Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Ireland
Ireland: Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level was 71.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
71.9%
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
11th
of 47 countries
All-time high
71.9%
in 2025
All-time low
55.5%
in 1992
Years of data
43
1983–2025
Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Ireland, 1983–2025
Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.
Analysis
Ireland recorded 71.9% for labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in 2025. That is the highest value across all 43 years on record.
The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Ireland peaked at 71.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 55.5%, in 1992.
Ireland ranks 11th of 47 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.
Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Percentage | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 57.5% | — |
| 1984 | 56.6% | -1.6% |
| 1985 | 56.1% | -0.9% |
| 1986 | 56.0% | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 56.4% | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 56.0% | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 55.6% | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 55.9% | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 56.2% | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 55.5% | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 56.3% | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 57.0% | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 57.0% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 57.8% | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 58.4% | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 60.0% | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 61.6% | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 62.7% | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 62.9% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 63.3% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 63.4% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 63.8% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 65.8% | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 67.0% | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 70.6% | +5.4% |
| 2008 | 69.9% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 68.0% | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 66.5% | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 66.0% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 65.7% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 66.2% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 66.0% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 66.1% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 66.6% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 66.5% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 66.8% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 67.1% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 65.8% | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 68.4% | +4.0% |
| 2022 | 70.2% | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 71.0% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 71.4% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 71.9% | +0.7% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 71.9% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 68.2%, 1.1× the median. (34 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 71.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 69.2%, 1.0× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 56.3% | 55.6% | 57.5% | 7 |
| 1990s | 57.6% | 55.5% | 61.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 65.7% | 62.7% | 70.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 66.3% | 65.7% | 67.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.8% | 65.8% | 71.9% | 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 71.9% 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 71.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest labour force participation rates by educational attainment level recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 55.5% in 1992.
- How does Ireland rank for labour force participation rates by educational attainment level?
- Ireland ranks 11th out of 47 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 8.8%. 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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