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Unemployment rate for veterans was unchanged at 2.8 percent in 2023

June 11, 2024

The unemployment rate for all veterans 18 years and over was unchanged at 2.8 percent in 2023, lower than the rate for nonveterans (3.6 percent).

 Annual average unemployment rates by veteran status and period of service
Veteran status and service period 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

Veterans, 18 years and over

6.6 5.3 4.6 4.3 3.7 3.5 3.1 6.5 4.4 2.8 2.8

Gulf War-era II veterans

9.0 7.2 5.8 5.1 4.5 3.8 3.5 7.3 4.6 3.1 3.3

Gulf War-era I veterans

5.6 4.2 3.8 3.6 3.1 2.8 2.6 4.8 3.5 2.1 2.3

World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam-era veterans

6.5 5.0 4.3 3.9 3.7 3.6 2.8 6.7 4.4 3.9 2.5

Veterans of other service periods

5.7 5.1 4.4 4.2 3.1 3.5 3.0 6.9 5.0 2.7 2.4

Nonveterans, 18 years and over

7.2 6.0 5.2 4.7 4.2 3.8 3.6 8.0 5.3 3.6 3.6

The unemployment rate for veterans of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam era declined by 1.4 percentage points to 2.5 percent in 2023. The rates for Gulf War-era II veterans (3.3 percent), Gulf War-era I veterans (2.3 percent), and veterans of other service periods (2.4 percent) were little changed over the year.

 Annual average employment–population ratio, by veteran status and period of service
Veteran status and service period 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

Veterans, 18 years and over

47.9 47.9 48.4 48.5 47.8 47.5 47.7 45.2 45.6 46.6 46.9

Gulf War-era II veterans

73.3 73.9 76.4 77.3 77.0 77.8 77.3 72.9 75.0 77.4 76.9

Gulf War-era I veterans

78.8 79.0 77.4 77.4 76.4 76.3 74.2 70.5 70.8 69.8 70.3

World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam-era veterans

28.0 26.9 25.3 23.8 21.7 20.2 19.9 17.1 15.7 14.2 13.2

Veterans of other service periods

52.3 49.7 49.5 48.4 47.1 46.2 45.7 42.4 40.4 40.5 41.9

Nonveterans, 18 years and over

61.4 61.8 62.0 62.4 62.8 63.0 63.4 59.1 60.7 62.4 62.8

The share of all veterans 18 years and older that were employed, referred to as the employment–population ratio, was little changed at 46.9 percent in 2023, while the ratio for nonveterans increased by 0.4 percentage point to 62.8 percent over the year. The lower employment–population ratio for veterans when compared with nonveterans reflects, in part, the fact that veterans tend to be older than nonveterans. For example, all veterans from World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam era are now over age 65.

These data are from the Current Population Survey. For more information, see “Employment Situation of Veterans — 2023” and the Veterans Demographics page.

Veterans are men and women who previously served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces and were civilians when they were surveyed. People on active duty are not included in the survey. Veterans could have served anywhere in the world during these periods of service: Gulf War era II (September 2001–present), Gulf War era I (August 1990–August 2001), Vietnam era (August 1964–April 1975), Korean War (July 1950–January 1955), World War II (December 1941–December 1946), and other service periods (all other time periods). Veterans who served in more than one wartime period are classified only in the most recent one. Veterans who served during one of the selected wartime periods and another period are classified only in the wartime period.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Unemployment rate for veterans was unchanged at 2.8 percent in 2023 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2024/unemployment-rate-for-veterans-was-unchanged-at-2-8-percent-in-2023.htm (visited November 03, 2024).

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