Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Switzerland
Switzerland: Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 was 62.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Switzerland, 1960–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Switzerland is 62.8%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and up 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Switzerland peaked at 63.0% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 31.7%, in 1978.
Switzerland ranks 43rd of 194 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 35.3% | — |
| 1970 | 41.5% | +17.6% |
| 1978 | 31.7% | -23.7% |
| 1979 | 32.0% | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 42.1% | +31.5% |
| 1985 | 37.4% | -11.2% |
| 1986 | 37.5% | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 38.5% | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 39.1% | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 49.3% | +26.2% |
| 1991 | 52.0% | +5.4% |
| 1992 | 52.2% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 52.9% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 52.2% | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 52.1% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 57.0% | +9.2% |
| 1997 | 56.9% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 58.1% | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 58.2% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 57.6% | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 58.8% | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 59.3% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 59.5% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 59.1% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 59.3% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 59.8% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 59.9% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 61.3% | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 61.6% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 60.0% | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 60.5% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 60.8% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 61.1% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 61.9% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 62.3% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 62.8% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 62.6% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 62.9% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 63.0% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 62.5% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 62.5% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 61.9% | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 62.6% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 62.9% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 62.8% | -0.3% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 62.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 57.2%, 1.1× the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 62.8% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 56.9%, 1.1× the median. (53 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Switzerland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +31.5% | 32.0% | 42.1% |
| 1990 | +26.2% | 39.1% | 49.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 35.3% | 35.3% | 35.3% | 1 |
| 1970s | 35.1% | 31.7% | 41.5% | 3 |
| 1980s | 38.9% | 37.4% | 42.1% | 5 |
| 1990s | 54.1% | 49.3% | 58.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 59.6% | 57.6% | 61.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.8% | 60.0% | 63.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 62.5% | 61.9% | 62.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 40 Seychelles 63.3% compare
- 41 Australia 63.2% compare
- 42 Saint Lucia 62.9% compare
- 44 Singapore 62.5% compare
- 45 Azerbaijan 61.9% compare
- 45 Estonia 61.9% compare
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 labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Switzerland?
- Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Switzerland was 62.8% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 63.0% in 2019.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.7% in 1978.
- How does Switzerland rank for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025?
- Switzerland ranks 43rd out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 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 labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are economically active (employed or unemployed). Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.