Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Switzerland
Switzerland: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates was 87.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Switzerland, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Switzerland stood at 87.2%. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Switzerland peaked at 87.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 65.7%, in 1990.
Switzerland ranks 44th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 65.7% | — |
| 1991 | 65.8% | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 66.8% | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 67.6% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 67.6% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 67.5% | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 72.2% | +6.9% |
| 1997 | 72.5% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 74.0% | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 74.5% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 74.2% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 76.0% | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 77.4% | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 77.5% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 77.9% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 79.1% | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 79.3% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 79.2% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 81.3% | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 81.9% | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 80.7% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 81.1% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 81.7% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 82.4% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 83.5% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 84.0% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 84.4% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 84.1% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 84.8% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 85.6% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 85.2% | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 85.8% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 85.6% | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 85.8% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 87.1% | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 87.2% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 69.4% | 65.7% | 74.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 78.4% | 74.2% | 81.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 83.2% | 80.7% | 85.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 86.1% | 85.2% | 87.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 41 Estonia 87.3% compare
- 42 Canada 87.3% compare
- 43 Netherlands 87.2% compare
- 45 Lao People's Democratic Republic 87.2% compare
- 46 Namibia 87.1% compare
- 47 Guinea-Bissau 86.6% compare
More work & labour data for Switzerland
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0651 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0485 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0817 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.4 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.6452 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 8,038 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,842 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 4,568 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 4,558 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 9,126 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Switzerland?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Switzerland was 87.2% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 87.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 65.7% in 1990.
- How does Switzerland rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rates?
- Switzerland ranks 44th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rates rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This ratio is calculated by dividing the labor force participation rate among women by the corresponding rate for men. The labor force participation rate is the share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).