Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in OECD members
OECD members: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) was 68.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in OECD members, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
OECD members recorded 68.2% for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in OECD members peaked at 73.8% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 67.5%, in 2020.
That places OECD members 38th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in OECD members, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 73.8% | — |
| 1991 | 73.7% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 73.4% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 73.0% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 72.8% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 72.5% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 72.4% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 72.4% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 72.2% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 72.0% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 71.7% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 71.3% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 71.0% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 70.7% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 70.5% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 70.6% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 70.6% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 70.4% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 70.3% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 69.8% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 69.6% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 69.4% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 69.4% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 69.2% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 69.0% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 69.0% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 69.0% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 69.0% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 69.1% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 69.1% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 67.5% | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 68.1% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 68.5% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 68.6% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 68.4% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 68.2% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 72.8% | 72.0% | 73.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 70.7% | 69.8% | 71.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.2% | 69.0% | 69.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.2% | 67.5% | 68.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near OECD members
More work & labour data for OECD members
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 53.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 60.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 43.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 50.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 47.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 80.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 66.8% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 78.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 73.6% (2025)
- Contributing family workers, male (% of male employment) 0.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in OECD members?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in OECD members was 68.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in OECD members?
- The highest recorded value was 73.8% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in OECD members?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.5% in 2020.
- How does OECD members rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+)?
- OECD members ranks 38th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) rising or falling in OECD members?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this OECD members data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.