> Source: https://coursetojob.com/countries/panama/ — updated 2026-09-26 · language: en > Markdown version of this CourseToJob page for AI agents. The HTML page is canonical. Data licence CC BY 4.0: cite the page URL and the original statistical source. Latin America and the Caribbean # Graduate jobs and salaries in Panama Updated September 26, 2026 Data years: 2025 [How we use data](https://coursetojob.com/methodology/) Quick answer In Panama, employees with tertiary education earned a median of PAB 1,200 a month in 2025 (PPP$ 2,416) — +72% compared with all employees. Their unemployment rate was 6.4%, against 6.5% for all adults aged 25 and over (2025). Sources: ILOSTAT (ILO) - **+72%** degree premium: tertiary-educated vs all employees (2025) - **PAB 1,200** median monthly pay with tertiary education (2025) - **6.4%** unemployment, tertiary-educated adults 25+ (all adults: 6.5%, 2025) - **20.2%** unemployment, tertiary-educated 15–24 year olds (2025) ## Do graduates earn more in Panama? **Median monthly earnings by education level, Panama, 2025Employees, median monthly earnings. PPP$ adjusts for price differences between countries.** | Education level | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Less than basic education | PAB 400 | 805 | -43% | | Basic education | PAB 600 | 1,208 | -14% | | Intermediate education | PAB 700 | 1,409 | 0% | | Advanced (tertiary) education | PAB 1,200 | 2,416 | +71% | | Short-cycle tertiary | PAB 866 | 1,743 | +24% | | Bachelor's or equivalent | PAB 1,000 | 2,013 | +43% | | Master's or equivalent | PAB 1,999 | 4,024 | +186% | | Doctoral or equivalent | PAB 3,000 | 6,040 | +329% | | All levels | PAB 700 | 1,409 | — | The degree premium ranks 44 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. ## Which occupations pay the most in Panama? 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 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Professionals [Software developer](https://coursetojob.com/careers/software-developer/), [Web developer](https://coursetojob.com/careers/web-developer/), [Data scientist](https://coursetojob.com/careers/data-scientist/), [Data analyst](https://coursetojob.com/careers/data-analyst/) | PAB 1,400 | 2,819 | +100% | | Managers [Construction manager](https://coursetojob.com/careers/construction-manager/), [Marketing manager](https://coursetojob.com/careers/marketing-manager/), [Project manager](https://coursetojob.com/careers/project-manager/), [Supply chain manager](https://coursetojob.com/careers/supply-chain-manager/) | PAB 1,200 | 2,416 | +71% | | Technicians and associate professionals [IT support technician](https://coursetojob.com/careers/it-support-technician/), [Paramedic](https://coursetojob.com/careers/paramedic/), [Biomedical scientist](https://coursetojob.com/careers/biomedical-scientist/), [Paralegal](https://coursetojob.com/careers/paralegal/) | PAB 900 | 1,812 | +29% | | Clerical support workers | PAB 750 | 1,510 | +7% | | Craft and related trades workers | PAB 700 | 1,409 | 0% | | Plant and machine operators and assemblers | PAB 700 | 1,409 | 0% | | Service and sales workers [Police officer](https://coursetojob.com/careers/police-officer/) | PAB 620 | 1,247 | -11% | | Elementary occupations | PAB 500 | 1,007 | -29% | | All occupations | PAB 700 | 1,409 | — | ## Are graduates less likely to be unemployed in Panama? **Unemployment rate by education level, 2025** | Education level | Adults 25+ | Young people 15–24 | | --- | --- | --- | | Less than basic education | 2.7% | — | | Basic education | 5.3% | 13.2% | | Intermediate education | 8.3% | 22.6% | | Advanced (tertiary) education | 6.4% | 20.2% | | All levels | 6.5% | 19.5% | Unemployment among tertiary-educated adults is the 90 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 ## Studying and working in Panama 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](https://coursetojob.com/guides/study-abroad/) · [Guide: getting your degree recognised abroad](https://coursetojob.com/guides/degree-recognition-abroad/) ## Country context - **Population:** 4.6M (2025) - **GDP per person (PPP):** $43,902 (2025) - **Tertiary enrolment (gross):** 53.7% (2023) ## Questions about graduate jobs in Panama **Do graduates earn more than non-graduates in Panama?** According to the International Labour Organization, employees in Panama with tertiary education earned a median of PAB 1,200 a month in 2025, compared with PAB 700 for all employees — +72%. The degree premium ranks 44 of 128 countries with data. **What is the unemployment rate for graduates in Panama?** In 2025, the unemployment rate for adults aged 25 and over with tertiary education in Panama was 6.4%, compared with 6.5% for all adults. Among young people aged 15–24 with tertiary education it was 20.2%. **Which jobs pay the most in Panama?** The best-paid occupation group in Panama in 2025 was “Professionals”, with median monthly earnings of PAB 1,400 (PPP$ 2,819). Professionals, the group that includes most graduate careers, earned a median of PAB 1,400. ## Compare with other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean [Compare Panama side by side](https://coursetojob.com/compare/?c=PA,CR,UY) - **[Costa Rica](https://coursetojob.com/countries/costa-rica/)** — +106% more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) Latin America and the Caribbean - **[Uruguay](https://coursetojob.com/countries/uruguay/)** — +65% more for tertiary-educated employees (2024) Latin America and the Caribbean - **[El Salvador](https://coursetojob.com/countries/el-salvador/)** — +26% more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) Latin America and the Caribbean - **[Puerto Rico](https://coursetojob.com/countries/puerto-rico/)** — +30% more for tertiary-educated employees (2020) Latin America and the Caribbean - **[Paraguay](https://coursetojob.com/countries/paraguay/)** — +49% more for tertiary-educated employees (2017) Latin America and the Caribbean - **[Honduras](https://coursetojob.com/countries/honduras/)** — +150% more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) Latin America and the Caribbean ## Sources 1. [ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by education](https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/) — LFS - Labour Market Survey, 2025 2. [ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation](https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/) — LFS - Labour Market Survey, 2025 3. [ILOSTAT — Unemployment rate by age and education](https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/) — LFS - Labour Market Survey, 2025 4. [World Bank — World Development Indicators](https://data.worldbank.org/country/pa) — Population, GDP per person (PPP) and tertiary enrolment **How to cite this page:** CourseToJob (2026). Panama: graduate salaries, jobs and unemployment. https://coursetojob.com/countries/panama/ (accessed September 26, 2026) [Report a data or content issue](mailto:hello@elitedigitalagency.io?subject=Data%20issue%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fcoursetojob.com%2Fcountries%2Fpanama%2F) **Notes from the data source** - Data reference period: October ## Key facts - **Region:** Latin America and the Caribbean - **Currency:** PAB - **Degree premium:** +72% (2025) - **Unemployment, tertiary:** 6.4% (2025) - **Degree premium rank:** 44 of 128 **On this page** 1. Do graduates earn more in Panama? 2. Which occupations pay the most in Panama? 3. Are graduates less likely to be unemployed in Panama? 4. Studying and working in Panama Machine-readable: [JSON](https://coursetojob.com/api/v1/countries/pa.json) · [Markdown](https://coursetojob.com/countries/panama.md)