Photo: Stefano Brivio · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 03 of 18 · Country Index 2026
United States: Work & Labour
Can people find work, and on what terms?
United States is placed 14th of 182 countries on work & labour in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Employment-to-Population Ratio 59.11 (2025); Labour Income Share 55.81 (2025).
Work & Labour
14th
of 182 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place United States on work & labour — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Employment-to-Population Ratio
International Labour Organization (ILO)
Why it is a key: How much of the working-age population is actually in work — the half of the picture unemployment hides, because people who stop looking stop being counted.
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
59.11
Employed share of the population aged 15+ (%)
Higher is better
United States: 59.11. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 21.21 (São Tomé and Príncipe) to 86.9 (Qatar); the world median is 57.72.
- World median
- 57.72
- Best in Northern America
- 60.06 Canada
- Land neighbours
- Canada 60.06 · Mexico 59.96
Each grey tick is one of 182 countries in the 2025 edition.
Key 3 of 4
Unemployment Rate
International Labour Organization (ILO)
Why it is a key: The share of people looking for work who cannot find it.
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
4.198
Unemployment (% of labour force)
Lower is better
United States: 4.198. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 0.13 (Qatar) to 34.2 (Eswatini); the world median is 5.084.
- World median
- 5.084
- Best in Northern America
- 4.198 United States
- Land neighbours
- Canada 6.907 · Mexico 2.673
Each grey tick is one of 182 countries in the 2025 edition.
Key 4 of 4
Vulnerable Employment
International Labour Organization (ILO)
Why it is a key: How much work is own-account or unpaid family labour, carrying no contract and no protection.
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
3.81
Vulnerable employment (% of total employment)
Lower is better
United States: 3.81. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 0.456 (Qatar) to 90.22 (Chad); the world median is 28.67.
- World median
- 28.67
- Best in Northern America
- 3.81 United States
- Land neighbours
- Canada 9.555 · Mexico 25.31
Each grey tick is one of 182 countries in the 2025 edition.
02Over time
Which way United States is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Employment-to-Population Ratio
Employed share of the population aged 15+ (%) · higher is better
United StatesWorld median
United States fell from 63.51 in 2000 to 59.11 in 2025; the world median went from 55.86 to 57.72.
Every year’s figures
Year United States World median 2025 59.114 57.720 2024 59.467 57.694 2023 59.821 58.158 2022 59.538 57.688 2021 58.211 56.066 2020 56.598 55.691 2019 60.543 57.871 2018 60.153 56.911 2017 59.824 56.738 2016 59.391 56.845 2015 58.979 56.788 2014 58.595 56.774 2013 58.108 56.229 2012 58.017 56.289 2011 57.574 56.297 2010 57.592 56.212 2009 58.412 56.255 2008 61.226 57.308 2007 61.990 56.933 2006 62.162 56.685 2005 61.742 56.129 2004 61.407 55.465 2003 61.314 55.630 2002 61.793 55.843 2001 62.746 56.018 2000 63.506 55.861 Labour Income Share
Labour income share of GDP (%) · higher is better
United StatesWorld median
United States fell from 62.01 in 2004 to 55.81 in 2025; the world median went from 46.01 to 46.23.
Every year’s figures
Year United States World median 2025 55.807 46.230 2024 55.452 46.060 2023 55.385 45.900 2022 56.163 45.615 2021 57.926 45.433 2020 59.091 47.267 2019 58.200 46.277 2018 58.397 46.187 2017 58.398 46.467 2016 58.399 46.798 2015 58.582 46.876 2014 58.089 47.281 2013 57.917 46.887 2012 58.537 46.231 2011 58.675 45.679 2010 58.758 46.024 2009 59.791 47.071 2008 60.854 45.312 2007 60.906 45.246 2006 60.895 45.670 2005 61.055 46.265 2004 62.010 46.012 Unemployment Rate
Unemployment (% of labour force) · lower is better
United StatesWorld median
United States rose from 3.992 in 2000 to 4.198 in 2025; the world median went from 6.918 to 5.084.
Every year’s figures
Year United States World median 2025 4.198 5.08 2024 4.022 5.15 2023 3.638 5.21 2022 3.650 5.34 2021 5.349 6.04 2020 8.055 6.38 2019 3.669 5.36 2018 3.896 5.35 2017 4.355 5.59 2016 4.869 5.90 2015 5.280 6.41 2014 6.168 6.58 2013 7.375 6.71 2012 8.069 6.79 2011 8.949 6.90 2010 9.633 7.04 2009 9.254 6.67 2008 5.784 5.79 2007 4.622 6.00 2006 4.623 6.50 2005 5.084 7.09 2004 5.529 6.80 2003 5.989 6.95 2002 5.783 6.91 2001 4.731 6.96 2000 3.992 6.92 Vulnerable Employment
Vulnerable employment (% of total employment) · lower is better
United StatesWorld median
United States fell from 4.369 in 2000 to 3.81 in 2025; the world median went from 35.67 to 28.67.
Every year’s figures
Year United States World median 2025 3.810 28.67 2024 3.851 29.04 2023 3.759 29.33 2022 3.865 29.67 2021 4.025 30.01 2020 3.956 30.54 2019 3.935 29.98 2018 4.024 30.15 2017 3.981 29.93 2016 4.026 29.91 2015 4.019 30.26 2014 3.983 30.47 2013 4.028 31.14 2012 4.075 31.00 2011 4.073 31.41 2010 4.159 32.37 2009 4.157 32.59 2008 4.074 31.76 2007 4.194 33.47 2006 4.322 34.27 2005 4.384 34.66 2004 4.454 35.51 2003 4.446 35.90 2002 4.311 35.96 2001 4.348 35.27 2000 4.369 35.67
03In context
United States beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 182 countries on work & labour, never a place within the region.
United States and the countries it borders
The standing is each country’s place among all 182 placed on the topic; the other columns are the publishers’ own values, read at the edition the standing used.
| Country | Standing | Employment-to-Population RatioEmployed share of the population aged 15+ (%) | Labour Income ShareLabour income share of GDP (%) | Unemployment RateUnemployment (% of labour force) | Vulnerable EmploymentVulnerable employment (% of total employment) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 14th | 59.11 | 55.81 | 4.198 | 3.81 |
 Canada | 36th | 60.06 | 58.7 | 6.907 | 9.555 |
 Mexico | 67th | 59.96 | 37.98 | 2.673 | 25.31 |
“—” means the publisher gives no reading for that country in that edition. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed.
Across Northern America
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 182.
- United States14th
- Canada36th
Bermudanot placed
Greenlandnot placed
Placed either side on work & labour
The countries immediately above and below United States in the topic’s list.
Moldova11th
Kuwait12th
Russia13th- United States14th
Israel15th
Nigeria16th
Singapore17th
04Context, no vote
Where United States is ahead of the world, and behind
16 more statistics filed under work & labour, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median8
Statistics on which United States does better than the middle country measured.
GDP per Person EmployedWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 47,384156,98347,384No real change since 2015
United States: 156,983 · world median 47,384 · GDP per person employed (constant 2021 international $). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2,456 to 262,554; higher is better.
Position 9th of 168 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Labour Productivity per Hour WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 22.1681.822.16▲ Improved since 2015
United States: 81.8 · world median 22.16 · Output per hour worked (constant 2021 international $ at PPP). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.92 to 164.65; higher is better.
Position 12th of 182 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Female Share of Senior and Middle ManagementILO · 2024 · world median 35.8644.3335.86▼ Worsened since 2014
United States: 44.33 · world median 35.86 · Women in senior and middle management (% of managers). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 7.226 to 56.69; higher is better.
Position 14th of 86 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Firms with a Female Top ManagerWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 19.1623.2119.16No earlier reading
United States: 23.21 · world median 19.16 · Firms with a female top manager (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1.429 to 62.9; higher is better.
Position 54th of 179 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Youth Not in Education, Employment or TrainingILO · 2024 · world median 14.3111.614.31No real change since 2014
United States: 11.6 · world median 14.31 · Youth not in education, employment or training (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 3.975 to 65.73; lower is better.
Position 65th of 97 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Youth Unemployment RateILO · 2025 · world median 12.839.3412.83▲ Improved since 2015
United States: 9.34 · world median 12.83 · Unemployment, ages 15-24 (% of youth labour force). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.457 to 76.77; lower is better.
Position 120th of 182 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Female Labour Force Participation RateILO · 2025 · world median 53.3656.3453.36▼ Worsened since 2015
United States: 56.34 · world median 53.36 · Women aged 15+ in the labour force (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 4.663 to 82.91; higher is better.
Position 74th of 182 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Labour Force Participation RateILO · 2025 · world median 61.6661.761.66▼ Worsened since 2015
United States: 61.7 · world median 61.66 · Population aged 15+ in the labour force (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 23.34 to 87.01; higher is better.
Position 91st of 182 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Behind the world median2
Statistics on which United States does worse than the middle country measured.
Trade Union DensityILO · 2020 · world median 16.6810.2916.68No earlier reading
United States: 10.29 · world median 16.68 · Employees who are trade union members (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 0.2 to 91.42; higher is better.
Position 100th of 139 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Fatal Occupational InjuriesILO · 2023 · world median 2.0053.52.005▼ Worsened since 2013
United States: 3.5 · world median 2.005 · Fatal occupational injuries per 100,000 workers. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.12 to 8.409; lower is better.
No better end6
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Employment in ServicesILO · 2025 · world median 59.5179.5659.51Moved since 2015
United States: 79.56 · world median 59.51 · Employment in services (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 11.56 to 92.17.
Position 23rd of 182 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Employment in IndustryILO · 2025 · world median 18.8818.9118.88No real change since 2015
United States: 18.91 · world median 18.88 · Employment in industry (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 3.103 to 39.44.
Position 90th of 182 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Public Sector EmploymentWorld Bank Group · 2022 · world median 15.0112.8815.01No earlier reading
United States: 12.88 · world median 15.01 · Public sector employment (% of total employment). World Bank Group, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 1.672 to 47.1.
Position 76th of 135 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Average Weekly Hours WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 38.8936.2738.89No real change since 2015
United States: 36.27 · world median 38.89 · Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 23.64 to 54.7.
Position 122nd of 182 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Employment in AgricultureILO · 2025 · world median 14.381.52514.38No real change since 2015
United States: 1.525 · world median 14.38 · Employment in agriculture (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.095 to 85.34.
Position 165th of 182 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Self-Employment RateILO · 2025 · world median 31.846.07431.84No real change since 2015
United States: 6.074 · world median 31.84 · Self-employed (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.832 to 91.56.
Position 175th of 182 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
No current reading for United States
Informal Employment Rate and Working Poverty Rate. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
05Country Index 2026
Work & Labour among United States’s 15 topics
Work & Labour is United States’s 3rd best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first; each marker sits at the position divided by that topic’s field, so fields of different sizes compare fairly.
- Mobility & Trade8th of 1473/3 keys
- Digital & Technology13th of 1983/3 keys
- Work & Labour14th of 1824/4 keys
- Governance & Institutionsjoint 25th of 1944/4 keys
- Food & Agriculturejoint 25th of 1754/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation28th of 1764/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing32nd of 2004/4 keys
- Gender & Equalityjoint 41st of 1834/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital46th of 1963/3 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties57th of 1983/3 keys
- Energy64th of 1933/3 keys
- Risk & Resilience86th of 1923/3 keys
- Poverty & Inequality115th of 1592/2 keys
- Peace & Security136th of 1774/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainability171st of 1813/3 keys
No standing on Education & Knowledge: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on work & labour
The three countries placed highest of 182, and the leaders United States can most readily be measured against.
1
IcelandNorthern Europe
1st of 182 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Hansueli Krapf · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
JapanEastern Asia
2nd of 182 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: JurriaanH · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
South KoreaEastern Asia
3rd of 182 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Americas
United States14th4/4 keys
Positions out of 182 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about United States and work & labour
On work & labour
Countries in Asia with the highest average salaries 2024
Thirteen Asian countries by gross average monthly wage, each carrying its WORLD rank rather than an Asian one — so the numbers skip, from 11th place to 45th.
On work & labour
Countries With The Highest Average Salaries in 2024
The ten highest-paying countries of 2024, their bars coloured by continent, and six more added for comparison — from Australia in 13th place to India in 85th.
On work & labour
Countries With The Lowest Average Salaries in 2024
The bottom ten of 196 countries, and six more added for comparison. Niger, Madagascar and Liberia are all published at US$47 a month and still carry three different ranks.
08Questions
United States on work & labour: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does United States rank on work & labour?
United States is placed 14th of 182 countries on Work & Labour in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (Employment-to-Population Ratio, Labour Income Share, Unemployment Rate and Vulnerable Employment). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Employment-to-Population Ratio figure for United States?
59.11 in 2025 (employed share of the population aged 15+ (%)), according to International Labour Organization (ILO). The world median in the same edition was 57.72.
What is the latest Labour Income Share figure for United States?
55.81 in 2025 (labour income share of GDP (%)), according to International Labour Organization (ILO). The world median in the same edition was 46.23.
How does United States compare with Mexico on work & labour?
Mexico is placed 67th of 182, and United States 14th. Employment-to-Population Ratio: Mexico 59.96, United States 59.11; Labour Income Share: Mexico 37.98, United States 55.81; Unemployment Rate: Mexico 2.673, United States 4.198; Vulnerable Employment: Mexico 25.31, United States 3.81.
How have United States’s work & labour figures changed?
Employment-to-Population Ratio fell from 63.51 in 2000 to 59.11 in 2025; Labour Income Share fell from 62.01 in 2004 to 55.81 in 2025; Unemployment Rate rose from 3.992 in 2000 to 4.198 in 2025; Vulnerable Employment fell from 4.369 in 2000 to 3.81 in 2025.
Which work & labour statistics are missing for United States?
No current reading is published for United States on Informal Employment Rate and Working Poverty Rate. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Keep reading
Explore further
United States, topic by topic
- Governance & Institutions=25th of 194
- Economy & Innovation28th of 176
- Health & Wellbeing32nd of 200
- Development & Human Capital46th of 196
- Environment & Sustainability171st of 181
- Gender & Equality=41st of 183
- Democracy & Civil Liberties57th of 198
- Peace & Security136th of 177
- Risk & Resilience86th of 192
- Mobility & Trade8th of 147
- Food & Agriculture=25th of 175
- Poverty & Inequality115th of 159
- Energy64th of 193
- Digital & Technology13th of 198
- The full United States profile
Nearby, on work & labour
The key statistics, for every country
10Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Wages in money terms are not a key here, because pay figures are hard to compare fairly across countries with very different prices. Labour productivity, working hours, youth unemployment and the balance between farming, industry and services are published on this page as context. The size and growth of the wider economy belong to Economy & Innovation.
How the Work & Labour standing is decided, step by step
A standing is a place in a list, not a mark out of anything. This one is part of the Country Index 2026, and it is worked out like this.
- A few key indicators decide it; the rest are context. 4 indicators on this topic are keys and 18 are charted alongside them without a vote. That split is the point: if every statistic voted, importing five more of one kind would quietly change what the topic is about.
- Each key is read at one edition. All of them describe 2025.
- Every country’s published value is turned into a place within that one key’s own field, and then expressed as a share of that field — how far down this key’s list the country sits, rather than how many countries are above it. Keys where a higher published number is worse (terrorism, hunger, disaster risk) are turned round first, so the good end is always the same end.
- Dividing by the field first is the whole reason this works. A place carries the size of its list inside it: 22nd of 44 and 108th of 215 are the same showing, and averaging the numbers 22 and 108 says loudly that they are not. Fields on this site run from about 44 countries to about 215, so averaging raw places would reward a country for happening to be measured in small ones. Dividing each place by its own field removes the size and leaves only the showing.
- The shares are averaged, plainly. One key, one vote — no key is weighted above another, because any weighting would be this site’s opinion presented as a measurement. Countries are then put in order by that average, and the average itself is never published. It is our arithmetic with nothing anchoring it, so printing it would invite it to be read as a measurement somebody made. The position it produces, the band, and the keys it was built from are all published instead — every one of them checkable against the tables on this page.
- A country needs 2 of this topic’s 4 keys — half, rounded up, and never fewer than 2. A standing built from one reading, printed beside one built from four, is two different things sharing a column heading. 182 countries clear the bar here.
- A key has to earn its vote every edition. It must measure at least 120 countries (below that it starts measuring who was surveyed rather than the world), it must not have more than 10% of its field tied at either end, and it must not repeat another key in the same topic — Spearman correlation above 0.92 counts as repeating. A topic needs at least 2 surviving keys to place anyone at all; this one has 4.
- A standing is relative, and the grouping is ours. It says where a country places against the others measured alongside it, so it moves when they move. The publishers listed on this page did not agree to be read together, and each measures its subject its own way: the underlying numbers are theirs, the ordering on top is this site’s — the same method as the rest of the Country Index, applied to one subject instead of all of them.
The key statistics and their licences
- Employment-to-Population Ratio — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
- Labour Income Share — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
- Unemployment Rate — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
- Vulnerable Employment — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
The other 16 statistics on this page come from 2 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
United States’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- United States (banner) — Stefano Brivio, CC BY 2.0
- Iceland — Hansueli Krapf, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Japan — JurriaanH, CC BY-SA 3.0
- South Korea — Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). United States: Work & Labour — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/united-states/work