Labor force with basic education in Spain

Spain: Labor force with basic education was 45.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
45.9%
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
72nd
of 125 countries
All-time high
51.5%
in 2014
All-time low
43.4%
in 2001
Years of data
34
1992–2025

Labor force with basic education in Spain, 1992–2025

02040601992200820251992: 45.1 % of total working-age population with basic education1993: 44.7 % of total working-age population with basic education1994: 44.6 % of total working-age population with basic education1995: 44 % of total working-age population with basic education1996: 43.6 % of total working-age population with basic education1997: 43.6 % of total working-age population with basic education1998: 44.6 % of total working-age population with basic education1999: 44.2 % of total working-age population with basic education2000: 44.6 % of total working-age population with basic education2001: 43.4 % of total working-age population with basic education2002: 44.3 % of total working-age population with basic education2003: 45.2 % of total working-age population with basic education2004: 45.2 % of total working-age population with basic education2005: 45.4 % of total working-age population with basic education2006: 46.7 % of total working-age population with basic education2007: 47 % of total working-age population with basic education2008: 48.3 % of total working-age population with basic education2009: 48.5 % of total working-age population with basic education2010: 48.1 % of total working-age population with basic education2011: 47.9 % of total working-age population with basic education2012: 47.9 % of total working-age population with basic education2013: 47.1 % of total working-age population with basic education2014: 51.5 % of total working-age population with basic education2015: 50.9 % of total working-age population with basic education2016: 49.6 % of total working-age population with basic education2017: 49 % of total working-age population with basic education2018: 48.2 % of total working-age population with basic education2019: 47.5 % of total working-age population with basic education2020: 45.3 % of total working-age population with basic education2021: 45 % of total working-age population with basic education2022: 45 % of total working-age population with basic education2023: 44.4 % of total working-age population with basic education2024: 45.3 % of total working-age population with basic education2025: 45.9 % of total working-age population with basic education

Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total working-age population with basic education.

Analysis

Spain recorded 45.9% for labor force with basic education in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and down 10.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, labor force with basic education in Spain peaked at 51.5% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 43.4%, in 2001.

Spain ranks 72nd of 125 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.

Labor force with basic education in Spain, year by year

Annual values for Labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population with basic education) in Spain, 1992 to 2025.
Year % of total working-age population with basic education Change
1992 45.1%
1993 44.7% -1.0%
1994 44.6% -0.0%
1995 44.0% -1.5%
1996 43.6% -0.8%
1997 43.6% +0.0%
1998 44.6% +2.2%
1999 44.2% -0.9%
2000 44.6% +0.9%
2001 43.4% -2.6%
2002 44.3% +1.9%
2003 45.2% +2.0%
2004 45.2% +0.0%
2005 45.4% +0.5%
2006 46.7% +2.9%
2007 47.0% +0.8%
2008 48.3% +2.6%
2009 48.5% +0.4%
2010 48.1% -0.7%
2011 47.9% -0.6%
2012 47.9% +0.1%
2013 47.1% -1.7%
2014 51.5% +9.3%
2015 50.9% -1.0%
2016 49.6% -2.7%
2017 49.0% -1.1%
2018 48.2% -1.7%
2019 47.5% -1.5%
2020 45.3% -4.7%
2021 45.0% -0.7%
2022 45.0% +0.2%
2023 44.4% -1.4%
2024 45.3% +2.0%
2025 45.9% +1.2%

Spain compared with similar countries

  • Spain's 45.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 41.5%, 1.1× the median. (52 countries reporting)
  • Spain's 45.9% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 33.5%, 1.4× the median. (44 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 44.3% 43.6% 45.1% 8
2000s 45.9% 43.4% 48.5% 10
2010s 48.8% 47.1% 51.5% 10
2020s 45.1% 44.4% 45.9% 6

Countries ranked near Spain

  1. 69 South Africa 46.6% compare
  2. 70 Germany 46.1% compare
  3. 71 Argentina 46.1% compare
  4. 73 Sweden 45.2% compare
  5. 74 Palestine 44.1% compare
  6. 75 Brunei 43.7% compare

See the full ranking of 144 places →

More work & labour data for Spain

All data for Spain →

Frequently asked questions

What is labor force with basic education in Spain?
Labor force with basic education in Spain was 45.9% 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 Spain?
The highest recorded value was 51.5% in 2014.
What is the lowest labor force with basic education recorded in Spain?
The lowest recorded value was 43.4% in 2001.
How does Spain rank for labor force with basic education?
Spain ranks 72nd out of 125 countries with data for 2025.
Is labor force with basic education rising or falling in Spain?
Over the last ten years it is down 10.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Spain 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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Labor force with basic education in Spain. Statizoid, drawing on Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/labor-force-with-basic-education-percent-of-total-working-age-population-with-basic/spain/

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About this data

Indicator
Labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population with basic education)
Unit
% of total working-age population with basic education
Source
Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
144 places, 2,683 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

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).