Unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Unemployment rate was 3.5 in 2024. ▬ Flat
Unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia, 1999–2024
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 3.5 for unemployment rate in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
That represents a change of down 12.5% on the previous year and down 38.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia peaked at 7.65 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3.5, in 2024.
That places Saudi Arabia 14th out of 22 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.35 | 4.35 | 4.35 | 1 |
| 2000s | 5.43 | 4.57 | 6.25 | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.69 | 5.52 | 6.03 | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.23 | 3.5 | 7.65 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More work & labour data for Saudi Arabia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.6339 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.5946 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.6842 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.31 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.5985 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 40,709 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 4,348 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 31,198 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 39,809 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 71,007 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia?
- Unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia was 3.5 in 2024, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 7.65 in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.5 in 2024.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for unemployment rate?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 14th out of 22 countries with data for 2024.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Unemployment rate (9/26/2025). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The World Economic Outlook (WEO) database is created during the biannual WEO exercise, which begins in January and June of each year and results in the April and September/October WEO publication. Selected series from the publication are available in a database format.