Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 was 32.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Saudi Arabia, 1992–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Saudi Arabia stood at 32.2%. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.4% on the previous year and up 91.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Saudi Arabia peaked at 32.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 13.7%, in 2002.
Saudi Arabia ranks 153rd of 172 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 13.8% | — |
| 1999 | 15.5% | +12.3% |
| 2000 | 14.4% | -7.1% |
| 2001 | 14.1% | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 13.7% | -2.8% |
| 2006 | 15.8% | +15.3% |
| 2007 | 15.6% | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 15.3% | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 14.6% | -4.7% |
| 2012 | 16.0% | +9.2% |
| 2013 | 15.8% | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 15.9% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 16.8% | +5.5% |
| 2017 | 15.8% | -5.9% |
| 2018 | 17.4% | +10.1% |
| 2019 | 19.4% | +11.4% |
| 2020 | 22.8% | +17.5% |
| 2021 | 28.6% | +25.4% |
| 2022 | 29.2% | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 30.2% | +3.5% |
| 2024 | 29.7% | -1.5% |
| 2025 | 32.2% | +8.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 14.7% | 13.8% | 15.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 14.8% | 13.7% | 15.8% | 7 |
| 2010s | 16.7% | 15.8% | 19.4% | 7 |
| 2020s | 28.8% | 22.8% | 32.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More work & labour data for Saudi Arabia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.6339 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.5946 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.6842 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.31 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.5985 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 40,709 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 4,348 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 31,198 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 39,809 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 71,007 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Saudi Arabia?
- Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Saudi Arabia was 32.2% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 32.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.7% in 2002.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 153rd out of 172 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 91.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are employed. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.