Estonia: Unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic education)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Estonia's unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic education) rose 1.83 percentage points on 2023 (from 12.91% to 14.74%).

Across the 26 yearly changes before that (1998 to 2023), the average change was −0.12 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 4.49 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 15.81 percentage points in 2009 and the biggest yearly fall was 8.29 percentage points in 2013. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 23% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Estonia had the 12th highest value of the 63 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Estonia in the 2024 ranking

• Lithuania — 9th of 63: 17.26%
• Latvia — 10th of 63: 17.16%
• Romania — 11th of 63: 14.81%
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 13th of 63: 14.3%
• Hungary — 14th of 63: 13.73%
• Bulgaria — 15th of 63: 13.69%

What this measures

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).

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 28 values

Unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic education) in nearby economies

• Albania — 7.58% (2024)
• Armenia — 10.27% (2023)
• Austria — 13.58% (2025)
• Azerbaijan — 12.31% (2022)
• Belarus — 7.74% (2024)
• Belgium — 11.72% (2024)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 14.3% (2024)
• Bulgaria — 13.69% (2024)

More social protection & labor data for Estonia

• Net migration — -13,350 (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (national estimate) — 42.41% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) (national estimate) — 43.77% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) (national estimate) — 43.09% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (national estimate) — 61.88% (2025)
• Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (national estimate) — 86.38% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (national estimate) — 71.64% (2025)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Estonia's unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic education)?

14.74% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1997?

It is down 1.4 percentage points from 16.14% in 1997. The highest value was 30.01% in 2010 and the lowest 9.64% in 2019.

How does Estonia rank?

12th highest of 63 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic education) unusual for Estonia?

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SL.UEM.BASC.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), uri: https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/bulk/, publisher: ILOSTAT, type: external database, date accessed: March 30, 2026 Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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