Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population) … male 15+ in United States
United States: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population) … male 15+ was 67.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in United States, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
United States recorded 67.1% for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 2.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in United States peaked at 75.1% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 67.1%, in 2025.
United States ranks 121st of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population) … male 15+ in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 75.1% | — |
| 1991 | 74.6% | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 74.7% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 74.3% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 74.0% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 74.0% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 74.0% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 74.1% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 73.9% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 73.8% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 73.8% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 73.4% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 73.0% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 72.4% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 72.2% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 72.2% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 72.3% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 72.1% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 71.8% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 70.8% | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 70.1% | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 69.6% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 69.5% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 69.2% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 68.8% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 68.6% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 68.8% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 68.7% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 68.7% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 68.8% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 67.4% | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 67.4% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 67.5% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 67.6% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 67.4% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 67.1% | -0.4% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 67.1% is below the median for high income countries, which is 68.8%, 98% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 74.3% | 73.8% | 75.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 72.4% | 70.8% | 73.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.1% | 68.6% | 70.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 67.4% | 67.1% | 67.6% | 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 labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in United States?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in United States was 67.1% 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 United States?
- The highest recorded value was 75.1% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.1% in 2025.
- How does United States rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+)?
- United States ranks 121st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States 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.
Download this data
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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.