United States's labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population with basic education) was 42.83% in 2025, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is up 1.79 percentage points from 41.04% in 2015.
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 42.83% | 2025 |
| Five years earlier | 41.02% | 2020 |
| Ten years earlier | 41.04% | 2015 |
| Highest | 44.35% | 2024 |
| Lowest | 35.43% | 1994 |
| Average since 2016 | 42.35% | 2016–2025 |
| First recorded | 35.43% | 1994 |
What the numbers say
In 2025, United States' labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population with basic education) fell 1.52 percentage points on 2024 (from 44.35% to 42.83%).
Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +0.3 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.64 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.8 standard deviations below that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 2.12 percentage points in 2000 and the biggest yearly fall was 1.52 percentage points in 2025. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2016 to 2025 the straight-line trend is upward, about 0.29 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 57% of the movement over 10 observed years.
Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.
How it compares
In 2025, United States had the 13th highest value of the 17 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.
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 42.83% | 2025 |
| North America | 42.57% | 2025 |
| High income | 40.65% | 2024 |
Closest to United States in the 2025 ranking
- Spain — 10th of 17: 45.86%
- West Bank and Gaza — 11th of 17: 44.13%
- Korea, Rep. — 12th of 17: 43.65%
- Portugal — 14th of 17: 41.59%
- Chile — 15th of 17: 41.13%
- Canada — 16th of 17: 40.61%
What this measures
The ratio of the labor force with basic education to the working-age population with basic education. 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 32 values
| Year | Labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population with basic education) |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 42.83 |
| 2024 | 44.35 |
| 2023 | 44.16 |
| 2022 | 42.57 |
| 2021 | 41.76 |
| 2020 | 41.02 |
| 2019 | 42.19 |
| 2018 | 41.99 |
| 2017 | 41.42 |
| 2016 | 41.26 |
Labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population with basic education) in nearby economies
- Canada — 40.61% (2025)
More social protection & labor data for United States
- Employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, female (%) (national estimate) — 49.94% (2025)
- Employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, male (%) (national estimate) — 50.14% (2025)
- Employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, total (%) (national estimate) — 50.04% (2025)
- Employment to population ratio, 15+, female (%) (national estimate) — 54.88% (2025)
- Employment to population ratio, 15+, male (%) (national estimate) — 64.85% (2025)
- Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate) — 59.75% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (national estimate) — 54.88% (2025)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is United States's labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population with basic education)?
- 42.83% in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1994?
- It is up 7.4 percentage points from 35.43% in 1994. The highest value was 44.35% in 2024 and the lowest 35.43% in 1994.
- How does United States rank?
- 13th highest of 17 economies with data for 2025.
- Is the latest change in labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population with basic education) unusual for United States?
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SL.TLF.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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