Germany
+42%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2022)
Graduate jobs and salaries in Türkiye
Updated Data years: 2024, 2025 How we use data
Quick answer
In Türkiye, employees with tertiary education earned a median of TRY 51,000 a month in 2025 (PPP$ 2,874) — +70% compared with all employees. Their unemployment rate was 7.0%, against 7.1% for all adults aged 25 and over (2025).
Sources: ILOSTAT (ILO) · OECD
- +70%degree premium: tertiary-educated vs all employees (2025)
- TRY 51,000median monthly pay with tertiary education (2025)
- 7.0%unemployment, tertiary-educated adults 25+ (all adults: 7.1%, 2025)
- 23.5%unemployment, tertiary-educated 15–24 year olds (2025)
Do graduates earn more in Türkiye?
| Education level | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | TRY 22,000 | 1,240 | -27% |
| Basic education | TRY 23,000 | 1,296 | -23% |
| Intermediate education | TRY 29,000 | 1,634 | -3% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | TRY 51,000 | 2,874 | +70% |
| Bachelor's or equivalent | TRY 37,000 | 2,085 | +23% |
| Master's or equivalent | TRY 54,000 | 3,043 | +80% |
| Doctoral or equivalent | TRY 70,000 | 3,945 | +133% |
| All levels | TRY 30,000 | 1,691 | — |
The degree premium ranks 45 of 128 countries with data. That is above the Europe and Central Asia median of +25%.
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 | 153 |
| Below upper secondary | 76 |
Source: OECD, Education at a Glance. Full-time, full-year earners.
Which occupations pay the most in Türkiye?
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 | TRY 60,000 | 3,381 | +100% |
| Professionals Software developer, Web developer, Data scientist, Data analyst | TRY 60,000 | 3,381 | +100% |
| Technicians and associate professionals IT support technician, Paramedic, Biomedical scientist, Paralegal | TRY 42,000 | 2,367 | +40% |
| Clerical support workers | TRY 33,000 | 1,860 | +10% |
| Plant and machine operators and assemblers | TRY 30,000 | 1,691 | 0% |
| Craft and related trades workers | TRY 26,671 | 1,503 | -11% |
| Service and sales workers Police officer | TRY 23,264 | 1,311 | -22% |
| Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers | TRY 23,083 | 1,301 | -23% |
| Elementary occupations | TRY 23,000 | 1,296 | -23% |
| All occupations | TRY 30,000 | 1,691 | — |
Are graduates less likely to be unemployed in Türkiye?
| Education level | Adults 25+ | Young people 15–24 |
|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | 6.9% | 13.1% |
| Basic education | 6.6% | 11.2% |
| Intermediate education | 8.0% | 15.4% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | 7.0% | 23.5% |
| All levels | 7.1% | 15.3% |
Unemployment among tertiary-educated adults is the 95 lowest of 130 countries with data. The Europe and Central Asia median is 3.6%.
Unemployment over time, adults 25+
Advanced (tertiary) educationAll levels
Graduate employment by field of study in Türkiye
Employment rate of adults aged 25–64 with tertiary education, by field of study (OECD, 2016).
| Field of study | Employment rate |
|---|---|
| Engineering, manufacturing and construction Aerospace engineering, Architecture, Chemical engineering, Civil engineering | 78.4% |
| Health and welfare Biomedical science, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing | 78.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary Agriculture, Veterinary science | 77.4% |
| Information and communication technologies Computer science | 73.9% |
| Business, administration and law Accounting and finance, Business management, Law, Marketing | 72.9% |
| Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics Biology, Chemistry, Data science, Environmental science | 72.6% |
| Education Education | 71.1% |
| Services Hospitality and tourism, Sports science | 71.0% |
| Social sciences, journalism and information Criminology, Economics, Geography, International relations | 68.1% |
| Arts and humanities Design, English literature, History, Modern languages | 66.5% |
| All fields | 72.9% |
Studying and working in Türkiye
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
- 85.9M (2025)
- GDP per person (PPP)
- $45,289 (2025)
- Tertiary enrolment (gross)
- 105.9% (2023)
Questions about graduate jobs in Türkiye
Do graduates earn more than non-graduates in Türkiye?
According to the International Labour Organization, employees in Türkiye with tertiary education earned a median of TRY 51,000 a month in 2025, compared with TRY 30,000 for all employees — +70%. The degree premium ranks 45 of 128 countries with data.
What is the unemployment rate for graduates in Türkiye?
In 2025, the unemployment rate for adults aged 25 and over with tertiary education in Türkiye was 7.0%, compared with 7.1% for all adults. Among young people aged 15–24 with tertiary education it was 23.5%.
Which jobs pay the most in Türkiye?
The best-paid occupation group in Türkiye in 2025 was “Managers”, with median monthly earnings of TRY 60,000 (PPP$ 3,381). Professionals, the group that includes most graduate careers, earned a median of TRY 60,000.
Where can I find official information about studying in Türkiye?
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 Europe and Central Asia
-
-
United Kingdom
+20%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
France
+25%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Italy
+21%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Spain
+29%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Poland
+19%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)
Sources
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by education — LFS - Household Labour Force Survey, 2025
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — LFS - Household Labour Force Survey, 2025
- ILOSTAT — Unemployment rate by age and education — LFS - Household Labour Force Survey, 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). Türkiye: graduate salaries, jobs and unemployment. https://coursetojob.com/countries/turkiye/ (accessed September 26, 2026)