Female labor force participation rates in Australia
Australia: Female labor force participation rates was 62.51 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
62.51
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
33rd
of 186 countries
All-time high
62.65
in 2024
All-time low
51.77
in 1993
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Female labor force participation rates in Australia, 1990–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female labor force participation rates in Australia is 62.51, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 5.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rates in Australia peaked at 62.65 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 51.77, in 1993.
Australia ranks 33rd of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rates in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 52.31 | — |
| 1991 | 52.04 | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 52 | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 51.77 | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 52.67 | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 53.67 | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 53.86 | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 53.66 | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 53.72 | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 53.73 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 54.62 | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 55.16 | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 55.35 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 56.01 | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 55.77 | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 57.05 | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 57.58 | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 58.13 | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 58.6 | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 58.79 | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 58.68 | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 58.93 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 58.83 | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 58.74 | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 58.7 | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 59.15 | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 59.38 | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 59.88 | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 60.63 | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 61.03 | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 60.14 | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 61.52 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 62.52 | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 62.58 | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 62.65 | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 62.51 | -0.2% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 62.51 is above the median for high income countries, which is 55.09, 1.1× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Australia's 62.51 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 55.91, 1.1× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 52.94 | 51.77 | 53.86 | 10 |
| 2000s | 56.71 | 54.62 | 58.79 | 10 |
| 2010s | 59.4 | 58.68 | 61.03 | 10 |
| 2020s | 61.99 | 60.14 | 62.65 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 30 Jamaica 63.03 compare
- 31 Netherlands 62.71 compare
- 32 Kazakhstan 62.65 compare
- 34 Israel 62.28 compare
- 35 Switzerland 62.22 compare
- 36 Zimbabwe 62.16 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 female labor force participation rates in Australia?
- Female labor force participation rates in Australia was 62.51 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rates recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 62.65 in 2024.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rates recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 51.77 in 1993.
- How does Australia rank for female labor force participation rates?
- Australia ranks 33rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rates rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).