Serbia
+21%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)
Graduate jobs and salaries in Bulgaria
Updated Data years: 2023, 2025 How we use data
Quick answer
In Bulgaria, employees with tertiary education earned a median of €1,629 a month in 2025 (PPP$ 3,930) — +53% compared with all employees. Their unemployment rate was 1.4%, against 3.1% for all adults aged 25 and over (2025).
Sources: ILOSTAT (ILO) · OECD
- +53%degree premium: tertiary-educated vs all employees (2025)
- €1,629median monthly pay with tertiary education (2025)
- 1.4%unemployment, tertiary-educated adults 25+ (all adults: 3.1%, 2025)
Do graduates earn more in Bulgaria?
| Education level | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | €527 | 1,271 | -51% |
| Basic education | €659 | 1,589 | -38% |
| Intermediate education | €950 | 2,292 | -11% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | €1,629 | 3,930 | +53% |
| All levels | €1,066 | 2,572 | — |
The degree premium ranks 65 of 128 countries with data. That is above the Europe and Central Asia median of +25%.
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: 2023.
| Education level | Index (upper secondary = 100) |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's or equivalent | 145 |
| Master's, doctoral or equivalent | 188 |
| All tertiary | 174 |
| Below upper secondary | 66 |
Source: OECD, Education at a Glance. Full-time, full-year earners.
Which occupations pay the most in Bulgaria?
Median monthly earnings by occupation group in 2025, from highest to lowest. Examples link to our career profiles.
| Occupation group | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Managers Construction manager, Marketing manager, Project manager, Supply chain manager | €1,915 | 4,619 | +80% |
| Professionals Software developer, Web developer, Data scientist, Data analyst | €1,737 | 4,188 | +63% |
| Technicians and associate professionals IT support technician, Paramedic, Biomedical scientist, Paralegal | €1,397 | 3,369 | +31% |
| Clerical support workers | €1,122 | 2,706 | +5% |
| Plant and machine operators and assemblers | €968 | 2,335 | -9% |
| Craft and related trades workers | €956 | 2,305 | -10% |
| Service and sales workers Police officer | €811 | 1,955 | -24% |
| Elementary occupations | €690 | 1,664 | -35% |
| Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers | €569 | 1,372 | -47% |
| All occupations | €1,066 | 2,572 | — |
Are graduates less likely to be unemployed in Bulgaria?
| Education level | Adults 25+ | Young people 15–24 |
|---|---|---|
| Basic education | 11.7% | — |
| Intermediate education | 3.0% | 12.9% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | 1.4% | — |
| All levels | 3.1% | 13.1% |
Unemployment among tertiary-educated adults is the 8 lowest of 130 countries with data. The Europe and Central Asia median is 3.6%.
Unemployment over time, adults 25+
Advanced (tertiary) educationAll levels
Studying and working in Bulgaria
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.
Bulgaria is in the European Union: EU citizens can study and work there without a visa. EURES lists jobs across Europe and the ENIC-NARIC network advises on qualification recognition. EURES · ENIC-NARIC
Guide: how to choose a country to study in · Guide: getting your degree recognised abroad
Country context
- Population
- 6.4M (2025)
- GDP per person (PPP)
- $44,451 (2025)
- Tertiary enrolment (gross)
- 69.5% (2024)
Questions about graduate jobs in Bulgaria
Do graduates earn more than non-graduates in Bulgaria?
According to the International Labour Organization, employees in Bulgaria with tertiary education earned a median of €1,629 a month in 2025, compared with €1,066 for all employees — +53%. The degree premium ranks 65 of 128 countries with data.
What is the unemployment rate for graduates in Bulgaria?
In 2025, the unemployment rate for adults aged 25 and over with tertiary education in Bulgaria was 1.4%, compared with 3.1% for all adults.
Which jobs pay the most in Bulgaria?
The best-paid occupation group in Bulgaria in 2025 was “Managers”, with median monthly earnings of €1,915 (PPP$ 4,619). Professionals, the group that includes most graduate careers, earned a median of €1,737.
Compare with other countries in Europe and Central Asia
-
-
Denmark
+15%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Finland
+17%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Norway
+12%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Ireland
+26%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2021) -
Slovakia
+25%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)
Sources
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by education — HIES - EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions, 2025
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — HIES - EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions, 2025
- ILOSTAT — Unemployment rate by age and education — LFS - EU 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). Bulgaria: graduate salaries, jobs and unemployment. https://coursetojob.com/countries/bulgaria/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
Notes from the data source
- Age coverage - minimum age: 16 years old
- Repository: Eurostat special tabulation