Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Switzerland
Switzerland: Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 was 59.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Switzerland, 1978–2025
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 Switzerland stood at 59.7%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% on the previous year and up 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Switzerland peaked at 60.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 33.7%, in 1978.
Switzerland ranks 34th of 172 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.
Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 33.7% | — |
| 1979 | 34.3% | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 35.3% | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 37.2% | +5.4% |
| 1986 | 38.0% | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 40.5% | +6.4% |
| 1989 | 41.8% | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 48.0% | +15.0% |
| 1991 | 50.6% | +5.3% |
| 1992 | 50.7% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 50.5% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 50.0% | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 50.2% | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 54.6% | +8.7% |
| 1997 | 54.7% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 55.8% | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 56.1% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 55.8% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 56.8% | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 57.5% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 56.8% | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 56.3% | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 56.3% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 56.9% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 57.2% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 58.9% | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 58.8% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 56.9% | -3.3% |
| 2011 | 57.6% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 58.0% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 58.1% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 58.8% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 59.2% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 59.7% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 59.4% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 59.7% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 60.0% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 59.4% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 59.3% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 59.2% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 59.9% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 60.1% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 59.7% | -0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 34.0% | 33.7% | 34.3% | 2 |
| 1980s | 38.6% | 35.3% | 41.8% | 5 |
| 1990s | 52.1% | 48.0% | 56.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 57.1% | 55.8% | 58.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 58.7% | 56.9% | 60.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 59.6% | 59.2% | 60.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More work & labour data for Switzerland
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0651 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0485 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0817 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.4 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.6452 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 8,038 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,842 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 4,568 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 4,558 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 9,126 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Switzerland?
- Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Switzerland was 59.7% 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 Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 60.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.7% in 1978.
- How does Switzerland rank for female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024?
- Switzerland ranks 34th out of 172 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Switzerland 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.