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 68.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in OECD members, 1979–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in OECD members is 68.6%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in OECD members peaked at 75.1% in 1981 and was at its lowest, 67.6%, in 2020.
That places OECD members 16th out of 24 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 46 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in OECD members, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 72.8% | — |
| 1980 | 74.7% | +2.6% |
| 1981 | 75.1% | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 74.3% | -1.1% |
| 1984 | 74.1% | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 74.1% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 73.2% | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 73.1% | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 74.3% | +1.7% |
| 1989 | 73.9% | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 73.7% | -0.3% |
| 1991 | 73.0% | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 73.0% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 72.8% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 72.2% | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 71.6% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 71.4% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 71.2% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 71.1% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 71.0% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 71.0% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 71.5% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 71.3% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 71.1% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 70.8% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 70.9% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 70.6% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 70.7% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 70.7% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 70.2% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 70.0% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 69.7% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 69.6% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 69.4% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 69.2% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 69.2% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 69.2% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 69.2% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 69.3% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 69.2% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 67.6% | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 68.3% | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 68.7% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 68.8% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 68.8% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 68.6% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 72.8% | 72.8% | 72.8% | 1 |
| 1980s | 74.1% | 73.1% | 75.1% | 9 |
| 1990s | 72.1% | 71.0% | 73.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 70.9% | 70.2% | 71.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.4% | 69.2% | 70.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.5% | 67.6% | 68.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near OECD members
- 13 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 85.2% compare
- 14 Cayman Islands 84.6% compare
- 15 Uganda 84.4% compare
- 16 Guatemala 84.1% compare
- 17 Saudi Arabia 84.0% compare
- 18 Nicaragua 83.3% compare
- 19 Paraguay 82.8% compare
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, female (% of female population ages) 66.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 73.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 80.4% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 78.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 68.2% (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 68.6% 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 OECD members?
- The highest recorded value was 75.1% in 1981.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in OECD members?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.6% in 2020.
- How does OECD members rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+)?
- OECD members ranks 16th out of 24 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 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this OECD members 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.