Puerto Rico
+30%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2020)
Graduate jobs and salaries in Uruguay
Updated Data years: 2024, 2025 How we use data
Quick answer
In Uruguay, employees with tertiary education earned a median of UYU 65,000 a month in 2024 (PPP$ 2,219) — +65% compared with all employees. Their unemployment rate was 1.8%, against 5.0% for all adults aged 25 and over (2025).
Sources: ILOSTAT (ILO)
- +65%degree premium: tertiary-educated vs all employees (2024)
- UYU 65,000median monthly pay with tertiary education (2024)
- 1.8%unemployment, tertiary-educated adults 25+ (all adults: 5.0%, 2025)
- 10.5%unemployment, tertiary-educated 15–24 year olds (2025)
Do graduates earn more in Uruguay?
| Education level | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | UYU 26,000 | 887 | -34% |
| Basic education | UYU 32,935 | 1,124 | -17% |
| Intermediate education | UYU 40,000 | 1,365 | +1% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | UYU 65,000 | 2,219 | +64% |
| All levels | UYU 39,527 | 1,349 | — |
The degree premium ranks 52 of 128 countries with data. That is below 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 Uruguay?
Median monthly earnings by occupation group in 2024, 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 | UYU 120,000 | 4,096 | +204% |
| Professionals Software developer, Web developer, Data scientist, Data analyst | UYU 60,000 | 2,048 | +52% |
| Technicians and associate professionals IT support technician, Paramedic, Biomedical scientist, Paralegal | UYU 53,000 | 1,809 | +34% |
| Clerical support workers | UYU 44,000 | 1,502 | +11% |
| Craft and related trades workers | UYU 43,795 | 1,495 | +11% |
| Plant and machine operators and assemblers | UYU 43,000 | 1,468 | +9% |
| Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers | UYU 35,000 | 1,195 | -11% |
| Service and sales workers Police officer | UYU 30,000 | 1,024 | -24% |
| Elementary occupations | UYU 25,000 | 853 | -37% |
| All occupations | UYU 39,527 | 1,349 | — |
Are graduates less likely to be unemployed in Uruguay?
| Education level | Adults 25+ | Young people 15–24 |
|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | 5.8% | 24.5% |
| Basic education | 6.2% | 26.1% |
| Intermediate education | 4.4% | 22.7% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | 1.8% | 10.5% |
| All levels | 5.0% | 24.4% |
Unemployment among tertiary-educated adults is the 10 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 Uruguay
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
- 3.4M (2025)
- GDP per person (PPP)
- $38,315 (2025)
- Tertiary enrolment (gross)
- 80.0% (2023)
Questions about graduate jobs in Uruguay
Do graduates earn more than non-graduates in Uruguay?
According to the International Labour Organization, employees in Uruguay with tertiary education earned a median of UYU 65,000 a month in 2024, compared with UYU 39,527 for all employees — +65%. The degree premium ranks 52 of 128 countries with data.
What is the unemployment rate for graduates in Uruguay?
In 2025, the unemployment rate for adults aged 25 and over with tertiary education in Uruguay was 1.8%, compared with 5.0% for all adults. Among young people aged 15–24 with tertiary education it was 10.5%.
Which jobs pay the most in Uruguay?
The best-paid occupation group in Uruguay in 2024 was “Managers”, with median monthly earnings of UYU 120,000 (PPP$ 4,096). Professionals, the group that includes most graduate careers, earned a median of UYU 60,000.
Compare with other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean
-
-
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 — LFS - Continuous Household Survey Implantation, 2024
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — LFS - Continuous Household Survey Implantation, 2024
- ILOSTAT — Unemployment rate by age and education — LFS - Continuous Household Survey, 2025
- World Bank — World Development Indicators — Population, GDP per person (PPP) and tertiary enrolment
How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). Uruguay: graduate salaries, jobs and unemployment. https://coursetojob.com/countries/uruguay/ (accessed September 26, 2026)