63.8 percent of Hispanics or Latinos age 16 and over held jobs in 2023

As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, BLS data help us highlight the U.S. labor force participation of people who identify their ethnicity as Hispanic or Latino. Since 2000, the employment–population ratio (the percentage of the population that is employed) for Hispanics or Latinos has typically been higher than the ratio for the total U.S. population. In 2000, the employment–population ratio for Hispanics or Latinos was 65.7 percent, slightly exceeding the national average of 64.4 percent. By 2023, the gap between these groups had widened, with the ratio for Hispanics or Latinos decreasing to 63.8 percent, while the national average declined to 60.3 percent, resulting in a 3.5-percentage point difference between the two groups.

In addition to the overall Hispanic population, we can also examine the labor market characteristics of specific groups within this demographic. BLS publishes information on eight different Hispanic groups: Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Salvadoran, Other Central American (excludes Salvadoran), South American, Dominican, and Other Hispanic or Latino (excludes Dominican). Of these, the percentage of each population that was employed in 2023 ranged from 57.3 percent of Puerto Ricans to 68.4 percent of South Americans. Also among the Hispanic or Latino groups with the highest employment–population ratios were Salvadorans (68.2 percent) and Other Central Americans (excludes Salvadorans) (68.0 percent).

These data are from the Current Population Survey. For more information, see labor force statistics for people who identify as Hispanic or Latino. People of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity may be of any race.