Female employment rate in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Female employment rate was 42.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female employment rate in Costa Rica, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Costa Rica recorded 42.4% for female employment rate in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and down 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female employment rate in Costa Rica peaked at 46.3% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 30.9%, in 1992.
That places Costa Rica 130th 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 35 years of available data.
Female employment rate in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 31.0% | — |
| 1992 | 30.9% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 31.9% | +3.2% |
| 1994 | 32.7% | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 33.3% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 31.3% | -6.0% |
| 1997 | 34.4% | +10.0% |
| 1998 | 36.5% | +6.0% |
| 1999 | 36.8% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 36.1% | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 38.4% | +6.4% |
| 2002 | 37.9% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 38.1% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 36.5% | -4.2% |
| 2005 | 39.4% | +8.0% |
| 2006 | 39.5% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 41.3% | +4.3% |
| 2008 | 41.7% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 40.4% | -3.0% |
| 2010 | 40.1% | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 41.0% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 45.9% | +12.0% |
| 2013 | 46.3% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 46.0% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 44.9% | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 41.4% | -7.9% |
| 2017 | 41.4% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 43.1% | +4.0% |
| 2019 | 45.3% | +5.1% |
| 2020 | 38.3% | -15.4% |
| 2021 | 40.2% | +4.8% |
| 2022 | 42.7% | +6.2% |
| 2023 | 39.6% | -7.2% |
| 2024 | 42.4% | +7.1% |
| 2025 | 42.4% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 33.2% | 30.9% | 36.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 38.9% | 36.1% | 41.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.5% | 40.1% | 46.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.9% | 38.3% | 42.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More work & labour data for Costa Rica
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.9965 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.9952 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.9977 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.61 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.29 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,205 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 569.35 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 1,908 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 1,868 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 3,776 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female employment rate in Costa Rica?
- Female employment rate in Costa Rica was 42.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female employment rate recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 46.3% in 2013.
- What is the lowest female employment rate recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.9% in 1992.
- How does Costa Rica rank for female employment rate?
- Costa Rica ranks 130th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female employment rate rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.5%. 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 Female employment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the female working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.