Labor force with advanced education in United States of America
United States of America: Labor force with advanced education was 71.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force with advanced education in United States of America, 1994–2025
Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total working-age population with advanced education.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force with advanced education in United States of America stood at 71.0%. That is the lowest value across all 32 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force with advanced education in United States of America peaked at 81.1% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 71.0%, in 2025.
United States of America ranks 107th of 125 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 32 years of available data.
Labor force with advanced education in United States of America, year by year
| Year | % of total working-age population with advanced education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 81.1% | — |
| 1995 | 80.9% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 80.5% | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 80.5% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 80.3% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 79.7% | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 79.3% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 78.9% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 78.5% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 78.1% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 77.9% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 77.9% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 77.8% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 77.7% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 77.7% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 77.3% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 76.5% | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 76.0% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 75.6% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 75.0% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 74.4% | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 73.8% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 73.6% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 73.2% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 73.2% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 73.1% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 71.6% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 71.4% | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 71.8% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 71.9% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 71.6% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 71.0% | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 80.5% | 79.7% | 81.1% | 6 |
| 2000s | 78.1% | 77.3% | 79.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 74.4% | 73.1% | 76.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 71.5% | 71.0% | 71.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
More work & labour data for United States of America
- 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)
- 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)
- 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+) 61.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force with advanced education in United States of America?
- Labor force with advanced education in United States of America was 71.0% in 2025, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force with advanced education recorded in United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 81.1% in 1994.
- What is the lowest labor force with advanced education recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 71.0% in 2025.
- How does United States of America rank for labor force with advanced education?
- United States of America ranks 107th out of 125 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force with advanced education rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States of America data come from?
- The figures come from Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force with advanced education (% of total working-age population with advanced education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The ratio of the labor force with advanced education to the working-age population with advanced education. Advanced education comprises short-cycle tertiary education, a bachelor’s degree or equivalent education level, a master’s degree or equivalent education level, or doctoral degree or equivalent education level according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).