Malaysia
2.2%
unemployment, tertiary-educated adults (2022)
Graduate jobs and salaries in Australia
Updated Data years: 2021, 2024, 2025 How we use data
Older data (2021) The latest official figure is from 2021. It may not reflect today's labour market.
Quick answer
In Australia, employees with tertiary education earned a median of A$6,400 a month in 2021 (PPP$ 4,255) — +28% compared with all employees. Their unemployment rate was 2.6%, against 3.1% for all adults aged 25 and over (2025).
Sources: ILOSTAT (ILO) · OECD
- +28%degree premium: tertiary-educated vs all employees (2021)
- A$6,400median monthly pay with tertiary education (2021)
- 2.6%unemployment, tertiary-educated adults 25+ (all adults: 3.1%, 2025)
- 4.9%unemployment, tertiary-educated 15–24 year olds (2025)
Do graduates earn more in Australia?
| Education level | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic education | A$3,256 | 2,165 | -35% |
| Intermediate education | A$4,400 | 2,925 | -12% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | A$6,400 | 4,255 | +28% |
| Short-cycle tertiary | A$5,018 | 3,336 | 0% |
| Bachelor's or equivalent | A$6,490 | 4,314 | +30% |
| Master's or equivalent | A$7,596 | 5,050 | +52% |
| All levels | A$5,000 | 3,324 | — |
The degree premium ranks 94 of 128 countries with data. That is below the East Asia and Pacific median of +52%.
Earnings over time (PPP$ a month)
Advanced (tertiary) educationAll levels
PPP$ values are in current international dollars, so part of the rise reflects inflation.
Earnings compared with upper secondary education (OECD)
The OECD compares the earnings of adults aged 25–64 with each level of education to those who finished upper secondary school (= 100). Latest year: 2024.
| Education level | Index (upper secondary = 100) |
|---|---|
| Short-cycle tertiary | 109 |
| Bachelor's or equivalent | 131 |
| Master's, doctoral or equivalent | 150 |
| All tertiary | 131 |
| Below upper secondary | 95 |
Source: OECD, Education at a Glance. Full-time, full-year earners.
Are graduates less likely to be unemployed in Australia?
| Education level | Adults 25+ | Young people 15–24 |
|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | 8.1% | 1.3% |
| Basic education | 5.6% | 15.5% |
| Intermediate education | 3.3% | 7.9% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | 2.6% | 4.9% |
| All levels | 3.1% | 9.5% |
Unemployment among tertiary-educated adults is the 27 lowest of 130 countries with data. The East Asia and Pacific median is 2.3%.
Unemployment over time, adults 25+
Advanced (tertiary) educationAll levels
Graduate employment by field of study in Australia
Employment rate of adults aged 25–64 with tertiary education, by field of study (OECD, 2024).
| Field of study | Employment rate |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary Agriculture, Veterinary science | 96.2% |
| Information and communication technologies Computer science | 91.3% |
| Engineering, manufacturing and construction Aerospace engineering, Architecture, Chemical engineering, Civil engineering | 90.7% |
| Services Hospitality and tourism, Sports science | 89.9% |
| Business, administration and law Accounting and finance, Business management, Law, Marketing | 88.0% |
| Education Education | 87.8% |
| Health and welfare Biomedical science, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing | 87.7% |
| Arts and humanities Design, English literature, History, Modern languages | 86.9% |
| Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics Biology, Chemistry, Data science, Environmental science | 86.2% |
| Social sciences, journalism and information Criminology, Economics, Geography, International relations | 85.5% |
| All fields | 88.4% |
Studying and working in Australia
Rules on student visas, work after graduation and recognition of qualifications change often. Use the official sources below and check the date on any advice you read.
- Official study portal
- Student visa and residence information
- Working after graduation (official)
- Public job portal
- Recognition of foreign qualifications
Guide: how to choose a country to study in · Guide: getting your degree recognised abroad
Country context
- Population
- 27.6M (2025)
- GDP per person (PPP)
- $71,934 (2025)
- Tertiary enrolment (gross)
- 108.4% (2024)
Questions about graduate jobs in Australia
Do graduates earn more than non-graduates in Australia?
According to the International Labour Organization, employees in Australia with tertiary education earned a median of A$6,400 a month in 2021, compared with A$5,000 for all employees — +28%. The degree premium ranks 94 of 128 countries with data.
What is the unemployment rate for graduates in Australia?
In 2025, the unemployment rate for adults aged 25 and over with tertiary education in Australia was 2.6%, compared with 3.1% for all adults. Among young people aged 15–24 with tertiary education it was 4.9%.
Where can I find official information about studying in Australia?
Start with the official study portal and immigration pages linked on this page. They set out entry requirements, student visas and any rights to work after graduating, which change more often than most guides are updated.
Compare with other countries in East Asia and Pacific
Compare Australia side by side
-
-
Cambodia
+54%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
South Korea
2.6%
unemployment, tertiary-educated adults (2025) -
Myanmar
-16%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2020) -
Thailand
+74%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Laos
+1%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2022)
Sources
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by education — HIES - Household, Income and Labour Dynamics Survey, 2021
- ILOSTAT — Unemployment rate by age and education — LFS - Labour Force Survey, 2025
- OECD — Education at a Glance, labour-market outcomes — Relative earnings and employment by field of study
- World Bank — World Development Indicators — Population, GDP per person (PPP) and tertiary enrolment
How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). Australia: graduate salaries, jobs and unemployment. https://coursetojob.com/countries/australia/ (accessed September 26, 2026)