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.
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
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 42.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 54.5% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 56.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 30.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 45.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 57.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 33.5% (2025)
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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CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).