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Employment Projections

Civilian labor force participation rate by age, sex, race, and ethnicity

Other available formats: (XLSX)

Table 3.3 Civilian labor force participation rates by age, sex, race, and ethnicity, 2004, 2014, 2024, and projected 2034 (percent)
Group Participation rate, 2004 Participation rate, 2014 Participation rate, 2024 Participation rate, 2034 Participation rate change, 2004–14 Participation rate change, 2014–24 Participation rate change, 2024–34 Compound annual rate of change, 2004–14 Compound annual rate of change, 2014–24 Compound annual rate of change, 2024–34

Total, 16 years and older

66.0 62.9 62.6 61.1 -3.1 -0.3 -1.5 -0.5 0.0 -0.2

16 to 24

61.1 55.0 55.9 53.6 -6.1 0.9 -2.3 -1.1 0.2 -0.4

16 to 19

43.9 34.0 36.9 34.6 -9.9 2.9 -2.3 -2.5 0.8 -0.6

20 to 24

75.0 70.8 71.5 69.1 -4.2 0.7 -2.4 -0.6 0.1 -0.3

25 to 54

82.8 80.9 83.6 82.8 -1.8 2.7 -0.8 -0.2 0.3 -0.1

25 to 34

82.7 81.2 83.7 82.8 -1.5 2.5 -0.8 -0.2 0.3 -0.1

35 to 44

83.6 82.2 84.7 83.9 -1.5 2.5 -0.8 -0.2 0.3 -0.1

45 to 54

81.8 79.6 82.3 81.6 -2.3 2.7 -0.7 -0.3 0.3 -0.1

55 and older

36.2 40.0 38.4 36.9 3.7 -1.5 -1.6 1.0 -0.4 -0.4

55 to 64

62.3 64.1 65.9 68.6 1.8 1.8 2.7 0.3 0.3 0.4

65 to 74

22.0 26.3 27.1 29.6 4.3 0.9 2.5 1.8 0.3 0.9

75 and older

6.1 8.0 8.6 10.2 1.9 0.6 1.5 2.7 0.7 1.6

Men, 16 years and older

73.3 69.2 68.0 65.8 -4.1 -1.3 -2.2 -0.6 -0.2 -0.3

16 to 24

63.6 56.4 56.4 52.9 -7.2 0.0 -3.4 -1.2 0.0 -0.6

16 to 19

43.9 33.5 36.4 34.1 -10.5 2.9 -2.2 -2.7 0.8 -0.6

20 to 24

79.6 73.9 73.1 68.4 -5.6 -0.8 -4.6 -0.7 -0.1 -0.7

25 to 54

90.5 88.2 89.3 87.8 -2.3 1.1 -1.5 -0.3 0.1 -0.2

25 to 34

91.9 88.7 89.3 86.8 -3.3 0.6 -2.5 -0.4 0.1 -0.3

35 to 44

91.9 90.5 90.7 89.4 -1.4 0.2 -1.2 -0.2 0.0 -0.1

45 to 54

87.5 85.6 87.9 87.2 -1.9 2.3 -0.7 -0.2 0.3 -0.1

55 and older

43.2 45.9 43.9 41.6 2.8 -2.0 -2.3 0.6 -0.4 -0.5

55 to 64

68.7 69.9 71.6 73.9 1.2 1.8 2.2 0.2 0.2 0.3

65 to 74

26.7 30.6 31.2 33.1 3.9 0.6 1.9 1.4 0.2 0.6

75 and older

9.0 11.0 11.3 12.8 2.0 0.3 1.4 2.0 0.3 1.2

Women, 16 years and older

59.2 57.0 57.5 56.7 -2.2 0.5 -0.8 -0.4 0.1 -0.1

16 to 24

58.7 53.6 55.4 54.3 -5.1 1.8 -1.0 -0.9 0.3 -0.2

16 to 19

43.8 34.5 37.4 35.1 -9.2 2.9 -2.3 -2.3 0.8 -0.6

20 to 24

70.5 67.7 69.9 69.8 -2.7 2.2 -0.1 -0.4 0.3 0.0

25 to 54

75.3 73.9 77.9 77.8 -1.4 4.0 -0.1 -0.2 0.5 0.0

25 to 34

73.6 73.8 78.1 78.9 0.3 4.3 0.8 0.0 0.6 0.1

35 to 44

75.6 74.1 78.7 78.4 -1.5 4.6 -0.3 -0.2 0.6 0.0

45 to 54

76.5 73.8 76.8 76.1 -2.6 3.0 -0.7 -0.4 0.4 -0.1

55 and older

30.5 34.9 33.6 32.7 4.3 -1.3 -0.9 1.3 -0.4 -0.3

55 to 64

56.3 58.8 60.4 63.6 2.5 1.6 3.2 0.4 0.3 0.5

65 to 74

18.0 22.4 23.5 26.5 4.4 1.1 3.0 2.2 0.5 1.2

75 and older

4.3 5.9 6.5 8.1 1.6 0.6 1.5 3.2 1.0 2.2

White, 16 years and older

66.3 63.1 62.2 60.3 -3.2 -0.8 -1.9 -0.5 -0.1 -0.3

Men

74.1 69.8 67.9 65.3 -4.3 -1.9 -2.6 -0.6 -0.3 -0.4

Women

58.9 56.7 56.7 55.5 -2.2 0.0 -1.1 -0.4 0.0 -0.2

Black, 16 years and older

63.8 61.2 63.0 62.2 -2.6 1.8 -0.8 -0.4 0.3 -0.1

Men

66.7 63.6 65.9 64.2 -3.0 2.2 -1.6 -0.5 0.3 -0.2

Women

61.5 59.2 60.5 60.3 -2.4 1.4 -0.2 -0.4 0.2 0.0

All other groups, 16 years and older[1]

66.1 63.5 64.7 64.5 -2.6 1.2 -0.1 -0.4 0.2 0.0

Men

74.3 71.3 70.5 70.3 -3.1 -0.8 -0.2 -0.4 -0.1 0.0

Women

58.5 56.5 59.3 59.3 -1.9 2.8 0.0 -0.3 0.5 0.0

Hispanic origin, 16 years and older

68.6 66.1 67.2 66.5 -2.5 1.2 -0.7 -0.4 0.2 -0.1

Men

80.4 76.1 75.5 73.5 -4.2 -0.6 -2.1 -0.5 -0.1 -0.3

Women

56.1 56.0 58.9 59.6 -0.2 3.0 0.7 0.0 0.5 0.1

Other than Hispanic origin, 16 years and older

65.6 62.3 61.6 59.7 -3.3 -0.7 -1.9 -0.5 -0.1 -0.3

Men

72.2 67.9 66.2 63.7 -4.3 -1.7 -2.5 -0.6 -0.2 -0.4

Women

59.6 57.2 57.2 55.9 -2.4 0.0 -1.3 -0.4 0.0 -0.2

Age of baby boomers

40 to 58 50 to 68 60 to 78 70 to 88

Footnotes:

[1] The "all other groups" category includes (1) those classified as being of multiple racial origin and (2) the race categories of (2a) Asian, (2b) American Indian and Alaska Native, or (2c) Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander.

Note: Historic data may not match Current Population Survey (CPS) data due to rounding at different aggregate levels.

Note: Baby boomer generation is defined as individuals born between 1946 and 1964.

Source: Employment Projections program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Last Modified Date: August 28, 2025