Panama
+72%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)
Graduate jobs and salaries in Costa Rica
Updated Data years: 2024, 2025 How we use data
Quick answer
In Costa Rica, employees with tertiary education earned a median of CRC 925,000 a month in 2025 (PPP$ 2,941) — +106% compared with all employees. Their unemployment rate was 4.0%, against 4.7% for all adults aged 25 and over (2025).
Sources: ILOSTAT (ILO) · OECD
- +106%degree premium: tertiary-educated vs all employees (2025)
- CRC 925,000median monthly pay with tertiary education (2025)
- 4.0%unemployment, tertiary-educated adults 25+ (all adults: 4.7%, 2025)
- 19.9%unemployment, tertiary-educated 15–24 year olds (2025)
Do graduates earn more in Costa Rica?
| Education level | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | CRC 359,667 | 1,143 | -20% |
| Basic education | CRC 390,000 | 1,240 | -13% |
| Intermediate education | CRC 433,333 | 1,378 | -4% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | CRC 925,000 | 2,941 | +106% |
| All levels | CRC 450,000 | 1,431 | — |
The degree premium ranks 25 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 | 120 |
| Bachelor's or equivalent | 199 |
| Master's, doctoral or equivalent | 305 |
| All tertiary | 193 |
| Below upper secondary | 80 |
Source: OECD, Education at a Glance. Full-time, full-year earners.
Which occupations pay the most in Costa Rica?
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 | CRC 1,625,000 | 5,166 | +261% |
| Professionals Software developer, Web developer, Data scientist, Data analyst | CRC 1,104,167 | 3,510 | +145% |
| Technicians and associate professionals IT support technician, Paramedic, Biomedical scientist, Paralegal | CRC 646,223 | 2,055 | +44% |
| Clerical support workers | CRC 487,500 | 1,550 | +8% |
| Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers | CRC 433,333 | 1,378 | -4% |
| Craft and related trades workers | CRC 433,333 | 1,378 | -4% |
| Plant and machine operators and assemblers | CRC 433,000 | 1,377 | -4% |
| Service and sales workers Police officer | CRC 406,250 | 1,292 | -10% |
| Elementary occupations | CRC 350,000 | 1,113 | -22% |
| All occupations | CRC 450,000 | 1,431 | — |
Are graduates less likely to be unemployed in Costa Rica?
| Education level | Adults 25+ | Young people 15–24 |
|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | 4.2% | — |
| Basic education | 4.8% | 23.5% |
| Intermediate education | 5.6% | 18.6% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | 4.0% | 19.9% |
| All levels | 4.7% | 20.1% |
Unemployment among tertiary-educated adults is the 57 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 Costa Rica
Employment rate of adults aged 25–64 with tertiary education, by field of study (OECD, 2024).
| Field of study | Employment rate |
|---|---|
| Information and communication technologies Computer science | 88.2% |
| Engineering, manufacturing and construction Aerospace engineering, Architecture, Chemical engineering, Civil engineering | 83.2% |
| Business, administration and law Accounting and finance, Business management, Law, Marketing | 81.1% |
| Services Hospitality and tourism, Sports science | 80.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary Agriculture, Veterinary science | 79.8% |
| Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics Biology, Chemistry, Data science, Environmental science | 77.1% |
| Health and welfare Biomedical science, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing | 76.3% |
| Arts and humanities Design, English literature, History, Modern languages | 74.8% |
| Education Education | 74.5% |
| Social sciences, journalism and information Criminology, Economics, Geography, International relations | 72.4% |
| Arts Design, Music | 58.3% |
| Law Law | 54.7% |
| Business and administration Accounting and finance, Business management, Marketing | 54.5% |
| All fields | 79.2% |
Studying and working in Costa Rica
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
- 5.2M (2025)
- GDP per person (PPP)
- $33,815 (2025)
- Tertiary enrolment (gross)
- 55.0% (2019)
Questions about graduate jobs in Costa Rica
Do graduates earn more than non-graduates in Costa Rica?
According to the International Labour Organization, employees in Costa Rica with tertiary education earned a median of CRC 925,000 a month in 2025, compared with CRC 450,000 for all employees — +106%. The degree premium ranks 25 of 128 countries with data.
What is the unemployment rate for graduates in Costa Rica?
In 2025, the unemployment rate for adults aged 25 and over with tertiary education in Costa Rica was 4.0%, compared with 4.7% for all adults. Among young people aged 15–24 with tertiary education it was 19.9%.
Which jobs pay the most in Costa Rica?
The best-paid occupation group in Costa Rica in 2025 was “Managers”, with median monthly earnings of CRC 1,625,000 (PPP$ 5,166). Professionals, the group that includes most graduate careers, earned a median of CRC 1,104,167.
Compare with other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean
Compare Costa Rica side by side
-
-
El Salvador
+26%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Paraguay
+49%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2017) -
Uruguay
+65%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2024) -
Puerto Rico
+30%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2020) -
Honduras
+150%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)
Sources
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by education — LFS - Continuous Employment Survey, 2025
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — LFS - Continuous Employment Survey, 2025
- ILOSTAT — Unemployment rate by age and education — LFS - Continuous 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). Costa Rica: graduate salaries, jobs and unemployment. https://coursetojob.com/countries/costa-rica/ (accessed September 26, 2026)