025 · world 92/187 · region 2/2Women's participation56.3%2025 · world 75/187 · region 2/2Employment rate59.1%2025 · world 81/187 · region 2/2
Labour force
United States
130m140m150m160m170m180m1995200020052010201520202025United States175m
Participation rate
United StatesNorth AmericaHigh incomeWorld
58%60%62%64%66%68%1995200020052010201520202025United States61.7%North AmericaHigh incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: United States in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within North America; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Labour forceLabour force, total175m20253/1871/2147m158m167m+8.0%since 2015198m734m3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+61.7%202592/1872/266.1%63.7%61.6%−0.6 ppsince 201562.0%61.0%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+56.3%202575/1872/258.7%57.5%55.7%+0.4 ppsince 201556.8%54.3%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)59.1%202581/1872/263.5%57.6%56.6%+0.1 ppsince 201559.2%58.3%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)4.2%2025118/1872/24.0%9.6%8.1%−1.1 ppsince 20154.5%4.4%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)4.2%2025121/1872/24.1%8.6%8.4%−1.0 ppsince 20154.5%4.6%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)9.3%2025125/1872/29.3%18.4%14.9%−2.3 ppsince 20159.8%11.5%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %11.6%2025127/1702/212.4%15.2%13.9%−0.9 ppsince 201511.8%10.6%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment93.9%20258/1871/292.0%92.5%93.7%+0.8 ppsince 201593.2%88.9%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)3.8%2025181/1872/24.4%4.2%4.0%−0.2 ppsince 20154.5%8.0%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment1.5%2025170/1871/22.4%1.9%1.7%−0.4 ppsince 20151.5%2.9%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment18.9%202593/1871/222.7%19.5%19.4%−0.8 ppsince 201518.9%22.2%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment79.6%202523/1872/274.9%78.7%78.8%+1.1 ppsince 201579.6%74.9%50.6%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

No rated indicator got worse over the decade.

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

United States and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with United States. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorUnited StatesMexicoCanada
Labour force175m202561.7m202522.8m2025
Participation rate61.7%202561.6%202564.5%2025
Women's participation56.3%202547.5%202560.2%2025
Employment rate59.1%202560.0%202560.1%2025
Unemployment4.2%20252.7%20256.9%2025
Female unemployment4.2%20252.7%20256.6%2025
Youth unemployment9.3%20255.7%202513.8%2025
Youth NEET rate11.6%202516.2%202513.3%2025
Wage workers93.9%202569.2%202587.1%2025
Mexico: labourCanada: labour
Labour: high-income countries86 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesUnited States: all key statisticscountry profile