The number of people in the workforce in Banten Province in August 2017 reached 5.6 million, while only 5.08 million were employed. This means there were 520,000 unemployed people, or 9.28 percent of the total workforce. This figure is significantly higher than the national Open Unemployment Rate (OUR) of 5.5 percent. The number of unemployed in Banten also increased from 499,000 (8.92 percent of the total workforce) in August 2016.
The highest unemployment rate in Banten was recorded in Serang, with an OUR of 13 percent (82,000 people). Cilegon followed with an OUR of 11.88 percent (22,000 people), and Tangerang was third with an OUR of 10.57 percent (175,000 people). South Tangerang had the lowest OUR at 6.83 percent (48,000 people).
Looking at educational attainment, Vocational High School (SMK) graduates had the highest unemployment rate at 14.25 percent, followed by General High School (SMU/SMA) graduates at 12.72 percent. Similarly, the highest OUR by educational attainment in August 2017 was also for SMK graduates, at 14.25 percent, followed by SMA graduates at 12.72 percent.