Labor force participation rate in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Labor force participation rate was 57.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate in Costa Rica, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate in Costa Rica is 57.7%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 8.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Costa Rica peaked at 64.3% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 55.7%, in 1992.
That places Costa Rica 122nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 57.5% | 55.7% | 59.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.3% | 58.9% | 61.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.1% | 59.2% | 64.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 59.3% | 56.8% | 61.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 119 Montenegro 58.0% compare
- 120 Togo 57.8% compare
- 121 Trinidad and Tobago 57.8% compare
- 123 Slovenia 57.6% compare
- 124 Uzbekistan 57.5% compare
- 125 Spain 57.4% compare
More work & labour data for Costa Rica
- 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+) 57.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 69.8% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 66.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 46.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 65.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 77.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 53.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Costa Rica?
- Labor force participation rate in Costa Rica was 57.7% 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 Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 64.3% in 2012.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 55.7% in 1992.
- How does Costa Rica rank for labor force participation rate?
- Costa Rica ranks 122nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica 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).