Bhutan
+64%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)
Graduate jobs and salaries in Maldives
Updated Data years: 2019 How we use data
Older data (2019) The latest official figure is from 2019. It may not reflect today's labour market.
Quick answer
In Maldives, employees with tertiary education earned a median of MVR 15,000 a month in 2019 (PPP$ 1,481) — +50% compared with all employees. Their unemployment rate was 2.4%, against 2.8% for all adults aged 25 and over (2019).
Sources: ILOSTAT (ILO)
- +50%degree premium: tertiary-educated vs all employees (2019)
- MVR 15,000median monthly pay with tertiary education (2019)
- 2.4%unemployment, tertiary-educated adults 25+ (all adults: 2.8%, 2019)
Do graduates earn more in Maldives?
| Education level | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | MVR 5,150 | 508 | -49% |
| Basic education | MVR 8,000 | 790 | -20% |
| Intermediate education | MVR 10,144 | 1,002 | +2% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | MVR 15,000 | 1,481 | +50% |
| Bachelor's or equivalent | MVR 13,235 | 1,307 | +32% |
| Master's or equivalent | MVR 17,000 | 1,679 | +70% |
| All levels | MVR 10,000 | 987 | — |
The degree premium ranks 67 of 128 countries with data. That is below the South Asia median of +61%.
Which occupations pay the most in Maldives?
Median monthly earnings by occupation group in 2019, 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 | MVR 20,000 | 1,975 | +100% |
| Professionals Software developer, Web developer, Data scientist, Data analyst | MVR 12,416 | 1,226 | +24% |
| Technicians and associate professionals IT support technician, Paramedic, Biomedical scientist, Paralegal | MVR 12,000 | 1,185 | +20% |
| Plant and machine operators and assemblers | MVR 9,269 | 915 | -7% |
| Clerical support workers | MVR 8,661 | 855 | -13% |
| Craft and related trades workers | MVR 8,500 | 839 | -15% |
| Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers | MVR 8,000 | 790 | -20% |
| Service and sales workers Police officer | MVR 7,000 | 691 | -30% |
| Elementary occupations | MVR 5,650 | 558 | -43% |
| All occupations | MVR 10,000 | 987 | — |
Are graduates less likely to be unemployed in Maldives?
| Education level | Adults 25+ | Young people 15–24 |
|---|---|---|
| Basic education | 3.3% | 15.8% |
| Intermediate education | 1.9% | 12.9% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | 2.4% | — |
| All levels | 2.8% | 13.9% |
Unemployment among tertiary-educated adults is the 22 lowest of 130 countries with data. The South Asia median is 5.8%.
Studying and working in Maldives
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
- 529.7K (2025)
- GDP per person (PPP)
- $28,555 (2025)
- Tertiary enrolment (gross)
- 48.5% (2022)
Questions about graduate jobs in Maldives
Do graduates earn more than non-graduates in Maldives?
According to the International Labour Organization, employees in Maldives with tertiary education earned a median of MVR 15,000 a month in 2019, compared with MVR 10,000 for all employees — +50%. The degree premium ranks 67 of 128 countries with data.
What is the unemployment rate for graduates in Maldives?
In 2019, the unemployment rate for adults aged 25 and over with tertiary education in Maldives was 2.4%, compared with 2.8% for all adults.
Which jobs pay the most in Maldives?
The best-paid occupation group in Maldives in 2019 was “Managers”, with median monthly earnings of MVR 20,000 (PPP$ 1,975). Professionals, the group that includes most graduate careers, earned a median of MVR 12,416.
Compare with other countries in South Asia
-
-
Sri Lanka
+58%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2024) -
Nepal
+55%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2017) -
Bangladesh
+79%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2024) -
India
+94%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)
Sources
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by education — HIES - Household Income and Expenditure Survey, 2019
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — HIES - Household Income and Expenditure Survey, 2019
- ILOSTAT — Unemployment rate by age and education — HIES - Household Income and Expenditure Survey, 2019
- World Bank — World Development Indicators — Population, GDP per person (PPP) and tertiary enrolment
How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). Maldives: graduate salaries, jobs and unemployment. https://coursetojob.com/countries/maldives/ (accessed September 26, 2026)