Guatemala
+127%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)
Graduate jobs and salaries in Chile
Updated Data years: 2024, 2025 How we use data
Quick answer
In Chile, employees with tertiary education earned a median of CLP 1,226,871 a month in 2024 (PPP$ 2,639) — +75% compared with all employees. Their unemployment rate was 7.2%, against 7.9% for all adults aged 25 and over (2025).
Sources: ILOSTAT (ILO) · OECD
- +75%degree premium: tertiary-educated vs all employees (2024)
- CLP 1,226,871median monthly pay with tertiary education (2024)
- 7.2%unemployment, tertiary-educated adults 25+ (all adults: 7.9%, 2025)
- 26.3%unemployment, tertiary-educated 15–24 year olds (2025)
Do graduates earn more in Chile?
| Education level | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | CLP 498,753 | 1,073 | -29% |
| Basic education | CLP 504,875 | 1,086 | -28% |
| Intermediate education | CLP 600,000 | 1,291 | -14% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | CLP 1,226,871 | 2,639 | +75% |
| Bachelor's or equivalent | CLP 1,197,008 | 2,575 | +71% |
| Master's or equivalent | CLP 1,800,455 | 3,873 | +157% |
| Doctoral or equivalent | CLP 2,992,520 | 6,437 | +327% |
| All levels | CLP 700,000 | 1,506 | — |
The degree premium ranks 39 of 128 countries with data. That is above the Latin America and the Caribbean median of +67%.
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 | 123 |
| Bachelor's or equivalent | 221 |
| Master's, doctoral or equivalent | 379 |
| All tertiary | 206 |
| Below upper secondary | 74 |
Source: OECD, Education at a Glance. Full-time, full-year earners.
Which occupations pay the most in Chile?
Median monthly earnings by occupation group in 2024, 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 | CLP 2,045,640 | 4,400 | +192% |
| Professionals Software developer, Web developer, Data scientist, Data analyst | CLP 1,236,240 | 2,659 | +77% |
| Technicians and associate professionals IT support technician, Paramedic, Biomedical scientist, Paralegal | CLP 798,005 | 1,717 | +14% |
| Plant and machine operators and assemblers | CLP 698,255 | 1,502 | 0% |
| Clerical support workers | CLP 686,630 | 1,477 | -2% |
| Craft and related trades workers | CLP 656,337 | 1,412 | -6% |
| Service and sales workers Police officer | CLP 535,167 | 1,151 | -24% |
| Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers | CLP 504,875 | 1,086 | -28% |
| Elementary occupations | CLP 500,000 | 1,076 | -29% |
| All occupations | CLP 700,000 | 1,506 | — |
Are graduates less likely to be unemployed in Chile?
| Education level | Adults 25+ | Young people 15–24 |
|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | 6.7% | — |
| Basic education | 8.1% | 22.1% |
| Intermediate education | 8.3% | 21.4% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | 7.2% | 26.3% |
| All levels | 7.9% | 22.0% |
Unemployment among tertiary-educated adults is the 96 lowest of 130 countries with data. The Latin America and the Caribbean median is 3.9%.
Unemployment over time, adults 25+
Advanced (tertiary) educationAll levels
Graduate employment by field of study in Chile
Employment rate of adults aged 25–64 with tertiary education, by field of study (OECD, 2022).
| Field of study | Employment rate |
|---|---|
| Arts and humanities Design, English literature, History, Modern languages | 90.0% |
| Health and welfare Biomedical science, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing | 89.3% |
| Law Law | 88.5% |
| Information and communication technologies Computer science | 88.3% |
| Education Education | 85.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary Agriculture, Veterinary science | 85.5% |
| Arts Design, Music | 85.2% |
| Engineering, manufacturing and construction Aerospace engineering, Architecture, Chemical engineering, Civil engineering | 85.0% |
| Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics Biology, Chemistry, Data science, Environmental science | 84.3% |
| Business and administration Accounting and finance, Business management, Marketing | 83.7% |
| Services Hospitality and tourism, Sports science | 83.6% |
| Social sciences, journalism and information Criminology, Economics, Geography, International relations | 82.5% |
| Business, administration and law Accounting and finance, Business management, Law, Marketing | 80.7% |
| All fields | 85.7% |
Studying and working in Chile
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
- 19.9M (2025)
- GDP per person (PPP)
- $37,774 (2025)
- Tertiary enrolment (gross)
- 110.2% (2024)
Questions about graduate jobs in Chile
Do graduates earn more than non-graduates in Chile?
According to the International Labour Organization, employees in Chile with tertiary education earned a median of CLP 1,226,871 a month in 2024, compared with CLP 700,000 for all employees — +75%. The degree premium ranks 39 of 128 countries with data.
What is the unemployment rate for graduates in Chile?
In 2025, the unemployment rate for adults aged 25 and over with tertiary education in Chile was 7.2%, compared with 7.9% for all adults. Among young people aged 15–24 with tertiary education it was 26.3%.
Which jobs pay the most in Chile?
The best-paid occupation group in Chile in 2024 was “Managers”, with median monthly earnings of CLP 2,045,640 (PPP$ 4,400). Professionals, the group that includes most graduate careers, earned a median of CLP 1,236,240.
Compare with other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean
-
-
Ecuador
+55%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Bolivia
+29%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Dominican Republic
+101%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Peru
+97%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Honduras
+150%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)
Sources
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by education — HIES - Supplemental Income Survey, 2024
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — HIES - Supplemental Income Survey, 2024
- ILOSTAT — Unemployment rate by age and education — LFS - National Employment 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). Chile: graduate salaries, jobs and unemployment. https://coursetojob.com/countries/chile/ (accessed September 26, 2026)