The labor force participation rate
Type the number of employed people, unemployed people and the civilian noninstitutional population aged 16 and over, all in one unit. The labor force participation rate calculator gives the participation rate, the unemployment rate and the employment-population ratio, using the BLS definitions.
- Labor force participation rate
- 61.8%
The labor force participation rate is 61.8%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%.
- Unemployment rate
- 4.2%
- Employment-population ratio
- 59.2%
- Labor force
- 162.052
- Not in the labor force
- 99.977
Labor force participation rate: 61.8%. The labor force participation rate is 61.8%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%.
The results are estimates for information only. They are not financial, tax, or legal advice. Check the numbers with your lender or a qualified professional before you decide. Terms of use
How to calculate
Computes the labor force participation rate from employed, unemployed and the civilian noninstitutional population, with the unemployment rate and employment-population ratio.
Example with the default inputs (Employed 155.175, Unemployed 6.877, Civilian noninstitutional population, 16 and over 262.029): The labor force participation rate is 61.8%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%.
Method: Labor force = employed + unemployed; participation rate = labor force ÷ civilian noninstitutional population × 100; unemployment rate = unemployed ÷ labor force × 100; employment-population ratio = employed ÷ population × 100.
- The BLS Current Population Survey definitions: people 16 and over, not in the armed forces or institutions.
- All three numbers are in the same unit (people, thousands or millions); the rates do not depend on the unit.
Worked examples
Each example is checked against the calculator on every build.
- Employed 155.175, Unemployed 6.877, Civilian noninstitutional population, 16 and over 262.029 gives Labor force participation rate 61.845063%, Unemployment rate 4.2437%, Labor force 162.052, Not in the labor force 99.977.Source: OpenStax, Principles of Macroeconomics 3e, §8.1, Table 8.1 (U.S. November 2021: adult population 262.029 million, labor force 162.052 million, employed 155.175, unemployed 6.877; participation 61.8%, unemployment 4.2%); https://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cps/concepts.htm
- Employed 60, Unemployed 5, Civilian noninstitutional population, 16 and over 100 gives Labor force participation rate 65%, Unemployment rate 7.692308%, Employment-population ratio 60%, Not in the labor force 35.Source: BLS Handbook of Methods, CPS concepts (participation rate = labor force ÷ civilian noninstitutional population × 100); https://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cps/concepts.htm
- Employed 0, Unemployed 4, Civilian noninstitutional population, 16 and over 10 gives Labor force participation rate 40%, Unemployment rate 100%, Employment-population ratio 0%.Source: BLS Handbook of Methods, CPS concepts (unemployment rate = unemployed ÷ labor force × 100); https://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cps/concepts.htm
How it works
The formulas are the BLS Current Population Survey definitions. Type all three numbers in the same unit: people, thousands, or millions.
- Labor force = employed + unemployed.
- Labor force participation rate = labor force ÷ civilian noninstitutional population × 100.
- Unemployment rate = unemployed ÷ labor force × 100.
- Employment-population ratio = employed ÷ civilian noninstitutional population × 100.
- Not in the labor force = population − labor force.
Rules. Employed and unemployed are 0 or more; the population is at least 0.000001. The labor force must be more than 0 and cannot be larger than the population; otherwise there is no answer.
Rounding. Every value is an exact fraction of the typed decimals, rounded once for display: the rates to 1 decimal of a percent, the counts to 12 significant figures. The page looks up no data; you type the numbers, for example from the BLS Employment Situation release.
Worked examples by hand
United States, November 2021 (page default, millions). Employed 155.175, unemployed 6.877, population 262.029. Labor force = 155.175 + 6.877 = 162.052. Participation = 162.052 ÷ 262.029 × 100 = 61.8%. Unemployment = 6.877 ÷ 162.052 × 100 = 4.2%. Employment-population ratio = 155.175 ÷ 262.029 × 100 = 59.2%. Not in the labor force = 262.029 − 162.052 = 99.977.
A town of 100 adults. Employed 60, unemployed 5. Labor force 65. Participation = 65 ÷ 100 = 65.0%. Unemployment = 5 ÷ 65 = 7.7%. Employment-population ratio 60.0%. Not in the labor force 35.
Everyone in the labor force unemployed. Employed 0, unemployed 4, population 10. Participation = 4 ÷ 10 = 40.0%; unemployment = 4 ÷ 4 = 100.0%; employment-population ratio 0.0%.
Other questions people ask
How do I calculate the labor force participation rate?
Add the employed and the unemployed to get the labor force, then divide by the civilian noninstitutional population aged 16 and over and multiply by 100. In November 2021: (155.175 + 6.877) ÷ 262.029 × 100 = 61.8%.
How is the unemployment rate calculated?
Divide the unemployed by the labor force, not by the whole population, and multiply by 100. In November 2021: 6.877 ÷ 162.052 × 100 = 4.2%.
Who counts as unemployed?
The BLS counts people as unemployed if they had no job in the survey week, were available for work, and made a specific, active effort to find a job in the past 4 weeks (or were waiting to be recalled from a layoff). People who are not looking are not in the labor force.
What is the civilian noninstitutional population?
People aged 16 and over who live in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, are not on active duty in the armed forces, and do not live in institutions such as prisons or nursing homes. It is the denominator of the participation rate.
Why can the participation rate fall while unemployment falls too?
People who stop looking for work leave the labor force. That lowers the unemployment rate (fewer unemployed) and the participation rate (a smaller labor force) at the same time. Retirements have the same effect on participation.
What is the employment-population ratio?
The employed as a percent of the civilian noninstitutional population. It equals the participation rate times (1 − the unemployment rate).