Singapore
3.2%
unemployment, tertiary-educated adults (2025)
Graduate jobs and salaries in New Zealand
Updated Data years: 2020, 2024 How we use data
Older data (2020) The latest official figure is from 2020. It may not reflect today's labour market.
Quick answer
In New Zealand, adults with tertiary education earn 136 for every 100 earned by adults who finished upper secondary school (OECD, 2024). Their unemployment rate was 2.6%, against 3.3% for all adults aged 25 and over (2020).
Sources: ILOSTAT (ILO) · OECD
- 2.6%unemployment, tertiary-educated adults 25+ (all adults: 3.3%, 2020)
- 8.7%unemployment, tertiary-educated 15–24 year olds (2020)
- 136tertiary earnings index, upper secondary = 100 (OECD, 2024)
Do graduates earn more in New Zealand?
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 | 114 |
| Bachelor's or equivalent | 136 |
| Master's, doctoral or equivalent | 146 |
| All tertiary | 136 |
| Below upper secondary | 94 |
Source: OECD, Education at a Glance. Full-time, full-year earners.
Are graduates less likely to be unemployed in New Zealand?
| Education level | Adults 25+ | Young people 15–24 |
|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | 5.1% | 21.1% |
| Basic education | 3.6% | 20.0% |
| Intermediate education | 3.3% | 10.9% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | 2.6% | 8.7% |
| All levels | 3.3% | 12.4% |
Unemployment among tertiary-educated adults is the 27 lowest of 130 countries with data. The East Asia and Pacific median is 2.3%.
Unemployment over time, adults 25+
Advanced (tertiary) educationAll levels
Studying and working in New Zealand
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
- 5.3M (2025)
- GDP per person (PPP)
- $57,350 (2025)
- Tertiary enrolment (gross)
- 77.2% (2024)
Questions about graduate jobs in New Zealand
What is the unemployment rate for graduates in New Zealand?
In 2020, the unemployment rate for adults aged 25 and over with tertiary education in New Zealand was 2.6%, compared with 3.3% for all adults. Among young people aged 15–24 with tertiary education it was 8.7%.
Where can I find official information about studying in New Zealand?
Start with the official study portal and immigration pages linked on this page. They set out entry requirements, student visas and any rights to work after graduating, which change more often than most guides are updated.
Compare with other countries in East Asia and Pacific
Compare New Zealand side by side
-
-
Laos
+1%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2022) -
Mongolia
+11%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Cambodia
+54%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Timor-Leste
+50%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2021) -
Australia
+28%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2021)
Sources
- ILOSTAT — Unemployment rate by age and education — LFS - Household Labour Force Survey, 2020
- 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). New Zealand: graduate salaries, jobs and unemployment. https://coursetojob.com/countries/new-zealand/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
Notes from the data source
- Employment definition: Including subsistence workers
- Geographical coverage: Total national, excluding overseas territories
- Population coverage: Excluding institutional population