Employment in industry (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in United States
United States: Employment in industry (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) was 18.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in industry (% of total employment) in United States, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment in industry (% of total employment) in United States is 18.9%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in industry (% of total employment) in United States peaked at 24.4% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 18.9%, in 2025.
United States ranks 93rd of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in industry (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 24.4% | — |
| 1992 | 23.9% | -2.1% |
| 1993 | 23.4% | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 23.3% | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 23.4% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 23.2% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 23.3% | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 23.1% | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 22.6% | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 22.7% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 22.5% | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 22.3% | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 22.3% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 22.2% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 22.1% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 22.2% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 22.0% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 21.4% | -3.0% |
| 2009 | 19.9% | -6.9% |
| 2010 | 19.5% | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 19.6% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 19.6% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 19.8% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 19.8% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 19.7% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 19.6% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 19.6% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 19.7% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 19.8% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 19.4% | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 19.2% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 19.3% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 19.3% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 19.0% | -1.5% |
| 2025 | 18.9% | -0.7% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 18.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 19.9%, 95% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 23.4% | 22.6% | 24.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 22.0% | 19.9% | 22.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.7% | 19.5% | 19.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.2% | 18.9% | 19.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
More work & labour data for United States
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 113,208 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 61.24 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 178,849 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 4.4 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.05 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 159,991 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 141,322 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 58.55 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.27 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.3372 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in industry (% of total employment) in United States?
- Employment in industry (% of total employment) in United States was 18.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in industry (% of total employment) recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 24.4% in 1991.
- What is the lowest employment in industry (% of total employment) recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.9% in 2025.
- How does United States rank for employment in industry (% of total employment)?
- United States ranks 93rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in industry (% of total employment) rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in industry (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The industry sector consists of mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, and public utilities (electricity, gas, and water), in accordance with divisions 2-5 (ISIC 2) or categories C-F (ISIC 3) or categories B-F (ISIC 4).