Employment by status in Samoa
Samoa: Employment by status was 55.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Employment by status in Samoa, 1991–2024
Source: International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, employment by status in Samoa stood at 55.3%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment by status in Samoa peaked at 55.4% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 50.9%, in 1992.
That places Samoa 123rd out of 186 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Employment by status in Samoa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 50.9% | — |
| 1992 | 50.9% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 50.9% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 51.0% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 51.1% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 51.3% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 51.6% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 51.8% | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 51.9% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 52.2% | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 52.5% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 52.8% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 53.1% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 53.3% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 53.6% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 53.9% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 54.1% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 54.2% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 54.2% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 54.3% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 54.4% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 54.4% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 54.3% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 54.2% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 54.2% | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 54.4% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 54.5% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 54.5% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 54.7% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 54.9% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 55.4% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 55.1% | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 55.1% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 55.3% | +0.3% |
Samoa compared with similar countries
- Samoa's 55.3% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 67.6%, 82% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Samoa's 55.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 61.9%, 89% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 51.3% | 50.9% | 51.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 53.4% | 52.2% | 54.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.4% | 54.2% | 54.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 55.2% | 54.9% | 55.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Samoa
More work & labour data for Samoa
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.3243 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.3169 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.332 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.0409 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.92 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 52.37 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 191.01 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 187.95 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 195.61 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 383.56 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment by status in Samoa?
- Employment by status in Samoa was 55.3% in 2024, according to International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment by status recorded in Samoa?
- The highest recorded value was 55.4% in 2021.
- What is the lowest employment by status recorded in Samoa?
- The lowest recorded value was 50.9% in 1992.
- How does Samoa rank for employment by status?
- Samoa ranks 123rd out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
- Is employment by status rising or falling in Samoa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Samoa data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Employment by status. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of people in employment working as employees, as a percentage of total employment.