Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in United States
United States: Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 was 57.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in United States, 1960–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
United States recorded 57.3% for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and up 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in United States peaked at 60.0% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 37.7%, in 1960.
That places United States 78th out of 194 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in United States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 37.7% | — |
| 1961 | 38.1% | +1.1% |
| 1962 | 37.9% | -0.5% |
| 1963 | 38.3% | +1.1% |
| 1964 | 38.7% | +1.0% |
| 1965 | 39.3% | +1.6% |
| 1966 | 40.3% | +2.5% |
| 1967 | 41.1% | +2.0% |
| 1968 | 41.6% | +1.2% |
| 1969 | 42.7% | +2.6% |
| 1970 | 43.3% | +1.4% |
| 1971 | 43.4% | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 43.9% | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 44.7% | +1.8% |
| 1974 | 45.7% | +2.2% |
| 1975 | 46.3% | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 47.3% | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 48.4% | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 50.0% | +3.3% |
| 1979 | 50.9% | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 51.5% | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 52.1% | +1.2% |
| 1982 | 52.6% | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 52.9% | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 53.6% | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 54.5% | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 55.3% | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 56.0% | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 56.6% | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 57.4% | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 57.5% | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 57.4% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 57.8% | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 57.9% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 58.9% | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 59.0% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 59.3% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 59.9% | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 59.8% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 60.0% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 59.9% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 59.8% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 59.6% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 59.5% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 59.2% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 59.3% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 59.4% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 59.3% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 59.5% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 59.2% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 58.6% | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 58.1% | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 57.7% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 57.2% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 57.0% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 56.7% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 56.8% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 57.0% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 57.1% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 57.4% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 56.2% | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 56.1% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 56.8% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 57.3% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 57.5% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 57.3% | -0.4% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 57.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 57.2%, 1.0× the median. (79 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 39.6% | 37.7% | 42.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 46.4% | 43.3% | 50.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 54.2% | 51.5% | 57.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 58.8% | 57.4% | 60.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 59.5% | 59.2% | 59.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 57.4% | 56.7% | 58.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 56.9% | 56.1% | 57.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
More work & labour data for United States
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 113,208 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 61.24 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 178,849 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 4.4 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.05 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 159,991 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 141,322 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 58.55 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.27 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.3372 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in United States?
- Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in United States was 57.3% 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 United States?
- The highest recorded value was 60.0% in 1999.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.7% in 1960.
- How does United States rank for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025?
- United States ranks 78th out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States 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.
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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.