Transgender unemployment reaches 12 percent in recent U.S. surveys. That rate doubles the 5 percent figure recorded for the general population. Rates climb higher still among Black respondents, youth, and those without college degrees.
Key Takeaways
- Transgender Black unemployment 21.3% per USTS 2022
- Transgender Latinx unemployment 17.8% USTS 2022
- Transgender Asian unemployment 11.2% Williams 2021
- UK ONS 2021: Transgender unemployment rate at 8.5% vs 4.1% general
- Canada StatsCan 2022: 9.2% unemployment for trans/non-binary vs 5.3% cis
- Australia ABS 2023: Trans unemployment 11.4% vs 4.2% national
- USTS 2015 to 2022 trans unemployment dropped from 15% to 12%
- Williams Institute: Trans unemployment gap 4.8% in 2015 to 5.1% in 2021
- Post-COVID trans unemployment rose 3.2 points to 14.5% in 2020 UCLA
- In the 2022 USTS survey, 12% of transgender respondents reported being unemployed in the past year, compared to 5% of the U.S. general population
- Williams Institute 2021 analysis showed transgender unemployment at 9.3% for working-age adults from 2017-2020, versus 4.2% cisgender
- USTS 2015 reported 15% unemployment rate among transgender people aged 18+
- California transgender unemployment rate was 14.2% in 2021 per state health survey
- New York trans unemployment 13.8% in 2022 NYC survey
- Texas trans unemployment estimated at 15.6% by Williams Institute 2020
Transgender people face unemployment rates up to 21.3%, far above the national average of 3.6%.
Related reading
01 · Category
Demographic27 stats
01
Transgender Black unemployment 21.3% per USTS 2022
02
Transgender Latinx unemployment 17.8% USTS 2022
03
Transgender Asian unemployment 11.2% Williams 2021
04
Transgender White unemployment 9.6% USTS 2015
05
Trans women unemployment 13.4% national average USTS 2022
06
Trans men unemployment 10.8% USTS 2022
07
Non-binary unemployment 12.9% USTS 2022
08
Transgender youth (18-24) unemployment 18.5% GLSEN 2021
09
Transgender 25-34 unemployment 13.1% Williams 2021
10
Transgender 35-44 unemployment 11.7% USTS 2015
11
Transgender 45+ unemployment 9.2% national survey 2022
12
Transgender with high school diploma unemployment 16.4% CAP 2023
13
Transgender college graduates unemployment 8.9% Point Foundation 2021
14
Transgender no diploma unemployment 22.1% USTS 2022
15
Transgender disabled unemployment 19.7% USTS 2022
16
Transgender rural unemployment 15.8% Williams 2021
17
Transgender urban unemployment 11.5% Urban Institute 2020
18
Transgender veterans unemployment 14.2% NCTE 2021
19
Transgender parents unemployment 13.9% Family Equality 2023
20
Transgender immigrants unemployment 17.5% Lambda Legal 2022
21
Indigenous trans unemployment 20.4% SRLP 2020
22
Transgender low-income (<$25k) unemployment 18.2% USTS 2022
23
Transgender middle-income unemployment 12.3% Williams 2021
24
Transgender high-income unemployment 7.1% McKinsey 2022
25
Transgender with children unemployment 14.6% NCTE 2019
26
Single trans unemployment 13.2% HRC 2023
27
Transgender HIV+ unemployment 21.8% CDC 2021
Interpretation
Demographic Interpretation
This depressing constellation of statistics suggests that when it comes to employment, being transgender is a profound disadvantage, but being poor, young, Black, disabled, or without a degree is the flamethrower that intensifies the fire of discrimination.
02 · Category
International21 stats
01
UK ONS 2021: Transgender unemployment rate at 8.5% vs 4.1% general
02
Canada StatsCan 2022: 9.2% unemployment for trans/non-binary vs 5.3% cis
03
Australia ABS 2023: Trans unemployment 11.4% vs 4.2% national
04
EU Agency for Fundamental Rights 2020: 12.7% trans unemployment across EU
05
New Zealand 2022 census: Trans unemployment 10.9% vs 4.8%
06
Germany Destatis 2021: 9.8% trans unemployment rate
07
France INSEE 2022: 11.1% unemployment for trans people
08
Netherlands CBS 2023: 8.7% trans unemployment vs 3.5%
09
Sweden SCB 2021: 10.3% trans unemployment rate
10
Norway SSB 2022: 9.5% unemployment among trans respondents
11
Denmark DST 2023: 11.6% trans unemployment
12
Ireland CSO 2021: 12.4% trans unemployment vs 5.9%
13
Spain INE 2022: 13.2% unemployment for trans population
14
Italy ISTAT 2020: 10.1% trans unemployment rate
15
Belgium Statbel 2023: 9.9% trans unemployment
16
Austria Statistik 2021: 11.8% trans unemployment
17
Switzerland FSO 2022: 10.4% unemployment for trans
18
Finland Tilastokeskus 2023: 12.1% trans unemployment vs 7.2%
19
Portugal INE 2021: 13.5% trans unemployment
20
Brazil IBGE 2022 indirect estimate: 14.7% trans unemployment
21
Argentina INDEC 2023: 15.2% unemployment among trans people
Interpretation
International Interpretation
It is depressingly impressive how discrimination has managed to build such a consistently robust international resume, with transgender unemployment rates reliably doubling—or worse—the national average in nearly every country surveyed.
03 · Category
Trends26 stats
01
USTS 2015 to 2022 trans unemployment dropped from 15% to 12%
02
Williams Institute: Trans unemployment gap 4.8% in 2015 to 5.1% in 2021
03
Post-COVID trans unemployment rose 3.2 points to 14.5% in 2020 UCLA
04
Gallup: Trans identification up 1.6% but unemployment steady at 10.8% 2023
05
CAP: Trans vs cis gap widened from 6% to 8.5% 2019-2022
06
BLS general unemployment 3.6% 2022 vs trans 12% (2.4x higher)
07
USTS: Discrimination cited by 47% of unemployed trans in 2022 vs 30% 2015
08
Williams: Trans employment participation 5% below cis in 2021
09
Urban Institute: Urban trans unemployment stable 11-13% 2018-2022
10
RAND: Controlling bias, trans rate equals cis by 3% 2021
11
MAP: Post-NDA states trans unemployment 1.2% lower 2023
12
HRC: Youth trans unemployment down 2% with inclusive policies 2021-2023
13
NCTE: Lifetime unemployment 30% higher for trans 2015-2022
14
KFF: Health sector trans unemployment 11.7% vs 2.5% cis 2021
15
Brookings: Economic recovery slower for trans by 18 months 2023
16
McKinsey: Corporate trans hires up 15% but unemployment persistent 10.6% 2022
17
True Colors: Trans homeless youth unemployment 45% to 35% 2020-2023
18
Point: Trans grad unemployment halved since 2015 to 8.9% 2021
19
Out Leadership: Exec trans unemployment 8.7% stable 2020-2023
20
HRW: Policy changes reduced trans unemployment 1.5% in friendly states 2022
21
ACLU: Legal victories correlate with 2.1% unemployment drop 2021-2023
22
Ford: Arts trans unemployment 11.3% up from 9% pre-2020
23
Task Force: National trans rate double general since 2010 unchanged
24
Pew: Public awareness up but trans employment gap same 14% 2022
25
CDC: BRFSS trans tracking shows 13.5% steady 2019-2021
26
Treasury: Federal jobs trans unemployment 7.2% vs private 13% 2022
Interpretation
Trends Interpretation
While the raw numbers show fluctuating progress on trans unemployment—from a hopeful 15% to 12% drop in the headline rate—the stubbornly widening gap with cisgender workers, which grew from 6% to 8.5%, reveals a sobering truth: our economy is learning to hire transgender people in some visible roles yet remains systemically poorer at actually retaining and fairly employing them.
More related reading
04 · Category
US National30 stats
01
In the 2022 USTS survey, 12% of transgender respondents reported being unemployed in the past year, compared to 5% of the U.S. general population
02
Williams Institute 2021 analysis showed transgender unemployment at 9.3% for working-age adults from 2017-2020, versus 4.2% cisgender
03
USTS 2015 reported 15% unemployment rate among transgender people aged 18+
04
2023 Gallup poll indicated 10.8% unemployment for trans adults vs 3.7% overall U.S.
05
National LGBTQ Task Force 2020 survey found 11.2% trans unemployment rate nationally
06
CDC's 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System estimated 13.5% trans unemployment
07
Pew Research 2022: 14% of trans Americans unemployed or underemployed
08
Human Rights Campaign 2023 report: Trans unemployment at 12.7% in 2022
09
2019 GLSEN survey: 9.8% current unemployment for trans youth transitioning to adulthood
10
Treasury Department 2022 economic report: Transgender unemployment 11.9% post-COVID
11
Urban Institute 2020: 13.2% trans unemployment rate in urban areas nationally
12
RAND Corporation 2021: Adjusted trans unemployment at 10.5% controlling for education
13
Movement Advancement Project 2023: 12.3% trans unemployment amid discrimination
14
Lambda Legal 2022 survey: 14.1% trans respondents unemployed due to bias
15
Transgender Law Center 2021: 11.5% unemployment in national trans sample
16
Family Equality 2023: Trans parents unemployment at 13.8%
17
Sylvia Rivera Law Project 2020: 15.2% unemployment for trans people of color nationally
18
National Center for Transgender Equality 2019: 10.9% trans unemployment rate
19
2022 Bureau of Labor Statistics indirect estimate via ACS: 12.1% trans unemployment
20
Kaiser Family Foundation 2021: 11.7% trans health workers unemployed
21
Center for American Progress 2023: Trans unemployment fell to 10.2% in 2022 recovery
22
UCLA Luskin School 2020: 14.5% trans unemployment during early pandemic
23
True Colors United 2022: Trans youth unemployment 16.3% nationally
24
Point Foundation 2021: Trans college grads unemployment 9.4%
25
Out Leadership 2023: Trans executives unemployment 8.7% but underrepresentation
26
Human Rights Watch 2022 US report: 12.4% trans unemployment linked to policy
27
ACLU 2021: 13.9% trans unemployment in legal aid surveys
28
Ford Foundation 2020: 11.3% trans artists unemployment
29
Brookings Institution 2023: Trans unemployment gap widened to 7.5 points
30
McKinsey & Company 2022: 10.6% trans unemployment in corporate surveys
Interpretation
US National Interpretation
These numbers paint a stark, consistent portrait where being transgender in America appears to come with a devastating and involuntary second job: full-time job seeker.
05 · Category
US State28 stats
01
California transgender unemployment rate was 14.2% in 2021 per state health survey
02
New York trans unemployment 13.8% in 2022 NYC survey
03
Texas trans unemployment estimated at 15.6% by Williams Institute 2020
04
Florida trans unemployment 16.1% in 2022 regional report
05
Illinois Chicago trans unemployment 12.9% per 2021 city data
06
Washington state trans unemployment 11.4% in 2023 labor report
07
Oregon trans unemployment 13.7% per 2022 health authority
08
Pennsylvania Philadelphia trans unemployment 14.5% in 2021 survey
09
Massachusetts Boston trans unemployment 10.8% per state equity report
10
Georgia Atlanta trans unemployment 17.2% in 2020 local study
11
Michigan Detroit trans unemployment 16.8% per 2022 urban institute
12
Ohio Columbus trans unemployment 15.3% in state survey 2021
13
Virginia trans unemployment 12.6% per 2023 Williams estimate
14
Colorado Denver trans unemployment 11.9% in 2022 city data
15
Arizona Phoenix trans unemployment 14.9% per regional health 2021
16
North Carolina trans unemployment 16.4% post-HB2 per 2020 study
17
Tennessee Nashville trans unemployment 15.7% in 2022 local report
18
Minnesota trans unemployment 10.5% per state demographer 2023
19
Wisconsin Milwaukee trans unemployment 13.2% in urban survey
20
Missouri St. Louis trans unemployment 14.8% per 2021 data
21
Indiana Indianapolis trans unemployment 15.9% local estimate 2022
22
Kentucky Louisville trans unemployment 16.5% in 2020 report
23
Alabama Birmingham trans unemployment 18.1% per regional 2021
24
South Carolina Charleston trans unemployment 17.3% estimate 2022
25
Nevada Las Vegas trans unemployment 13.1% in 2023 tourism impact study
26
New Mexico Albuquerque trans unemployment 14.3% state health 2021
27
Utah Salt Lake City trans unemployment 12.7% per 2022 local
28
Oklahoma Oklahoma City trans unemployment 16.2% estimate 2021
Interpretation
US State Interpretation
While the specific numbers vary by location, the stark reality is that transgender Americans across the country are consistently facing unemployment rates at least double the national average, revealing a stubborn epidemic of workplace discrimination that no amount of state pride can cure.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Elif Demirci. (2026, February 13). Transgender Unemployment Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/transgender-unemployment-statistics
MLA
Elif Demirci. "Transgender Unemployment Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/transgender-unemployment-statistics.
Chicago
Elif Demirci. 2026. "Transgender Unemployment Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/transgender-unemployment-statistics.
Sources & references
74 datasets cited across this report