Home El Salvador Employment Unemployment Rate

El Salvador Unemployment Rate

Unemployment as % of total labor force  SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS

3.30% −1.40pp (-29.8%)
Year 2025 Rank #51 Global Peak 10.15% (1988) Source World Bank

El Salvador Unemployment Rate (1988–2025)

Overview

El Salvador's unemployment rate stood at 3.30% in 2025, a decline of +1.40pp from 2024. The IMF projects 4.80% by 2025. El Salvador ranked 51st globally.

Data & projection

Year Unemployment Rate YoY change Rank
2030* IMF 5.01% - -
2029* IMF 5.00% - -
2028* IMF 5.00% - -
2027* IMF 5.00% - -
2026* IMF 4.90% - -
2025* IMF 4.80% - -
2025 3.30% −1.40pp #51
2024 3.26% −1.96pp #49
2023 2.99% −2.06pp #40
2022 3.00% −3.32pp #36
2021 4.33% −2.72pp #51
2020 5.01% −1.48pp #66
2019 4.17% −2.33pp #69
2018 4.01% −3.19pp #62
2017 4.39% −2.76pp #68
2016 4.42% −2.73pp #61
2015 4.00% −3.15pp #51
2014 4.15% −1.89pp #55
2013 3.69% −2.55pp #49
2012 3.84% −2.90pp #53
2011 4.30% −2.85pp #59
Show all years (1988-2025)
* IMF World Economic Outlook projection

Detected Pattern

Stagflation Risk
GDP growth below 2% combined with inflation above 8% and rising unemployment. The worst macro combination for policymakers.
Inflation 17.6% GDP growth 1.0% Unemployment 9.1%
Occurred 307 times, 117 successful
Inflation
26.9%
GDP growth
-4.2%
Unemployment
14.6%
Inflation
185.7%
GDP growth
-14.0%
Unemployment
60.8%
Inflation
14.4%
GDP growth
1.1%
Unemployment
9.1%
Inflation
33.9%
GDP growth
-1.5%
Unemployment
17.0%
Inflation
736.1%
GDP growth
1.7%
Unemployment
9.4%
Inflation
13.6%
GDP growth
1.3%
Unemployment
14.1%

Analysis

El Salvador matched the Stagflation Risk pattern in 1989. Historically, 38% of countries showing this pattern (117 out of 307) saw unemployment rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is El Salvador's unemployment rate?

El Salvador's unemployment rate was 3.30% in 2025. Ranked 51st globally. This represents a 29.8% decrease from the previous year.

What was the highest unemployment rate in El Salvador?

El Salvador's unemployment rate peaked at 10.15% in 1988.

What was the lowest unemployment rate in El Salvador?

The lowest unemployment rate in El Salvador was 2.99% in 2023.

How does El Salvador rank in unemployment rate?

El Salvador ranks 51st globally in unemployment rate as of 2025.

What is the World Bank indicator code for unemployment rate?

The World Bank indicator code is SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.

What is the projected unemployment rate of El Salvador in 2025?

El Salvador's unemployment rate is projected to reach 4.80% by 2025 based on IMF projection.

What is the unemployment rate of El Salvador in 2025?

The unemployment rate of El Salvador in 2025 was 3.30%. This ranks 51st in the world.

Cite this page

APA
El Salvador Unemployment Rate. HistorySaid. Retrieved April 1, 2026, from https://historysaid.com/el-salvador/unemployment-rate
BibTeX
@misc{historysaid_el-salvador_unemployment-rate, title = {El Salvador Unemployment Rate}, url = {https://historysaid.com/el-salvador/unemployment-rate}, publisher = {HistorySaid}, year = {2026} }