Labor force, female in OECD members

OECD members: Labor force, female was 44.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
44.8%
Change on year
up 0.1%
Rank
13th
of 45 groups
All-time high
44.8%
in 2025
All-time low
40.8%
in 1990
Years of data
36
1990–2025

Labor force, female in OECD members, 1990–2025

0102030401990200720251990: 40.8 % of total labor force1991: 41 % of total labor force1992: 41 % of total labor force1993: 41 % of total labor force1994: 41.4 % of total labor force1995: 41.5 % of total labor force1996: 41.6 % of total labor force1997: 41.8 % of total labor force1998: 41.8 % of total labor force1999: 42 % of total labor force2000: 42.1 % of total labor force2001: 42.2 % of total labor force2002: 42.3 % of total labor force2003: 42.5 % of total labor force2004: 42.5 % of total labor force2005: 42.6 % of total labor force2006: 42.8 % of total labor force2007: 42.9 % of total labor force2008: 43 % of total labor force2009: 43.3 % of total labor force2010: 43.4 % of total labor force2011: 43.5 % of total labor force2012: 43.6 % of total labor force2013: 43.7 % of total labor force2014: 43.7 % of total labor force2015: 43.7 % of total labor force2016: 43.8 % of total labor force2017: 43.9 % of total labor force2018: 44 % of total labor force2019: 44.2 % of total labor force2020: 44.1 % of total labor force2021: 44.2 % of total labor force2022: 44.4 % of total labor force2023: 44.7 % of total labor force2024: 44.8 % of total labor force2025: 44.8 % of total labor force

Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database. Measured in % of total labor force.

Analysis

In 2025, labor force, female in OECD members stood at 44.8%. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 2.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, labor force, female in OECD members peaked at 44.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 40.8%, in 1990.

OECD members ranks 13th of 45 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.

Labor force, female in OECD members, year by year

Annual values for Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in OECD members, 1990 to 2025.
Year % of total labor force Change
1990 40.8%
1991 41.0% +0.4%
1992 41.0% +0.2%
1993 41.0% -0.1%
1994 41.4% +0.8%
1995 41.5% +0.4%
1996 41.6% +0.3%
1997 41.8% +0.4%
1998 41.8% +0.1%
1999 42.0% +0.3%
2000 42.1% +0.2%
2001 42.2% +0.2%
2002 42.3% +0.4%
2003 42.5% +0.4%
2004 42.5% +0.1%
2005 42.6% +0.2%
2006 42.8% +0.3%
2007 42.9% +0.2%
2008 43.0% +0.3%
2009 43.3% +0.7%
2010 43.4% +0.2%
2011 43.5% +0.2%
2012 43.6% +0.2%
2013 43.7% +0.2%
2014 43.7% +0.1%
2015 43.7% +0.1%
2016 43.8% +0.2%
2017 43.9% +0.2%
2018 44.0% +0.2%
2019 44.2% +0.4%
2020 44.1% -0.2%
2021 44.2% +0.3%
2022 44.4% +0.4%
2023 44.7% +0.5%
2024 44.8% +0.3%
2025 44.8% +0.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 41.4% 40.8% 42.0% 10
2000s 42.6% 42.1% 43.3% 10
2010s 43.7% 43.4% 44.2% 10
2020s 44.5% 44.1% 44.8% 6

Countries ranked near OECD members

  1. 10 Latvia 49.8% compare
  2. 11 Estonia 49.7% compare
  3. 12 Portugal 49.7% compare
  4. 13 Barbados 49.7% compare
  5. 14 Zimbabwe 49.6% compare
  6. 15 South Sudan 49.6% compare
  7. 16 Sao Tome and Principe 49.4% compare

See the full ranking of 234 places →

More education data for OECD members

All data for OECD members →

Frequently asked questions

What is labor force, female in OECD members?
Labor force, female in OECD members was 44.8% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
What is the highest labor force, female recorded in OECD members?
The highest recorded value was 44.8% in 2025.
What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in OECD members?
The lowest recorded value was 40.8% in 1990.
How does OECD members rank for labor force, female?
OECD members ranks 13th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
Is labor force, female rising or falling in OECD members?
Over the last ten years it is up 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this OECD members data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database, published as part of Labor force, female (% of total labor force). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Labor force, female in OECD members. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/labor-force-female-percent-of-total-labor-force/oecd-members/

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About this data

Indicator
Labor force, female (% of total labor force)
Unit
% of total labor force
Source
International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
234 places, 8,410 data points, 1990–2025
Last refreshed

Female labor force as a percentage of the total show the extent to which women are active in the labor force. Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.