Sri Lanka
+58%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2024)
Graduate jobs and salaries in Nepal
Updated Data years: 2017 How we use data
Older data (2017) The latest official figure is from 2017. It may not reflect today's labour market.
Quick answer
In Nepal, employees with tertiary education earned a median of NPR 23,500 a month in 2017 (PPP$ 774) — +55% compared with all employees. Their unemployment rate was 6.0%, against 8.2% for all adults aged 25 and over (2017).
Sources: ILOSTAT (ILO)
- +55%degree premium: tertiary-educated vs all employees (2017)
- NPR 23,500median monthly pay with tertiary education (2017)
- 6.0%unemployment, tertiary-educated adults 25+ (all adults: 8.2%, 2017)
- 24.3%unemployment, tertiary-educated 15–24 year olds (2017)
Do graduates earn more in Nepal?
| Education level | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | NPR 12,167 | 401 | -20% |
| Basic education | NPR 15,208 | 501 | 0% |
| Intermediate education | NPR 15,208 | 501 | 0% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | NPR 23,500 | 774 | +54% |
| Bachelor's or equivalent | NPR 22,359 | 737 | +47% |
| Master's or equivalent | NPR 30,000 | 988 | +97% |
| All levels | NPR 15,208 | 501 | — |
The degree premium ranks 59 of 128 countries with data. That is below the South Asia median of +61%.
Which occupations pay the most in Nepal?
Median monthly earnings by occupation group in 2017, 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 | NPR 32,000 | 1,054 | +110% |
| Technicians and associate professionals IT support technician, Paramedic, Biomedical scientist, Paralegal | NPR 23,464 | 773 | +54% |
| Professionals Software developer, Web developer, Data scientist, Data analyst | NPR 22,000 | 725 | +45% |
| Craft and related trades workers | NPR 21,292 | 701 | +40% |
| Clerical support workers | NPR 15,000 | 494 | -1% |
| Plant and machine operators and assemblers | NPR 15,000 | 494 | -1% |
| Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers | NPR 12,167 | 401 | -20% |
| Elementary occupations | NPR 12,167 | 401 | -20% |
| Service and sales workers Police officer | NPR 12,000 | 395 | -21% |
| All occupations | NPR 15,208 | 501 | — |
Are graduates less likely to be unemployed in Nepal?
| Education level | Adults 25+ | Young people 15–24 |
|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | 7.2% | 18.1% |
| Basic education | 8.3% | 15.0% |
| Intermediate education | 9.9% | 24.0% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | 6.0% | 24.3% |
| All levels | 8.2% | 20.5% |
Unemployment among tertiary-educated adults is the 85 lowest of 130 countries with data. The South Asia median is 5.8%.
Studying and working in Nepal
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
- 29.6M (2025)
- GDP per person (PPP)
- $6,175 (2025)
- Tertiary enrolment (gross)
- 21.3% (2024)
Questions about graduate jobs in Nepal
Do graduates earn more than non-graduates in Nepal?
According to the International Labour Organization, employees in Nepal with tertiary education earned a median of NPR 23,500 a month in 2017, compared with NPR 15,208 for all employees — +55%. The degree premium ranks 59 of 128 countries with data.
What is the unemployment rate for graduates in Nepal?
In 2017, the unemployment rate for adults aged 25 and over with tertiary education in Nepal was 6.0%, compared with 8.2% for all adults. Among young people aged 15–24 with tertiary education it was 24.3%.
Which jobs pay the most in Nepal?
The best-paid occupation group in Nepal in 2017 was “Managers”, with median monthly earnings of NPR 32,000 (PPP$ 1,054). Professionals, the group that includes most graduate careers, earned a median of NPR 22,000.
Compare with other countries in South Asia
-
-
Bangladesh
+79%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2024) -
Bhutan
+64%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
India
+94%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Maldives
+50%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2019)
Sources
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by education — LFS - Labour Force Survey, 2017
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — LFS - Labour Force Survey, 2017
- ILOSTAT — Unemployment rate by age and education — LFS - Labour Force Survey, 2017
- World Bank — World Development Indicators — Population, GDP per person (PPP) and tertiary enrolment
How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). Nepal: graduate salaries, jobs and unemployment. https://coursetojob.com/countries/nepal/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
Notes from the data source
- Break in series: Methodology revised
- The source reports a break in the series, so compare with earlier years carefully.