Labor force with basic education in North America
North America: Labor force with basic education was 42.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force with basic education in North America, 1994–2025
Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total working-age population with basic education.
Analysis
North America recorded 42.6% for labor force with basic education in 2025.
The figure is down 3.2% on the previous year and up 2.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force with basic education in North America peaked at 44.0% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 37.3%, in 1994.
That places North America 13th out of 20 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 32 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 38.4% | 37.3% | 39.3% | 6 |
| 2000s | 42.3% | 41.2% | 43.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.8% | 41.4% | 42.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.7% | 41.1% | 44.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North America
More work & labour data for North America
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 56.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 62.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 67.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 51.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 52.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 52.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 78.8% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 84.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 69.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 74.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force with basic education in North America?
- Labor force with basic education in North America was 42.6% in 2025, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force with basic education recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 44.0% in 2023.
- What is the lowest labor force with basic education recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.3% in 1994.
- How does North America rank for labor force with basic education?
- North America ranks 13th out of 20 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force with basic education rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North 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 basic education (% of total working-age population with basic education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The ratio of the labor force with basic education to the working-age population with basic education. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).