Unemployment with advanced education, female in South Africa
South Africa: Unemployment with advanced education, female was 14.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Unemployment with advanced education, female in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of female labor force with advanced education.
Analysis
In 2024, unemployment with advanced education, female in South Africa stood at 14.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.1% on the previous year and up 50.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment with advanced education, female in South Africa peaked at 16.0% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2.8%, in 2006.
That places South Africa 17th out of 126 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Unemployment with advanced education, female in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of female labor force with advanced education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 6.7% | — |
| 2001 | 8.2% | +23.4% |
| 2002 | 8.8% | +7.3% |
| 2003 | 6.5% | -25.9% |
| 2004 | 4.7% | -27.3% |
| 2005 | 3.4% | -27.9% |
| 2006 | 2.8% | -18.2% |
| 2007 | 4.7% | +68.8% |
| 2008 | 6.8% | +44.1% |
| 2009 | 6.8% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 7.6% | +11.5% |
| 2011 | 6.9% | -9.7% |
| 2013 | 8.5% | +23.7% |
| 2014 | 9.6% | +13.1% |
| 2015 | 9.6% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 10.6% | +10.5% |
| 2017 | 11.0% | +4.4% |
| 2018 | 10.9% | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 11.9% | +9.0% |
| 2020 | 13.0% | +9.8% |
| 2021 | 16.0% | +23.1% |
| 2022 | 15.7% | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 14.7% | -5.9% |
| 2024 | 14.4% | -2.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 14.4% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 6.2%, 2.3× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 14.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.0%, 1.1× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6.0% | 2.8% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.6% | 6.9% | 11.9% | 9 |
| 2020s | 14.8% | 13.0% | 16.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 14 Côte d'Ivoire 19.1% compare
- 15 Bangladesh 19.0% compare
- 16 Saudi Arabia 14.6% compare
- 18 Rwanda 13.9% compare
- 19 Namibia 13.3% compare
- 20 Togo 13.2% compare
More work & labour data for South Africa
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.2264 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.242 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.2122 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8748 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 58,057 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 14,698 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 49,126 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 45,189 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 94,314 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment with advanced education, female in South Africa?
- Unemployment with advanced education, female in South Africa was 14.4% in 2024, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment with advanced education, female recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 16.0% in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment with advanced education, female recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.8% in 2006.
- How does South Africa rank for unemployment with advanced education, female?
- South Africa ranks 17th out of 126 countries with data for 2024.
- Is unemployment with advanced education, female rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 50.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment with advanced education, female (% of female labor force with advanced education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The percentage of the labor force with an advanced level of education who are unemployed. Advanced education comprises short-cycle tertiary education, a bachelor’s degree or equivalent education level, a master’s degree or equivalent education level, or doctoral degree or equivalent education level according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).