Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Ireland
Ireland: Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level was 78.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Ireland, 1999–2025
Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.
Analysis
Ireland recorded 78.4% for labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in 2025. That is the highest value across all 27 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Ireland peaked at 78.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 66.4%, in 1999.
Ireland ranks 19th of 48 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Percentage | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 66.4% | — |
| 2000 | 67.5% | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 67.7% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 68.0% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 68.2% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 68.7% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 70.8% | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 71.9% | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 75.6% | +5.1% |
| 2008 | 74.8% | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 73.0% | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 71.6% | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 71.2% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 71.1% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 71.8% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 71.8% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 72.1% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 72.7% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 72.7% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 72.9% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 73.3% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 71.9% | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 74.6% | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 76.8% | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 77.5% | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 77.9% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 78.4% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 66.4% | 66.4% | 66.4% | 1 |
| 2000s | 70.6% | 67.5% | 75.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 72.1% | 71.1% | 73.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 76.2% | 71.9% | 78.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More work & labour data for Ireland
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.4488 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.4574 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.4405 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.9335 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 4,354 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,447 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,638 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,649 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,286 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Ireland?
- Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Ireland was 78.4% in 2025, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest labour force participation rates by educational attainment level recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 78.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest labour force participation rates by educational attainment level recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 66.4% in 1999.
- How does Ireland rank for labour force participation rates by educational attainment level?
- Ireland ranks 19th out of 48 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labour force participation rates by educational attainment level rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level, country of birth and NUTS 2 region. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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