Washington Employment Sector Statistics (2024)
Workforce distribution by employment sector for Washington
Employment Indicators for Washington (2024)
Total Employed
3,819,646
Civilian 16+
Private For-Profit
69.6 %
Largest Sector
Self-Employed
5.5%
Entrepreneurship
Government
16.0%
Public Sector
Washington Workforce by Sector & Gender
Washington Employment Sector Breakdown
| Sector | Total Workers | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 2,659,730 | 69.6% |
| Government | 610,570 | 16.0% |
| Self-Employed | 210,890 | 5.5% |
| Private Non-Profit | 331,875 | 8.7% |
Washington Gender Ratio Analysis by Employment Sector (2024)
| Sector | Male:Female Ratio |
|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 1.39:1 |
| Government | 0.82:1 |
| Self-Employed | 1.15:1 |
Washington Employment Trends (2010–2024)
Washington Historical Employment Sector Trends
| Year | Private | Gov | Self-Emp | Non-Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 69.6% | 16.0% | 5.5% | 8.7% |
| 2023 | 69.8% | 15.8% | 5.6% | 8.6% |
| 2022 | 70.1% | 15.6% | 5.7% | 8.5% |
| 2021 | 70.1% | 15.6% | 5.7% | 8.4% |
| 2020 | 70.1% | 15.6% | 5.8% | 8.4% |
| 2019 | 70.1% | 15.6% | 5.8% | 8.2% |
| 2018 | 70.2% | 15.7% | 5.8% | 8.1% |
| 2017 | 70.0% | 15.9% | 5.9% | 8.1% |
| 2016 | 69.8% | 16.0% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2015 | 69.5% | 16.2% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2014 | 69.2% | 16.5% | 6.1% | 8.1% |
| 2013 | 69.0% | 16.6% | 6.2% | 8.1% |
| 2012 | 68.9% | 16.6% | 6.3% | 8.0% |
| 2011 | 69.0% | 16.6% | 6.4% | 7.8% |
| 2010 | 69.1% | 16.4% | 6.6% | 7.7% |
Employment Sector FAQs for Washington
The largest employment sector in Washington is Private For-Profit, which employs 69.6% of the local workforce.
There are approximately 3,819,646 civilian workers aged 16 and over currently employed in Washington.
In the private for-profit sector, the male-to-female ratio is 1.39:1. This metric helps highlight gender participation across the most prominent industry classes.
Since 2010, the total number of workers in Washington has shown an increase, moving from 3,124,821 to 3,819,646 according to Census Bureau records.