Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in El Salvador

El Salvador: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) was 2.4% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
2.4%
Change on year
down 9.9%
World rank
150th
of 181 countries
All-time high
12.4%
in 1985
All-time low
2.4%
in 2024
Years of data
40
1980–2024

Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in El Salvador, 1980–2024

246810121980200220241980: 111985: 12.41986: 7.51988: 111989: 9.51990: 10.11991: 8.31992: 2.51993: 11.81994: 8.41995: 8.71996: 81997: 9.21998: 81999: 8.42000: 9.12001: 8.12002: 8.12003: 9.22004: 8.72005: 8.62006: 8.42007: 8.32008: 7.52009: 92010: 5.42011: 4.92012: 4.22013: 42014: 4.92015: 4.42016: 4.82017: 4.72018: 4.22019: 42020: 4.72021: 42022: 2.82023: 2.72024: 2.4

Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in El Salvador is 2.4%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 40 years on record.

The figure is down 9.9% on the previous year and down 50.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in El Salvador peaked at 12.4% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 2.4%, in 2024.

El Salvador ranks 150th of 181 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 40 years of available data.

Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in El Salvador, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) in El Salvador, 1980 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1980 11.0%
1985 12.4% +13.3%
1986 7.5% -39.9%
1988 11.0% +46.8%
1989 9.5% -13.1%
1990 10.1% +5.8%
1991 8.3% -17.8%
1992 2.5% -70.1%
1993 11.8% +374.2%
1994 8.4% -28.2%
1995 8.7% +2.9%
1996 8.0% -8.1%
1997 9.2% +14.8%
1998 8.0% -13.0%
1999 8.4% +5.2%
2000 9.1% +7.7%
2001 8.1% -10.4%
2002 8.1% -0.1%
2003 9.2% +13.6%
2004 8.7% -5.4%
2005 8.6% -1.6%
2006 8.4% -1.8%
2007 8.3% -1.2%
2008 7.5% -10.0%
2009 9.0% +20.9%
2010 5.4% -40.0%
2011 4.9% -9.2%
2012 4.2% -14.1%
2013 4.0% -6.4%
2014 4.9% +23.5%
2015 4.4% -10.6%
2016 4.8% +10.5%
2017 4.7% -3.6%
2018 4.2% -10.0%
2019 4.0% -4.0%
2020 4.7% +17.3%
2021 4.0% -14.8%
2022 2.8% -30.8%
2023 2.7% -2.3%
2024 2.4% -9.9%

El Salvador compared with similar countries

  • El Salvador's 2.4% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.4%, 46% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
  • El Salvador's 2.4% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 5.8%, 42% of the median. (35 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in El Salvador 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.

YearChange FromTo
1993 +374.2% 2.5% 11.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 10.3% 7.5% 12.4% 5
1990s 8.3% 2.5% 11.8% 10
2000s 8.5% 7.5% 9.2% 10
2010s 4.5% 4.0% 5.4% 10
2020s 3.3% 2.4% 4.7% 5

Countries ranked near El Salvador

  1. 147 Czechia 2.5% compare
  2. 148 Mexico 2.5% compare
  3. 149 Cameroon 2.5% compare
  4. 151 Seychelles 2.4% compare
  5. 152 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 2.3% compare
  6. 153 Philippines 2.3% compare

See the full ranking of 205 places →

More work & labour data for El Salvador

All data for El Salvador →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in El Salvador?
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in El Salvador was 2.4% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in El Salvador?
The highest recorded value was 12.4% in 1985.
What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in El Salvador?
The lowest recorded value was 2.4% in 2024.
How does El Salvador rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
El Salvador ranks 150th out of 181 countries with data for 2024.
Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in El Salvador?
Over the last ten years it is down 50.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this El Salvador data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in El Salvador. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-male-percent-of-male-labor-force-national-estimate/el-salvador/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
205 places, 5,415 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.