El Salvador Industry Employment
Employment in industry SL.IND.EMPL.ZS
El Salvador's industry employment was 23.14% in 2025, ranked 128th globally. This represents a 0.6% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
El Salvador's industry employment stood at 23.14% in 2025, a decline of +0.13% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 22.90% by 2026. El Salvador ranked 128th globally.
El Salvador’s share of employment in industry stood at 23.14 percent in 2025, placing the nation 128th in the World Bank ranking and situating it just below Japan’s 23.23 percent and above Saudi Arabia’s 23.07 percent. The indicator has been tracked for 35 years, declining from an early‑period level of 24.80 percent in 1991 to a historic low of 20.35 percent in 2013, before rebounding to a peak of 28.56 percent in 1995. The post‑trough recovery has been gradual, with the 2025 figure still 2.79 percentage points below the 1995 high, reflecting persistent structural shifts toward services and modest growth in manufacturing capacity. Relative to peer economies of similar rank, El Salvador’s industrial employment remains slightly lower than Mongolia’s 23.09 percent, suggesting limited gains from recent investment incentives. Continued diversification of the export base and targeted vocational training could accelerate the upward trajectory, potentially restoring the sector to its mid‑1990s prominence.
Data & projection
| Year | Industry Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 22.56% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 22.73% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 22.90% | - | - |
| 2025 | 23.14% | −0.13% | #128 |
| 2024 | 23.27% | −0.03% | #128 |
| 2023 | 23.30% | −0.13% | #131 |
| 2022 | 23.43% | −0.47% | #131 |
| 2021 | 23.90% | +0.55% | #133 |
| 2020 | 23.35% | +0.85% | #130 |
| 2019 | 22.51% | +0.30% | #124 |
| 2018 | 22.20% | +0.32% | #123 |
| 2017 | 21.89% | +0.79% | #118 |
| 2016 | 21.10% | −1.08% | #111 |
| 2015 | 22.18% | +1.29% | #117 |
| 2014 | 20.89% | +0.53% | #108 |
| 2013 | 20.35% | −0.62% | #105 |
| 2012 | 20.98% | −0.29% | #111 |
| 2011 | 21.27% | −0.08% | #109 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
El Salvador matched the Stagflation Risk pattern in 1989. Historically, 38% of countries showing this pattern (117 out of 307) saw industry employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
El Salvador's industry employment was 23.14% in 2025. Ranked 128th globally. This represents a 0.6% decrease from the previous year.
El Salvador's industry employment peaked at 28.56% in 1995.
The lowest industry employment in El Salvador was 20.35% in 2013.
El Salvador ranks 128th globally in industry employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.IND.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
El Salvador's industry employment is projected to reach 22.90% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The industry employment of El Salvador in 2025 was 23.14%. This ranks 128th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_el-salvador_industry-employment,
title = {El Salvador Industry Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/el-salvador/industry-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}