Employment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group and in Australia
Australia: Employment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group and was 86.35 Percentage of population in the same subgroup in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group and in Australia, 1989–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage of population in the same subgroup.
Analysis
In 2025, employment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group and in Australia stood at 86.35 Percentage of population in the same subgroup. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 8.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group and in Australia peaked at 86.35 Percentage of population in the same subgroup in 2025 and was at its lowest, 71.3 Percentage of population in the same subgroup, in 1993.
Australia ranks 2nd of 37 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Employment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group and in Australia, year by year
| Year | Percentage of population in the same subgroup | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 73.87 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | — |
| 1991 | 73.52 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 71.3 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 73.06 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 75.08 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +2.8% |
| 1997 | 74.22 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -1.1% |
| 1998 | 75.63 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 75.55 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 76.16 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 77 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 76.07 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 76.78 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 77.63 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 79.17 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 79.53 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 79.7 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 80.58 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 79.11 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 78.52 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 80.5 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 79.81 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 78.4 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 78.45 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 79.52 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 79.41 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 79.93 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 80.21 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 82.17 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 77.19 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -6.1% |
| 2021 | 83.52 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +8.2% |
| 2022 | 83.91 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 86.23 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +2.8% |
| 2025 | 86.35 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 73.87 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 73.87 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 73.87 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 1 |
| 1990s | 74.05 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 71.3 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 75.63 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 7 |
| 2000s | 78.17 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 76.07 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 80.58 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 10 |
| 2010s | 79.69 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 78.4 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 82.17 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 10 |
| 2020s | 83.44 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 77.19 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 86.35 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 1 Japan 88.94 Percentage of population in the same subgroup compare
- 1 Netherlands 87.82 Percentage of population in the same subgroup compare
- 1 Croatia 81.64 Percentage of population in the same subgroup compare
- 2 Lithuania 86.13 Percentage of population in the same subgroup compare
- 3 Poland 85.94 Percentage of population in the same subgroup compare
- 3 Switzerland 85.89 Percentage of population in the same subgroup compare
- 4 Slovenia 85.64 Percentage of population in the same subgroup compare
- 4 Portugal 85.59 Percentage of population in the same subgroup compare
- 5 Estonia 85.26 Percentage of population in the same subgroup compare
- 5 Iceland 85.54 Percentage of population in the same subgroup compare
More work & labour data for Australia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4907 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.5202 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9895 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8931 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 30,186 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 3,001 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 21,642 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 21,502 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 43,144 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group and in Australia?
- Employment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group and in Australia was 86.35 Percentage of population in the same subgroup in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest employment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group and recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 86.35 Percentage of population in the same subgroup in 2025.
- What is the lowest employment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group and recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 71.3 Percentage of population in the same subgroup in 1993.
- How does Australia rank for employment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group and?
- Australia ranks 2nd out of 37 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group and rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Employment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group and gender. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This dataset contains data on employment rates by educational attainment level, age group and gender. The default table displays 2025 data (or the latest available year) on the employment rates of 25-64 year-olds with below upper secondary, upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary, or tertiary attainment. The selection can be changed to display data by more detailed educational attainment level, by programme orientation, by gender and by age group. Filter the time period to display historical data. Data for the latest available year are preliminary. Final data will be released on September 29, 2026. For more information, please consult the Education at a Glance web page and the OECD Handbook for Internationally Comparative Education Statistics: Concepts, Standards, Definitions and Classifications.