Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in El Salvador
El Salvador: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 3.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in El Salvador, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
El Salvador recorded 3.3% for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and down 17.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in El Salvador peaked at 9.9% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 2023.
That places El Salvador 137th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 7.5% | — |
| 1992 | 7.9% | +4.6% |
| 1993 | 9.9% | +26.1% |
| 1994 | 7.7% | -22.7% |
| 1995 | 7.7% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 7.7% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 8.0% | +3.9% |
| 1998 | 7.1% | -11.0% |
| 1999 | 7.3% | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 7.0% | -4.7% |
| 2001 | 7.0% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 6.2% | -10.9% |
| 2003 | 6.9% | +11.3% |
| 2004 | 6.8% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 7.2% | +6.2% |
| 2006 | 6.6% | -9.0% |
| 2007 | 6.4% | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 5.9% | -8.3% |
| 2009 | 7.3% | +24.7% |
| 2010 | 4.9% | -33.2% |
| 2011 | 4.3% | -12.2% |
| 2012 | 3.8% | -10.6% |
| 2013 | 3.7% | -3.9% |
| 2014 | 4.2% | +12.5% |
| 2015 | 4.0% | -3.8% |
| 2016 | 4.4% | +10.5% |
| 2017 | 4.4% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 4.0% | -8.6% |
| 2019 | 4.2% | +4.1% |
| 2020 | 5.0% | +20.1% |
| 2021 | 4.3% | -13.6% |
| 2022 | 3.0% | -30.7% |
| 2023 | 3.0% | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 3.3% | +9.0% |
| 2025 | 3.3% | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.9% | 7.1% | 9.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 6.7% | 5.9% | 7.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.2% | 3.7% | 4.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.6% | 3.0% | 5.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
More education data for El Salvador
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 17,715 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 21,853 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 100,826 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 100,758 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 417,193 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 594,860 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0939 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in El Salvador?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in El Salvador was 3.3% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 9.9% in 1993.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 2023.
- How does El Salvador rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- El Salvador ranks 137th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.4%. 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, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.