Costa Rica vs United States of America: Public sector employment as a share of total employment

Costa Rica
13.0%
in 2021
United States of America
12.9%
in 2018
Costa Rica rank
54th
United States of America rank
55th

Public sector employment as a share of total employment over time

  • Costa Rica
  • United States of America
051015200020102021

How they compare

Costa Rica currently reports 13.0% against 12.9% in United States of America, a difference of 0.1%.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 6 shared years of data; in 2010 it was United States of America ahead.

Costa Rica ranks 54th and United States of America ranks 55th of 79 countries.

Costa Rica has averaged higher in every one of the 1 decades both report.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher public sector employment as a share of total employment, Costa Rica or United States of America?
Costa Rica, at 13.0% against 12.9% in United States of America as of 2021.
What is the difference in public sector employment as a share of total employment between Costa Rica and United States of America?
0.1%, with Costa Rica ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Costa Rica and United States of America?
6 years are reported by both, from 2010 to 2018.
How do Costa Rica and United States of America rank globally for public sector employment as a share of total employment?
Costa Rica ranks 54th and United States of America ranks 55th of 79 countries.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Public sector employment as a share of total employment. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Costa Rica vs United States of America: Public sector employment as a share of total employment. Statizoid, drawing on World Bank (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/compare/public-sector-employment-as-a-share-of-total-employment/costa-rica/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator
Public sector employment as a share of total employment
Unit
%
Source
World Bank (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
79 places, 1,004 data points, 2000–2022
Last refreshed

Share of all employed people who are paid employees of the public sector, including government, the armed forces, public services, and state-owned enterprises.