Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Australia
Australia: Public sector employment as a share of total employment was 20.01 in 2015. ▼ Falling
Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Australia, 2001–2015
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Australia recorded 20.01 for public sector employment as a share of total employment in 2015.
The figure is up 1.1% on the previous year and down 24.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, public sector employment as a share of total employment in Australia peaked at 28.79 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 19.78, in 2014.
That places Australia 37th out of 79 countries with data for 2015, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 21.32 | — |
| 2002 | 20.39 | -4.3% |
| 2003 | 26.34 | +29.1% |
| 2004 | 25.86 | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 26.49 | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 26.79 | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 25.79 | -3.7% |
| 2008 | 26.98 | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 27.82 | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 28.79 | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 20.86 | -27.5% |
| 2012 | 20.74 | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 20.47 | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 19.78 | -3.4% |
| 2015 | 20.01 | +1.1% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 20.01 is below the median for high income countries, which is 23.54, 85% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
- Australia's 20.01 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 15.81, 1.3× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Australia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +29.1% | 20.39 | 26.34 |
| 2011 | -27.5% | 28.79 | 20.86 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 25.31 | 20.39 | 27.82 | 9 |
| 2010s | 21.77 | 19.78 | 28.79 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More work & labour data for Australia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4907 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.5202 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9895 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8931 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 30,186 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 3,001 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 21,642 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 21,502 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 43,144 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is public sector employment as a share of total employment in Australia?
- Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Australia was 20.01 in 2015, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest public sector employment as a share of total employment recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 28.79 in 2010.
- What is the lowest public sector employment as a share of total employment recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.78 in 2014.
- How does Australia rank for public sector employment as a share of total employment?
- Australia ranks 37th out of 79 countries with data for 2015.
- Is public sector employment as a share of total employment rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Public sector employment as a share of total employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 15 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).