From course to career, anywhere in the world

Across the countries we cover, employees with tertiary education earn a median of +53% compared with all employees. The gap varies widely:

Degree premium: median monthly earnings of employees with advanced (tertiary) education compared with all employees. Source: ILOSTAT, latest year available.

• Software developer

  Software developers design, build, test and maintain the programs and apps that run on computers, phones, websites and machines.

  Degree often expected

• Nurse

  Registered nurses care for patients, give medicines and treatments, watch for changes in their condition and support them and their families.

  Degree usually needed · Licensed

• Doctor

  Doctors diagnose and treat illness and injury, help prevent disease and guide patients through their care.

  Degree required · Licensed

• Data scientist

  Data scientists use statistics, programming and machine learning to find patterns in data and help organisations make decisions or build data-driven products.

  Degree usually needed

• Accountant

  Accountants prepare, check and explain financial information so that organisations pay the right tax, follow the law and make better decisions.

  Degree usually needed

• Lawyer

  Lawyers advise people, businesses and governments on their legal rights and duties, draft legal documents and represent clients in negotiations and in court.

  Degree required · Licensed

• Clinical psychologist

  Clinical psychologists assess and treat mental health problems and emotional difficulties, such as depression, anxiety, trauma and eating disorders, mainly through psychological assessment and talking therapies.

  Degree required · Licensed

• Civil engineer

  Civil engineers plan, design and oversee the building and upkeep of roads, bridges, railways, tunnels, water systems, dams and large buildings.

  Degree required

• Computer science

  A computer science degree teaches how software, data and computer systems work, from programming and algorithms to networks and artificial intelligence.

  9 linked careers

• Business management

  A business management degree teaches how organisations are run, including strategy, marketing, finance, people management and operations.

  6 linked careers

• Psychology

  A psychology degree is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour: how people think, feel, learn, develop and relate to each other.

  6 linked careers

• Medicine

  A medicine degree trains you to diagnose, treat and prevent illness, combining medical science with supervised clinical work in hospitals and communities.

  4 linked careers

• Law

  A law degree teaches how legal systems work and how to find, interpret and apply the law, from contracts and crime to human rights.

  6 linked careers

• Nursing

  A nursing degree prepares you to care for patients and families in hospitals, clinics, homes and communities, combining health science with supervised practice on clinical placements.

  4 linked careers

• Economics

  An economics degree studies how people, businesses and governments make choices with limited resources, and how markets, money and policy affect jobs, prices and growth.

  6 linked careers

• Mechanical engineering

  A mechanical engineering degree teaches how to design, analyse and make machines and systems that move or use energy, from engines and robots to medical devices and power plants.

  5 linked careers

• Australia

  +28%
  more for tertiary-educated employees (2021)

  East Asia and Pacific

• Canada

  +14%
  more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)

  North America

• France

  +25%
  more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)

  Europe and Central Asia

• Germany

  +42%
  more for tertiary-educated employees (2022)

  Europe and Central Asia

• Ireland

  +26%
  more for tertiary-educated employees (2021)

  Europe and Central Asia

• Italy

  +21%
  more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)

  Europe and Central Asia

• Japan

  2.4%
  unemployment, tertiary-educated adults (2020)

  East Asia and Pacific

• Malaysia

  2.2%
  unemployment, tertiary-educated adults (2022)

  East Asia and Pacific

• How to choose a degree: a step-by-step guide

  How to choose a university degree: match subjects to careers, keep your options open, compare programmes and avoid common mistakes, wherever you live.

• Is university worth it? Earnings, jobs and costs compared

  Is a degree worth it? Official data on graduate earnings and unemployment worldwide, what a degree really costs, and when other routes make more sense.

• Highest-paying degrees and careers: what the official data shows

  Which degrees and careers pay the most? Official US, UK and worldwide pay data, what drives high salaries, and the trade-offs behind the best-paid jobs.

• How to study abroad: a step-by-step guide for international students

  How to study abroad: when to start, choosing a country, applications, costs and scholarships, student visas and making sure your degree is recognised.