Unemployment with advanced education in South Africa
South Africa: Unemployment with advanced education was 12.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Unemployment with advanced education in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total labor force with advanced education.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment with advanced education in South Africa is 12.8%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 2.4% on the previous year and up 54.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment with advanced education in South Africa peaked at 14.8% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 3.4%, in 2007.
South Africa ranks 12th of 130 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Unemployment with advanced education in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force with advanced education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 5.9% | — |
| 2001 | 6.8% | +16.5% |
| 2002 | 6.0% | -12.6% |
| 2003 | 5.4% | -9.6% |
| 2004 | 4.3% | -20.1% |
| 2005 | 3.7% | -13.4% |
| 2006 | 3.5% | -5.6% |
| 2007 | 3.4% | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 5.9% | +72.1% |
| 2009 | 6.0% | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 6.9% | +14.7% |
| 2011 | 6.6% | -4.4% |
| 2013 | 7.4% | +13.3% |
| 2014 | 8.2% | +11.0% |
| 2015 | 8.9% | +7.6% |
| 2016 | 10.2% | +14.9% |
| 2017 | 9.8% | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 9.5% | -3.2% |
| 2019 | 10.8% | +14.3% |
| 2020 | 11.8% | +8.9% |
| 2021 | 14.8% | +25.2% |
| 2022 | 14.2% | -3.7% |
| 2023 | 13.1% | -8.1% |
| 2024 | 12.8% | -2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5.1% | 3.4% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.7% | 6.6% | 10.8% | 9 |
| 2020s | 13.3% | 11.8% | 14.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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 in South Africa?
- Unemployment with advanced education in South Africa was 12.8% in 2024, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment with advanced education recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 14.8% in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment with advanced education recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.4% in 2007.
- How does South Africa rank for unemployment with advanced education?
- South Africa ranks 12th out of 130 countries with data for 2024.
- Is unemployment with advanced education rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 54.8%. 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 (% of total labor force with advanced education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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).