South Korea vs United States: Labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population)
South Korea
43.6%
in 2025
United States
42.8%
in 2025
South Korea rank
76th
United States rank
77th
Labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population) over time
- South Korea
- United States
How they compare
South Korea currently reports 43.6% against 42.8% in United States, a difference of 0.8%.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 26 shared years of data; in 2000 it was South Korea ahead.
South Korea ranks 76th and United States ranks 77th of 125 countries.
South Korea has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Korea | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 58.9% | 41.3% | 17.7% | South Korea |
| 2010s | 50.2% | 41.3% | 8.8% | South Korea |
| 2020s | 45.4% | 42.8% | 2.6% | South Korea |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher labor force with basic education, South Korea or United States?
- South Korea, at 43.6% against 42.8% in United States as of 2025.
- What is the difference in labor force with basic education between South Korea and United States?
- 0.8%, with South Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Korea and United States?
- 26 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2025.
- How do South Korea and United States rank globally for labor force with basic education?
- South Korea ranks 76th and United States ranks 77th of 125 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as Labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population with basic education). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
The ratio of the labor force with basic education to the working-age population with basic education. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).