El Salvador Youth Unemployment
Youth unemployment (ages 15-24) SL.UEM.1524.ZS
El Salvador's youth unemployment was 7.81% in 2025, ranked 46th globally. This represents a 4.0% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
El Salvador's youth unemployment stood at 7.81% in 2025, a rise of +0.30pp from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 6.74% by 2026. El Salvador ranked 46th globally.
El Salvador’s youth unemployment rate has fallen dramatically over the 35‑year span covered by World Bank data, dropping from a peak of 16.85 % in 1993 to a trough of 7.03 % in 2023 and reaching 7.81 % in 2025, ranking 46th globally. The steep decline since the early 1990s reflects the combined impact of structural reforms, expanded vocational training programmes and a modest recovery in formal sector jobs that absorbed a larger share of the 15‑24 age cohort. Nevertheless, the 2025 figure remains slightly above the rate recorded in the Philippines (7.04 %) and marginally higher than the Russian Federation’s 7.61 %, indicating that El Salvador still lags behind several middle‑income peers. Persistent informal employment and limited access to higher‑skill occupations constrain further progress, while continued investment in education‑to‑work pathways and macro‑stable growth could push the rate below the current trough and sustain the downward trajectory.
Data & projection
| Year | Youth Unemployment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 5.94% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 6.34% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 6.74% | - | - |
| 2025 | 7.81% | +0.30pp | #46 |
| 2024 | 7.51% | +0.48pp | #45 |
| 2023 | 7.03% | −0.45pp | #43 |
| 2022 | 7.48% | −2.32pp | #45 |
| 2021 | 9.80% | −1.28pp | #57 |
| 2020 | 11.08% | +1.48pp | #62 |
| 2019 | 9.60% | +0.32pp | #65 |
| 2018 | 9.28% | −0.47pp | #63 |
| 2017 | 9.75% | +0.25pp | #67 |
| 2016 | 9.50% | +0.84pp | #57 |
| 2015 | 8.66% | −0.94pp | #52 |
| 2014 | 9.60% | +1.09pp | #63 |
| 2013 | 8.51% | +0.08pp | #49 |
| 2012 | 8.44% | −0.11pp | #51 |
| 2011 | 8.54% | −1.62pp | #50 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
El Salvador matched the Stagflation Risk pattern in 1989. Historically, 38% of countries showing this pattern (117 out of 307) saw youth unemployment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
El Salvador's youth unemployment was 7.81% in 2025. Ranked 46th globally. This represents a 4.0% increase from the previous year.
El Salvador's youth unemployment peaked at 16.85% in 1993.
The lowest youth unemployment in El Salvador was 7.03% in 2023.
El Salvador ranks 46th globally in youth unemployment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.UEM.1524.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
El Salvador's youth unemployment is projected to reach 6.74% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The youth unemployment of El Salvador in 2025 was 7.81%. This ranks 46th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_el-salvador_youth-unemployment,
title = {El Salvador Youth Unemployment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/el-salvador/youth-unemployment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}