Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Australia
Australia: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) was 89.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Australia, 1961–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Australia stood at 89.2%. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 7.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Australia peaked at 89.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 33.7%, in 1961.
Australia ranks 30th of 196 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 33.7% | — |
| 1966 | 41.9% | +24.4% |
| 1971 | 46.2% | +10.3% |
| 1976 | 55.2% | +19.5% |
| 1979 | 55.6% | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 57.1% | +2.8% |
| 1981 | 57.3% | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 57.7% | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 58.2% | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 59.4% | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 61.1% | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 63.7% | +4.2% |
| 1987 | 65.0% | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 66.3% | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 67.9% | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 69.1% | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 69.6% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 70.1% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 70.3% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 71.5% | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 72.6% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 73.1% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 73.4% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 73.8% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 74.2% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 75.6% | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 76.6% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 76.9% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 78.2% | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 77.9% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 79.0% | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 79.6% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 80.1% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 80.6% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 81.2% | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 81.0% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 81.6% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 81.9% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 82.2% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 82.7% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 83.1% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 84.1% | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 85.1% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 85.3% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 85.7% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 85.9% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 86.8% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 87.7% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 87.6% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 88.6% | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 89.2% | +0.6% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 89.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 85.1%, 1.0× the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Australia's 89.2% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 78.7%, 1.1× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 37.8% | 33.7% | 41.9% | 2 |
| 1970s | 52.3% | 46.2% | 55.6% | 3 |
| 1980s | 61.4% | 57.1% | 67.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 71.8% | 69.1% | 74.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 78.6% | 75.6% | 81.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 83.3% | 81.0% | 85.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 87.6% | 85.9% | 89.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 27 Israel 90.8% compare
- 28 Finland 89.9% compare
- 29 Antigua and Barbuda 89.8% compare
- 31 New Zealand 89.2% compare
- 32 Norway 89.0% compare
- 33 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 89.0% compare
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 ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Australia?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Australia was 89.2% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 89.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.7% in 1961.
- How does Australia rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%)?
- Australia ranks 30th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate is the proportion of female labor force participation relative to male labor force participation. The labor force participation rate is the labor force as a percent of the population ages 15 and older. The labor force is the sum of all persons of working age who are employed and those who are unemployed.