Labor participation rate in Samoa
Samoa: Labor participation rate was 42.53 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
42.53
Change on year
down 1.3%
World rank
171st
of 186 countries
All-time high
56.52
in 1994
All-time low
42.53
in 2025
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Labor participation rate in Samoa, 1990–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor participation rate in Samoa is 42.53, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.3% on the previous year and down 22.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor participation rate in Samoa peaked at 56.52 in 1994 and was at its lowest, 42.53, 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.
Labor participation rate in Samoa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 56.2 | — |
| 1991 | 56.32 | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 56.37 | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 56.26 | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 56.52 | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 56.33 | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 56.18 | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 56.34 | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 56.4 | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 56.43 | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 56.3 | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 56.05 | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 55.85 | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 55.7 | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 55.62 | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 55.42 | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 55.34 | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 55.29 | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 55.14 | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 55.13 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 54.92 | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 54.77 | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 54.87 | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 54.87 | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 54.84 | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 54.71 | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 54.5 | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 54.43 | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 52.35 | -3.8% |
| 2019 | 50.15 | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 47.57 | -5.1% |
| 2021 | 45.59 | -4.2% |
| 2022 | 43.73 | -4.1% |
| 2023 | 43.44 | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 43.08 | -0.8% |
| 2025 | 42.53 | -1.3% |
Samoa compared with similar countries
- Samoa's 42.53 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 60.51, 70% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Samoa's 42.53 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 64.35, 66% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 56.33 | 56.18 | 56.52 | 10 |
| 2000s | 55.59 | 55.13 | 56.3 | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.04 | 50.15 | 54.92 | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.33 | 42.53 | 47.57 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Samoa
More work & labour data for Samoa
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.3243 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.3169 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.332 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.0409 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.92 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 52.37 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 191.01 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 187.95 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 195.61 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 383.56 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor participation rate in Samoa?
- Labor participation rate in Samoa was 42.53 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor participation rate recorded in Samoa?
- The highest recorded value was 56.52 in 1994.
- What is the lowest labor participation rate recorded in Samoa?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.53 in 2025.
- How does Samoa rank for labor participation rate?
- Samoa ranks 171st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor 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 Our World in Data, published as part of Labor participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).