Uruguay
+65%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2024)
Graduate jobs and salaries in Puerto Rico
Updated Data years: 2020 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 Puerto Rico, employees with tertiary education earned a median of $2,050 a month in 2020 (PPP$ 2,186) — +30% compared with all employees. Their unemployment rate was 8.4%, against 12.9% for all adults aged 25 and over (2020).
Sources: ILOSTAT (ILO)
- +30%degree premium: tertiary-educated vs all employees (2020)
- $2,050median monthly pay with tertiary education (2020)
- 8.4%unemployment, tertiary-educated adults 25+ (all adults: 12.9%, 2020)
- 23.2%unemployment, tertiary-educated 15–24 year olds (2020)
Do graduates earn more in Puerto Rico?
| Education level | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | $1,089 | 1,161 | -31% |
| Basic education | $1,079 | 1,150 | -32% |
| Intermediate education | $1,274 | 1,359 | -19% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | $2,050 | 2,186 | +30% |
| Short-cycle tertiary | $1,492 | 1,591 | -5% |
| Bachelor's or equivalent | $2,105 | 2,245 | +34% |
| Master's or equivalent | $2,876 | 3,068 | +83% |
| Doctoral or equivalent | $4,230 | 4,512 | +169% |
| All levels | $1,575 | 1,680 | — |
The degree premium ranks 88 of 128 countries with data. That is below the Latin America and the Caribbean median of +67%.
Which occupations pay the most in Puerto Rico?
Median monthly earnings by occupation group in 2020, from highest to lowest. Examples link to our career profiles.
| Occupation group | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Managers Construction manager, Marketing manager, Project manager, Supply chain manager | $3,282 | 3,500 | +108% |
| Professionals Software developer, Web developer, Data scientist, Data analyst | $2,491 | 2,657 | +58% |
| Technicians and associate professionals IT support technician, Paramedic, Biomedical scientist, Paralegal | $1,987 | 2,119 | +26% |
| Plant and machine operators and assemblers | $1,484 | 1,583 | -6% |
| Craft and related trades workers | $1,312 | 1,400 | -17% |
| Clerical support workers | $1,308 | 1,395 | -17% |
| Service and sales workers Police officer | $1,274 | 1,359 | -19% |
| Elementary occupations | $1,157 | 1,234 | -27% |
| Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers | $822 | 877 | -48% |
| All occupations | $1,575 | 1,680 | — |
Are graduates less likely to be unemployed in Puerto Rico?
| Education level | Adults 25+ | Young people 15–24 |
|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | 20.8% | — |
| Basic education | 27.5% | 60.6% |
| Intermediate education | 16.8% | 37.6% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | 8.4% | 23.2% |
| All levels | 12.9% | 34.3% |
Unemployment among tertiary-educated adults is the 106 lowest of 130 countries with data. The Latin America and the Caribbean median is 3.9%.
Studying and working in Puerto Rico
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
- 3.2M (2025)
- GDP per person (PPP)
- $52,196 (2025)
- Tertiary enrolment (gross)
- 77.9% (2023)
Questions about graduate jobs in Puerto Rico
Do graduates earn more than non-graduates in Puerto Rico?
According to the International Labour Organization, employees in Puerto Rico with tertiary education earned a median of $2,050 a month in 2020, compared with $1,575 for all employees — +30%. The degree premium ranks 88 of 128 countries with data.
What is the unemployment rate for graduates in Puerto Rico?
In 2020, the unemployment rate for adults aged 25 and over with tertiary education in Puerto Rico was 8.4%, compared with 12.9% for all adults. Among young people aged 15–24 with tertiary education it was 23.2%.
Which jobs pay the most in Puerto Rico?
The best-paid occupation group in Puerto Rico in 2020 was “Managers”, with median monthly earnings of $3,282 (PPP$ 3,500). Professionals, the group that includes most graduate careers, earned a median of $2,491.
Compare with other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean
Compare Puerto Rico side by side
-
-
Panama
+72%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Costa Rica
+106%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
El Salvador
+26%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Paraguay
+49%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2017) -
Trinidad and Tobago
+81%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2016)
Sources
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by education — PC - Population Census, 2020
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — PC - Population Census, 2020
- ILOSTAT — Unemployment rate by age and education — PC - Population Census, 2020
- World Bank — World Development Indicators — Population, GDP per person (PPP) and tertiary enrolment
How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). Puerto Rico: graduate salaries, jobs and unemployment. https://coursetojob.com/countries/puerto-rico/ (accessed September 26, 2026)