Unemployment with basic education in North America
North America: Unemployment with basic education was 8.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment with basic education in North America, 1994–2025
Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total labor force with basic education.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment with basic education in North America is 8.1%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.6% on the previous year and down 6.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment with basic education in North America peaked at 15.4% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 6.4%, in 2019.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 32 years of available data.
Unemployment with basic education in North America, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force with basic education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 13.2% | — |
| 1995 | 12.5% | -5.1% |
| 1996 | 12.1% | -3.6% |
| 1997 | 11.2% | -6.8% |
| 1998 | 10.4% | -7.7% |
| 1999 | 10.0% | -3.4% |
| 2000 | 9.3% | -7.5% |
| 2001 | 10.1% | +9.3% |
| 2002 | 10.6% | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 10.8% | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 10.4% | -3.7% |
| 2005 | 9.3% | -10.3% |
| 2006 | 8.7% | -6.0% |
| 2007 | 8.5% | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 10.6% | +24.9% |
| 2009 | 15.0% | +40.8% |
| 2010 | 15.4% | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 13.8% | -10.2% |
| 2012 | 13.0% | -5.9% |
| 2013 | 11.2% | -13.6% |
| 2014 | 9.5% | -15.2% |
| 2015 | 8.6% | -9.1% |
| 2016 | 8.5% | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 7.5% | -11.3% |
| 2018 | 6.8% | -9.7% |
| 2019 | 6.4% | -6.0% |
| 2020 | 12.4% | +94.4% |
| 2021 | 9.0% | -27.2% |
| 2022 | 6.4% | -29.1% |
| 2023 | 6.6% | +2.7% |
| 2024 | 7.7% | +17.7% |
| 2025 | 8.1% | +4.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11.6% | 10.0% | 13.2% | 6 |
| 2000s | 10.3% | 8.5% | 15.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.1% | 6.4% | 15.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.4% | 6.4% | 12.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North America
- 6 Montenegro 23.1% compare
- 7 Kosovo 21.4% compare
- 7 Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) 21.4% compare
- 9 Angola 20.5% compare
- 10 Finland 20.3% compare
- 11 North Macedonia 19.0% compare
- 12 Jordan 18.6% compare
More work & labour data for North America
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 62.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 51.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 52.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 67.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 52.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 69.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 78.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 74.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 56.8% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 84.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment with basic education in North America?
- Unemployment with basic education in North America was 8.1% in 2025, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment with basic education recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 15.4% in 2010.
- What is the lowest unemployment with basic education recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.4% in 2019.
- How does North America rank for unemployment with basic education?
- North America ranks 9th out of 18 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment with basic education rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North America data come from?
- The figures come from Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of the labor force with a basic level of education who are unemployed. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).