Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in El Salvador
El Salvador: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 7.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
7.8%
Change on year
up 4.0%
World rank
141st
of 187 countries
All-time high
16.9%
in 1993
All-time low
7.0%
in 2023
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in El Salvador, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in El Salvador stood at 7.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.0% on the previous year and down 9.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in El Salvador peaked at 16.9% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 7.0%, in 2023.
That places El Salvador 141st out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 12.7% | — |
| 1992 | 13.5% | +6.4% |
| 1993 | 16.9% | +25.1% |
| 1994 | 13.3% | -21.1% |
| 1995 | 13.2% | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 13.3% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 13.8% | +3.9% |
| 1998 | 12.2% | -11.6% |
| 1999 | 12.6% | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 12.0% | -4.9% |
| 2001 | 12.1% | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 10.8% | -11.2% |
| 2003 | 11.9% | +10.4% |
| 2004 | 11.8% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 12.7% | +7.1% |
| 2006 | 11.6% | -8.7% |
| 2007 | 11.4% | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 10.9% | -4.4% |
| 2009 | 13.9% | +27.6% |
| 2010 | 10.2% | -26.8% |
| 2011 | 8.5% | -15.9% |
| 2012 | 8.4% | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 8.5% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 9.6% | +12.7% |
| 2015 | 8.7% | -9.8% |
| 2016 | 9.5% | +9.7% |
| 2017 | 9.7% | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 9.3% | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 9.6% | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 11.1% | +15.5% |
| 2021 | 9.8% | -11.5% |
| 2022 | 7.5% | -23.7% |
| 2023 | 7.0% | -6.0% |
| 2024 | 7.5% | +6.8% |
| 2025 | 7.8% | +4.0% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 7.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 15.8%, 49% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 7.8% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 14.0%, 56% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.5% | 12.2% | 16.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 11.9% | 10.8% | 13.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.2% | 8.4% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.5% | 7.0% | 11.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
- 138 Ecuador 8.2% compare
- 139 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 7.9% compare
- 140 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 7.8% compare
- 142 Russian Federation 7.6% compare
- 143 Philippines 7.0% compare
- 144 Guinea 7.0% compare
More work & labour data for El Salvador
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.8531 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.8121 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.893 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.72 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.2563 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,984 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,013 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,591 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,482 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,073 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in El Salvador?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in El Salvador was 7.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 16.9% in 1993.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.0% in 2023.
- How does El Salvador rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- El Salvador ranks 141st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.