Labor force participation rate in Samoa
Samoa: Labor force participation rate was 42.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate in Samoa, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Samoa recorded 42.5% for labor force participation rate in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 22.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Samoa peaked at 56.5% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 42.5%, in 2025.
That places Samoa 171st out of 186 countries 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 in Samoa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 56.2% | — |
| 1991 | 56.3% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 56.4% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 56.3% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 56.5% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 56.3% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 56.2% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 56.3% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 56.4% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 56.4% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 56.3% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 56.0% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 55.9% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 55.7% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 55.6% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 55.4% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 55.3% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 55.3% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 55.1% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 55.1% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 54.9% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 54.8% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 54.9% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 54.9% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 54.8% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 54.7% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 54.5% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 54.4% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 52.3% | -3.8% |
| 2019 | 50.1% | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 47.6% | -5.1% |
| 2021 | 45.6% | -4.2% |
| 2022 | 43.7% | -4.1% |
| 2023 | 43.4% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 43.1% | -0.8% |
| 2025 | 42.5% | -1.3% |
Samoa compared with similar countries
- Samoa's 42.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 60.5%, 70% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Samoa's 42.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 64.4%, 66% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 56.3% | 56.2% | 56.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 55.6% | 55.1% | 56.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.0% | 50.1% | 54.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.3% | 42.5% | 47.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Samoa
More work & labour data for Samoa
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.3243 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.3169 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.332 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.0409 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.92 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 52.37 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 191.01 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 187.95 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 195.61 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 383.56 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Samoa?
- Labor force participation rate in Samoa was 42.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Samoa?
- The highest recorded value was 56.5% in 1994.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Samoa?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.5% in 2025.
- How does Samoa rank for labor force participation rate?
- Samoa ranks 171st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Samoa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Samoa data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).