Argentina
+37%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)
Graduate jobs and salaries in Peru
Updated Data years: 2024, 2025 How we use data
Quick answer
In Peru, employees with tertiary education earned a median of PEN 3,000 a month in 2025 (PPP$ 1,557) — +97% compared with all employees. Their unemployment rate was 4.5%, against 3.6% for all adults aged 25 and over (2025).
Sources: ILOSTAT (ILO) · OECD
- +97%degree premium: tertiary-educated vs all employees (2025)
- PEN 3,000median monthly pay with tertiary education (2025)
- 4.5%unemployment, tertiary-educated adults 25+ (all adults: 3.6%, 2025)
- 11.9%unemployment, tertiary-educated 15–24 year olds (2025)
Do graduates earn more in Peru?
| Education level | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | PEN 1,063 | 551 | -30% |
| Basic education | PEN 1,190 | 618 | -22% |
| Intermediate education | PEN 1,488 | 772 | -2% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | PEN 3,000 | 1,557 | +97% |
| All levels | PEN 1,520 | 789 | — |
The degree premium ranks 29 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) |
|---|---|
| All tertiary | 175 |
| Below upper secondary | 76 |
Source: OECD, Education at a Glance. Full-time, full-year earners.
Which occupations pay the most in Peru?
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 | PEN 5,200 | 2,698 | +242% |
| Professionals Software developer, Web developer, Data scientist, Data analyst | PEN 3,200 | 1,661 | +111% |
| Technicians and associate professionals IT support technician, Paramedic, Biomedical scientist, Paralegal | PEN 2,000 | 1,038 | +32% |
| Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers | PEN 1,874 | 973 | +23% |
| Clerical support workers | PEN 1,800 | 934 | +18% |
| Plant and machine operators and assemblers | PEN 1,800 | 934 | +18% |
| Craft and related trades workers | PEN 1,500 | 778 | -1% |
| Service and sales workers Police officer | PEN 1,200 | 623 | -21% |
| Elementary occupations | PEN 1,200 | 623 | -21% |
| All occupations | PEN 1,520 | 789 | — |
Are graduates less likely to be unemployed in Peru?
| Education level | Adults 25+ | Young people 15–24 |
|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | 2.3% | — |
| Basic education | 2.7% | 4.4% |
| Intermediate education | 3.9% | 10.1% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | 4.5% | 11.9% |
| All levels | 3.6% | 8.7% |
Unemployment among tertiary-educated adults is the 64 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 Peru
Employment rate of adults aged 25–64 with tertiary education, by field of study (OECD, 2024).
| Field of study | Employment rate |
|---|---|
| Engineering, manufacturing and construction Aerospace engineering, Architecture, Chemical engineering, Civil engineering | 87.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary Agriculture, Veterinary science | 83.6% |
| Information and communication technologies Computer science | 83.5% |
| Education Education | 83.3% |
| Social sciences, journalism and information Criminology, Economics, Geography, International relations | 80.9% |
| Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics Biology, Chemistry, Data science, Environmental science | 80.5% |
| Arts and humanities Design, English literature, History, Modern languages | 80.1% |
| Business, administration and law Accounting and finance, Business management, Law, Marketing | 79.7% |
| Services Hospitality and tourism, Sports science | 79.6% |
| Health and welfare Biomedical science, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing | 76.9% |
| All fields | 81.7% |
Studying and working in Peru
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
- 34.6M (2025)
- GDP per person (PPP)
- $18,816 (2025)
- Tertiary enrolment (gross)
- 71.2% (2017)
Questions about graduate jobs in Peru
Do graduates earn more than non-graduates in Peru?
According to the International Labour Organization, employees in Peru with tertiary education earned a median of PEN 3,000 a month in 2025, compared with PEN 1,520 for all employees — +97%. The degree premium ranks 29 of 128 countries with data.
What is the unemployment rate for graduates in Peru?
In 2025, the unemployment rate for adults aged 25 and over with tertiary education in Peru was 4.5%, compared with 3.6% for all adults. Among young people aged 15–24 with tertiary education it was 11.9%.
Which jobs pay the most in Peru?
The best-paid occupation group in Peru in 2025 was “Managers”, with median monthly earnings of PEN 5,200 (PPP$ 2,698). Professionals, the group that includes most graduate careers, earned a median of PEN 3,200.
Compare with other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean
-
-
Colombia
+67%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Chile
+75%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2024) -
Guatemala
+127%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Ecuador
+55%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Bolivia
+29%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)
Sources
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by education — LFS - Permanent Employment Survey, National, 2025
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — LFS - Permanent Employment Survey, National, 2025
- ILOSTAT — Unemployment rate by age and education — LFS - Permanent Employment Survey, National, 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). Peru: graduate salaries, jobs and unemployment. https://coursetojob.com/countries/peru/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
Notes from the data source
- Unemployment definition: Two criteria (not in employment and seeking or currently available)