Employment in services (% of total employment) in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Employment in services (% of total employment) was 70.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in services (% of total employment) in Costa Rica, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment in services (% of total employment) in Costa Rica is 70.0%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in services (% of total employment) in Costa Rica peaked at 71.0% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 52.1%, in 1991.
Costa Rica ranks 60th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in services (% of total employment) in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 52.1% | — |
| 1992 | 53.6% | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 55.3% | +3.2% |
| 1994 | 56.2% | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 58.2% | +3.5% |
| 1996 | 58.8% | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 59.2% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 60.2% | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 60.5% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 60.9% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 61.3% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 61.9% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 62.9% | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 63.4% | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 63.5% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 64.6% | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 64.9% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 66.4% | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 66.9% | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 66.7% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 67.2% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 68.9% | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 71.0% | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 68.3% | -3.8% |
| 2015 | 65.7% | -3.7% |
| 2016 | 66.3% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 66.8% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 65.3% | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 66.6% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 65.4% | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 67.2% | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 67.6% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 66.4% | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 69.6% | +4.9% |
| 2025 | 70.0% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 57.1% | 52.1% | 60.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 63.7% | 60.9% | 66.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 67.3% | 65.3% | 71.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 67.7% | 65.4% | 70.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More work & labour data for Costa Rica
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.9965 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.9952 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.9977 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.61 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.29 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,205 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 569.35 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 1,908 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 1,868 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 3,776 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in services (% of total employment) in Costa Rica?
- Employment in services (% of total employment) in Costa Rica was 70.0% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 71.0% in 2013.
- What is the lowest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 52.1% in 1991.
- How does Costa Rica rank for employment in services (% of total employment)?
- Costa Rica ranks 60th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in services (% of total employment) rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in services (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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 services sector consists of wholesale and retail trade and restaurants and hotels; transport, storage, and communications; financing, insurance, real estate, and business services; and community, social, and personal services, in accordance with divisions 6-9 (ISIC 2) or categories G-Q (ISIC 3) or categories G-U (ISIC 4).