Unemployment with advanced education in European Union
European Union: Unemployment with advanced education was 4.4% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Unemployment with advanced education in European Union, 1995–2024
Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total labor force with advanced education.
Analysis
European Union recorded 4.4% for unemployment with advanced education in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 30 years on record.
The figure is down 1.5% on the previous year and down 50.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment with advanced education in European Union peaked at 9.5% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 4.4%, in 2024.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 30 years of available data.
Unemployment with advanced education in European Union, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force with advanced education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 9.1% | — |
| 1996 | 8.6% | -5.7% |
| 1997 | 7.6% | -11.5% |
| 1998 | 7.6% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 6.5% | -14.5% |
| 2000 | 5.7% | -11.6% |
| 2001 | 5.3% | -8.0% |
| 2002 | 5.7% | +8.7% |
| 2003 | 5.9% | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 5.9% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 5.8% | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 5.1% | -11.6% |
| 2007 | 4.5% | -12.2% |
| 2008 | 4.4% | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 5.9% | +33.2% |
| 2010 | 6.7% | +13.7% |
| 2011 | 7.3% | +9.4% |
| 2012 | 8.7% | +18.4% |
| 2013 | 9.5% | +9.7% |
| 2014 | 8.8% | -7.5% |
| 2015 | 8.0% | -8.3% |
| 2016 | 7.2% | -10.3% |
| 2017 | 6.5% | -10.3% |
| 2018 | 5.8% | -10.1% |
| 2019 | 5.5% | -5.3% |
| 2020 | 5.8% | +5.4% |
| 2021 | 5.5% | -4.5% |
| 2022 | 4.7% | -15.5% |
| 2023 | 4.5% | -5.0% |
| 2024 | 4.4% | -1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.9% | 6.5% | 9.1% | 5 |
| 2000s | 5.4% | 4.4% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.4% | 5.5% | 9.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.0% | 4.4% | 5.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near European Union
- 12 South Africa 12.8% compare
- 13 Namibia 12.2% compare
- 14 Rwanda 11.4% compare
- 15 Malawi 11.3% compare
- 16 Iran, Islamic Republic of 11.3% compare
- 17 Pakistan 11.1% compare
- 18 Bangladesh 10.9% compare
More work & labour data for European Union
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 51.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 38.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 43.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 40.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 70.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 79.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 75.2% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 81.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 57.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 63.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment with advanced education in European Union?
- Unemployment with advanced education in European Union was 4.4% in 2024, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment with advanced education recorded in European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 9.5% in 2013.
- What is the lowest unemployment with advanced education recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.4% in 2024.
- How does European Union rank for unemployment with advanced education?
- European Union ranks 15th out of 19 groups with data for 2024.
- Is unemployment with advanced education rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is down 50.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this European Union 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 (% of total labor force with advanced education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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).