El Salvador Services Employment
Employment in services SL.SRV.EMPL.ZS
El Salvador's services employment was 63.01% in 2025, ranked 97th globally. This represents a 0.6% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
El Salvador's services employment stood at 63.01% in 2025, a rise of +0.35% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 63.58% by 2026. El Salvador ranked 97th globally.
El Salvador’s share of employment in services rose from 39.57 percent in 1991 to an all‑time high of 63.01 percent in 2025, placing the country 97th globally among 2025 observations. The 23.44‑point increase over 35 years reflects a structural shift away from agriculture and manufacturing toward tourism, finance, and informal trade, mirroring broader regional trends in Latin America. The 2025 level is comparable to the Slovak Republic’s 63.31 percent and slightly below Poland’s 63.75 percent, suggesting that El Salvador has approached the service‑employment intensity of more diversified European economies. The trough in 1991 coincided with post‑civil‑war reconstruction, when limited private‑sector capacity constrained service‑sector growth. Continued expansion of digital infrastructure and foreign direct investment in high‑value services could sustain the upward trajectory, while any reversal in macro‑stability or fiscal policy could temper further gains.
Data & projection
| Year | Services Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 64.51% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 64.04% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 63.58% | - | - |
| 2025 | 63.01% | +0.35% | #97 |
| 2024 | 62.66% | +0.19% | #97 |
| 2023 | 62.47% | +0.87% | #100 |
| 2022 | 61.60% | +0.37% | #99 |
| 2021 | 61.23% | +0.38% | #102 |
| 2020 | 60.85% | −0.35% | #100 |
| 2019 | 61.20% | +0.11% | #101 |
| 2018 | 61.09% | +1.55% | #100 |
| 2017 | 59.54% | −0.68% | #97 |
| 2016 | 60.22% | +0.51% | #99 |
| 2015 | 59.71% | −0.63% | #97 |
| 2014 | 60.35% | +0.29% | #103 |
| 2013 | 60.06% | +2.01% | #103 |
| 2012 | 58.05% | +0.91% | #96 |
| 2011 | 57.14% | −0.74% | #95 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
El Salvador matched the Stagflation Risk pattern in 1989. Historically, 38% of countries showing this pattern (117 out of 307) saw services employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
El Salvador's services employment was 63.01% in 2025. Ranked 97th globally. This represents a 0.6% increase from the previous year.
El Salvador's services employment peaked at 63.01% in 2025.
The lowest services employment in El Salvador was 39.57% in 1991.
El Salvador ranks 97th globally in services employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.SRV.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
El Salvador's services employment is projected to reach 63.58% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The services employment of El Salvador in 2025 was 63.01%. This ranks 97th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_el-salvador_services-employment,
title = {El Salvador Services Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/el-salvador/services-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}