Unemployment with basic education in United States
United States: Unemployment with basic education was 6.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment with basic education in United States, 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 United States is 6.6%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and down 15.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment with basic education in United States peaked at 15.3% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 5.4%, in 2019.
United States ranks 67th of 130 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 32 years of available data.
Unemployment with basic education in United States, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force with basic education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 12.6% | — |
| 1995 | 12.0% | -4.4% |
| 1996 | 11.4% | -5.4% |
| 1997 | 10.3% | -9.2% |
| 1998 | 9.5% | -7.8% |
| 1999 | 9.3% | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 8.7% | -6.9% |
| 2001 | 9.7% | +11.6% |
| 2002 | 10.1% | +4.5% |
| 2003 | 10.3% | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 9.9% | -4.2% |
| 2005 | 8.8% | -10.9% |
| 2006 | 8.1% | -7.7% |
| 2007 | 8.0% | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 10.5% | +31.6% |
| 2009 | 14.9% | +41.9% |
| 2010 | 15.3% | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 13.6% | -11.0% |
| 2012 | 12.7% | -6.3% |
| 2013 | 10.8% | -15.1% |
| 2014 | 8.8% | -18.2% |
| 2015 | 7.8% | -12.2% |
| 2016 | 7.5% | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 6.6% | -12.6% |
| 2018 | 5.9% | -10.4% |
| 2019 | 5.4% | -8.1% |
| 2020 | 11.7% | +117.3% |
| 2021 | 8.1% | -31.3% |
| 2022 | 5.5% | -31.6% |
| 2023 | 5.6% | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 6.5% | +16.3% |
| 2025 | 6.6% | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.9% | 9.3% | 12.6% | 6 |
| 2000s | 9.9% | 8.0% | 14.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.4% | 5.4% | 15.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.3% | 5.5% | 11.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
More work & labour data for United States
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 61.24 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 178,849 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.3372 % change on previous year (2027)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (2023)
- Criminal penalties or civil remedies sexual harassment in employment 1 (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 61.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 67.1% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 84.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 56.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment with basic education in United States?
- Unemployment with basic education in United States was 6.6% in 2025, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment with basic education recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 15.3% in 2010.
- What is the lowest unemployment with basic education recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.4% in 2019.
- How does United States rank for unemployment with basic education?
- United States ranks 67th out of 130 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment with basic education rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States 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).