In October 2024, the civilian labor force amounted to 168.48 million people in the United States. The term civilian labor force is used by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to describe the subset of Americans who have jobs or are seeking a job, are at least 16 years old, are not serving in the military, and are not institutionalized.

Graph and download economic data for Not in Labor Force (LNS15000000) from Jan 1975 to Jun 2025 about 16 years +, labor force, labor, household survey, and USA.

Labor Force Participation Rate in the United States decreased to 62.30 percent in June from 62.40 percent in May of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United States Labor Force Participation Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

The statistic shows the distribution of the workforce across economic sectors in the United States from 2013 to 2023. In 2023, 1.57 percent of the workforce in the US was employed in agriculture, 19.34 percent in industry and 79.09 percent in services. See U.S. GDP per capita for more information. American workforce A significant majority of the American labor force is employed in the services sector, while the other sectors, industry and agriculture, account for less than 20 percent of the US economy. However, the United States is among the top exporters of agricultural goods – the total value of US agricultural exports has more than doubled since 2000. A severe plunge in the employment rate in the US since 1990 shows that the American economy is still in turmoil after the economic crisis of 2008. Unemployment is still significantly higher than it was before the crisis, and most of those unemployed and looking for a job are younger than 25; youth unemployment is a severe problem for the United States, many college or university graduates struggle to find a job right away. Still, the number of employees in the US since 1990 has been increasing slowly, with a slight setback during and after the recession. Both the number of full-time and of part-time workers have increased during the same period. When looking at the distribution of jobs among men and women, both project the general downward trend. A comparison of the employment rate of men in the US since 1990 and the employment rate of women since 1990 shows that more men tend to be employed than women.

In 2024, the U.S. employment rate stood at 60.1 percent. Employed persons consist of: persons who did any work for pay or profit during the survey reference week; persons who did at least 15 hours of unpaid work in a family-operated enterprise; and persons who were temporarily absent from their regular jobs because of illness, vacation, bad weather, industrial dispute, or various personal reasons. The employment-population ratio represents the proportion of the civilian non-institutional population that is employed. The monthly unemployment rate for the United States can be found here.

Graph and download economic data for Multiple Jobholders as a Percent of Employed (LNS12026620) from Jan 1994 to Jun 2025 about multiple jobholders, 16 years +, percent, household survey, employment, and USA.

United States US: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15-24 data was reported at 50.340 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 49.410 % for 2016. United States US: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 54.810 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 61.150 % in 1989 and a record low of 45.000 % in 2010. United States US: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Employment and Unemployment. Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed. Employment is defined as persons of working age who, during a short reference period, were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period (i.e. who worked in a job for at least one hour) or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangements. Ages 15-24 are generally considered the youth population.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in November 2017.; Weighted Average; The series for ILO estimates is also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

In 2023, it was estimated that over 161 million Americans were in some form of employment, while 3.64 percent of the total workforce was unemployed. This was the lowest unemployment rate since the 1950s, although these figures are expected to rise in 2023 and beyond. 1980s-2010s Since the 1980s, the total United States labor force has generally risen as the population has grown, however, the annual average unemployment rate has fluctuated significantly, usually increasing in times of crisis, before falling more slowly during periods of recovery and economic stability. For example, unemployment peaked at 9.7 percent during the early 1980s recession, which was largely caused by the ripple effects of the Iranian Revolution on global oil prices and inflation. Other notable spikes came during the early 1990s; again, largely due to inflation caused by another oil shock, and during the early 2000s recession. The Great Recession then saw the U.S. unemployment rate soar to 9.6 percent, following the collapse of the U.S. housing market and its impact on the banking sector, and it was not until 2016 that unemployment returned to pre-recession levels. 2020s 2019 had marked a decade-long low in unemployment, before the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic saw the sharpest year-on-year increase in unemployment since the Great Depression, and the total number of workers fell by almost 10 million people. Despite the continuation of the pandemic in the years that followed, alongside the associated supply-chain issues and onset of the inflation crisis, unemployment reached just 3.67 percent in 2022 - current projections are for this figure to rise in 2023 and the years that follow, although these forecasts are subject to change if recent years are anything to go by.

United States US: Labour Force With Advanced Education: Male: % of Male Working-age Population data was reported at 73.250 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 73.560 % for 2016. United States US: Labour Force With Advanced Education: Male: % of Male Working-age Population data is updated yearly, averaging 77.826 % from Dec 1994 (Median) to 2017, with 24 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 81.128 % in 1994 and a record low of 73.250 % in 2017. United States US: Labour Force With Advanced Education: Male: % of Male Working-age Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Labour Force. The percentage of the working age population with an advanced level of education who are in the labor force. Advanced education comprises short-cycle tertiary education, a bachelor’s degree or equivalent education level, a master’s degree or equivalent education level, or doctoral degree or equivalent education level according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2018.; Weighted average;

Graph and download economic data for Employment-Population Ratio - 16-19 Yrs., Black or African American (LNU02300018) from Jan 1972 to Jun 2025 about 16 to 19 years, employment-population ratio, African-American, household survey, employment, population, and USA.

In 2024, the employment rate of the workforce of 55 years and older decreased to 37.3 percent. Employment rate among young adults (age 16-24) was at 50.9 percent in 2024. For monthly updates on employment in the United States visit the annual national employment rate here.

United States US: Labour Force Participation Rate: National Estimate: % of Total Population Aged 15+ data was reported at 62.851 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 62.786 % for 2016. United States US: Labour Force Participation Rate: National Estimate: % of Total Population Aged 15+ data is updated yearly, averaging 64.000 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 67.204 % in 1997 and a record low of 58.700 % in 1964. United States US: Labour Force Participation Rate: National Estimate: % of Total Population Aged 15+ data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Labour Force. Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2018.; Weighted average; The series for ILO estimates is also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

United States US: Labour Force With Basic Education: Female: % of Female Working-age Population data was reported at 52.687 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 52.814 % for 2016. United States US: Labour Force With Basic Education: Female: % of Female Working-age Population data is updated yearly, averaging 52.685 % from Dec 1994 (Median) to 2017, with 24 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 55.074 % in 2007 and a record low of 47.123 % in 1994. United States US: Labour Force With Basic Education: Female: % of Female Working-age Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Labour Force. The percentage of the working age population with a basic level of education who are in the labor force. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2018.; Weighted average;

The percentage of the working population that does not commute to work. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Years Available: 2018-2022, 2019-2023

This graph shows the civilian labor force participation rate in the United States from 1990 to 2023. In 2023, about 62.6 percent of the American population, eligible to work, participated in the job market.

Graph and download economic data for Labor Force Participation Rate - 20 Yrs. & over, Black or African American Men (LNS11300031) from Jan 1972 to Jun 2025 about 20 years +, males, participation, African-American, labor force, labor, household survey, rate, and USA.

This dataset contains Iowa population estimate for individuals 16 years and older by employment status for State of Iowa, individual Iowa counties, Iowa places and census tracts within Iowa. Data is from the American Community Survey, Five Year Estimates, Table B23025.

Employment status includes the following: Total, Labor Force, Civilian Labor Force, Civilian Employed Labor Force, Civilian Unemployed Labor Force, Armed Forces and Not in Labor Force.

United States Employment: American Indian or Alaska Native data was reported at 1,784.000 Person th in Apr 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,819.000 Person th for Mar 2025. United States Employment: American Indian or Alaska Native data is updated monthly, averaging 1,329.500 Person th from Jan 2000 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 304 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,980.000 Person th in Feb 2025 and a record low of 837.000 Person th in Oct 2003. United States Employment: American Indian or Alaska Native data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G: Current Population Survey: Employment.

Graph and download economic data for Employment-Population Ratio - 20 Yrs. & over, Black or African American Women (LNU02300032) from Jan 1972 to Jun 2025 about 20 years +, employment-population ratio, females, African-American, household survey, employment, population, and USA.

United States US: Employment To Population Ratio: Modeled ILO Estimate: Aged 15+ data was reported at 59.192 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 59.133 % for 2016. United States US: Employment To Population Ratio: Modeled ILO Estimate: Aged 15+ data is updated yearly, averaging 61.402 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 63.780 % in 2000 and a record low of 57.376 % in 2011. United States US: Employment To Population Ratio: Modeled ILO Estimate: Aged 15+ data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed. Employment is defined as persons of working age who, during a short reference period, were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period (i.e. who worked in a job for at least one hour) or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangements. Ages 15 and older are generally considered the working-age population.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2018.; Weighted average; Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections. National estimates are also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.