Comoros
+33%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2021)
Graduate jobs and salaries in Cape Verde
Updated Data years: 2015, 2018 How we use data
Older data (2015) The latest official figure is from 2015. It may not reflect today's labour market.
Quick answer
In Cape Verde, employees with tertiary education earned a median of CVE 54,211 a month in 2015 (PPP$ 1,076) — +149% compared with all employees. Their unemployment rate was 4.2%, against 9.5% for all adults aged 25 and over (2018).
Sources: ILOSTAT (ILO)
- +149%degree premium: tertiary-educated vs all employees (2015)
- CVE 54,211median monthly pay with tertiary education (2015)
- 4.2%unemployment, tertiary-educated adults 25+ (all adults: 9.5%, 2018)
- 28.0%unemployment, tertiary-educated 15–24 year olds (2018)
Do graduates earn more in Cape Verde?
| Education level | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | CVE 12,398 | 246 | -43% |
| Basic education | CVE 16,000 | 318 | -27% |
| Intermediate education | CVE 22,000 | 437 | +1% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | CVE 54,211 | 1,076 | +148% |
| Bachelor's or equivalent | CVE 43,106 | 856 | +98% |
| Master's or equivalent | CVE 51,390 | 1,020 | +136% |
| Doctoral or equivalent | CVE 64,000 | 1,271 | +194% |
| All levels | CVE 21,823 | 433 | — |
The degree premium ranks 21 of 128 countries with data. That is below the Sub-Saharan Africa median of +151%.
Which occupations pay the most in Cape Verde?
Median monthly earnings by occupation group in 2015, 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 | CVE 60,740 | 1,206 | +179% |
| Professionals Software developer, Web developer, Data scientist, Data analyst | CVE 49,734 | 987 | +128% |
| Technicians and associate professionals IT support technician, Paramedic, Biomedical scientist, Paralegal | CVE 33,734 | 670 | +55% |
| Clerical support workers | CVE 30,000 | 596 | +38% |
| Craft and related trades workers | CVE 22,000 | 437 | +1% |
| Plant and machine operators and assemblers | CVE 21,201 | 421 | -3% |
| Service and sales workers Police officer | CVE 15,000 | 298 | -31% |
| Elementary occupations | CVE 14,948 | 297 | -31% |
| Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers | CVE 13,779 | 274 | -37% |
| All occupations | CVE 21,823 | 433 | — |
Are graduates less likely to be unemployed in Cape Verde?
| Education level | Adults 25+ | Young people 15–24 |
|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | 8.9% | 47.4% |
| Basic education | 7.9% | 28.8% |
| Intermediate education | 13.1% | 27.4% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | 4.2% | 28.0% |
| All levels | 9.5% | 27.8% |
Unemployment among tertiary-educated adults is the 61 lowest of 130 countries with data. The Sub-Saharan Africa median is 8.3%.
Unemployment over time, adults 25+
Advanced (tertiary) educationAll levels
Studying and working in Cape Verde
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.
Guide: how to choose a country to study in · Guide: getting your degree recognised abroad
Country context
- Population
- 527.3K (2025)
- GDP per person (PPP)
- $12,165 (2025)
- Tertiary enrolment (gross)
- 24.3% (2018)
Questions about graduate jobs in Cape Verde
Do graduates earn more than non-graduates in Cape Verde?
According to the International Labour Organization, employees in Cape Verde with tertiary education earned a median of CVE 54,211 a month in 2015, compared with CVE 21,823 for all employees — +149%. The degree premium ranks 21 of 128 countries with data.
What is the unemployment rate for graduates in Cape Verde?
In 2018, the unemployment rate for adults aged 25 and over with tertiary education in Cape Verde was 4.2%, compared with 9.5% for all adults. Among young people aged 15–24 with tertiary education it was 28.0%.
Which jobs pay the most in Cape Verde?
The best-paid occupation group in Cape Verde in 2015 was “Managers”, with median monthly earnings of CVE 60,740 (PPP$ 1,206). Professionals, the group that includes most graduate careers, earned a median of CVE 49,734.
Compare with other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa
Compare Cape Verde side by side
-
-
Mauritius
+60%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2024) -
Eswatini
+303%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2021) -
Equatorial Guinea
+77%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2023) -
Guinea-Bissau
+117%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2022) -
Lesotho
+186%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2024)
Sources
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by education — LFS - Continuous Multi-Objective Survey Employment and Labor Market Statistics, 2015
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — LFS - Continuous Multi-Objective Survey Employment and Labor Market Statistics, 2015
- ILOSTAT — Unemployment rate by age and education — LFS - Continuous Multi-Objective Survey Employment and Labor Market Statistics, 2018
- World Bank — World Development Indicators — Population, GDP per person (PPP) and tertiary enrolment
How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). Cape Verde: graduate salaries, jobs and unemployment. https://coursetojob.com/countries/cape-verde/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
Notes from the data source
- Break in series: Methodology revised
- Age coverage - minimum age: 16 years old
- Employment definition: Including subsistence workers
- The source reports a break in the series, so compare with earlier years carefully.