Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) was 67.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Costa Rica, 1963–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Costa Rica recorded 67.7% for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.6% on the previous year and down 10.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Costa Rica peaked at 90.8% in 1963 and was at its lowest, 67.7%, in 2025.
That places Costa Rica 124th out of 196 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 39 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 90.8% | — |
| 1973 | 81.1% | -10.7% |
| 1984 | 79.5% | -2.0% |
| 1990 | 82.4% | +3.6% |
| 1991 | 80.7% | -2.1% |
| 1992 | 79.8% | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 80.4% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 80.1% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 81.4% | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 78.7% | -3.3% |
| 1997 | 79.9% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 80.9% | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 80.7% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 79.3% | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 79.8% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 79.2% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 79.4% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 78.7% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 79.5% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 78.9% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 79.5% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 78.0% | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 76.6% | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 75.4% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 74.9% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 77.3% | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 76.2% | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 77.2% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 75.7% | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 73.5% | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 73.9% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 75.9% | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 75.9% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 72.8% | -4.2% |
| 2021 | 73.4% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 72.8% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 69.7% | -4.3% |
| 2024 | 69.6% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 67.7% | -2.6% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 67.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 69.5%, 97% of the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 67.7% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 74.0%, 92% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 90.8% | 90.8% | 90.8% | 1 |
| 1970s | 81.1% | 81.1% | 81.1% | 1 |
| 1980s | 79.5% | 79.5% | 79.5% | 1 |
| 1990s | 80.5% | 78.7% | 82.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 78.9% | 76.6% | 79.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 75.6% | 73.5% | 77.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 71.0% | 67.7% | 73.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 121 Liechtenstein 68.1% compare
- 122 Mauritius 67.9% compare
- 123 United States of America 67.8% compare
- 125 Latvia 67.5% compare
- 126 Sri Lanka 67.4% compare
- 127 Iran, Islamic Republic of 67.4% compare
More work & labour data for Costa Rica
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.9965 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.9952 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.9977 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.61 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.29 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,205 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 569.35 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 1,908 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 1,868 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 3,776 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Costa Rica?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Costa Rica was 67.7% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 90.8% in 1963.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.7% in 2025.
- How does Costa Rica rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+)?
- Costa Rica ranks 124th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (national 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.