In 2024, around 6.2 percent of people aged 25 and older who had less than a high school diploma, were unemployed. After relatively high levels of unemployment across all education groups in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment levels have decreased in the subsequent years. The monthly unemployment rate in the U.S. can be accessed here and the unemployment rate for each U.S. state can be accessed here.

Since 2000, the estimated global employment-to-population ratio decreased more among youth between 15 and 24 years than among the rest of the adult population. Among the former group, the employment rate fell from ** percent in 2000 to an estimated ** percent by 2025, likely explained by an increasing number of young adults going into higher education. The estimated global employment rate in 2025 was ** percent.

Number of persons in the labour force (employment and unemployment) and not in the labour force, unemployment rate, participation rate, and employment rate, by educational degree, gender and age group, annual.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Bachelor's Degree, 20 to 24 years (CGBD2024) from Jan 2000 to Aug 2025 about 20 to 24 years, tertiary schooling, education, unemployment, rate, and USA.

Employment: % Working Age Population: Brazil: by Number of Year Studies: Higher Education: Completed data was reported at 76.400 % in Mar 2019. This records a decrease from the previous number of 77.200 % for Dec 2018. Employment: % Working Age Population: Brazil: by Number of Year Studies: Higher Education: Completed data is updated quarterly, averaging 78.600 % from Mar 2012 (Median) to Mar 2019, with 29 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 80.500 % in Sep 2012 and a record low of 76.400 % in Mar 2019. Employment: % Working Age Population: Brazil: by Number of Year Studies: Higher Education: Completed data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table BR.GBA042: Continuous National Household Sample Survey: Employment: % Working Age Population: by Number of Year Studies. It is the percentage of employed persons in the week of reference in relation to person at work age.

Brazil Employment: % Working Age Population: Central West: by Number of Year Studies: Higher Education: Incompleted data was reported at 65.800 % in Mar 2019. This records a decrease from the previous number of 67.600 % for Dec 2018. Brazil Employment: % Working Age Population: Central West: by Number of Year Studies: Higher Education: Incompleted data is updated quarterly, averaging 65.600 % from Mar 2012 (Median) to Mar 2019, with 29 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 69.200 % in Sep 2012 and a record low of 60.900 % in Mar 2016. Brazil Employment: % Working Age Population: Central West: by Number of Year Studies: Higher Education: Incompleted data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table BR.GBA042: Continuous National Household Sample Survey: Employment: % Working Age Population: by Number of Year Studies. It is the percentage of employed persons in the week of reference in relation to person at work age.

In an impressive increase from years past, 39 percent of women in the United States had completed four years or more of college in 2022. This figure is up from 3.8 percent of women in 1940. A significant increase can also be seen in males, with 36.2 percent of the U.S. male population having completed four years or more of college in 2022, up from 5.5 percent in 1940.

4- and 2-year colleges

In the United States, college students are able to choose between attending a 2-year postsecondary program and a 4-year postsecondary program. Generally, attending a 2-year program results in an Associate’s Degree, and 4-year programs result in a Bachelor’s Degree.

Many 2-year programs are designed so that attendees can transfer to a college or university offering a 4-year program upon completing their Associate’s. Completion of a 4-year program is the generally accepted standard for entry-level positions when looking for a job.

Earnings after college

Factors such as gender, degree achieved, and the level of postsecondary education can have an impact on employment and earnings later in life. Some Bachelor’s degrees continue to attract more male students than female, particularly in STEM fields, while liberal arts degrees such as education, languages and literatures, and communication tend to see higher female attendance.

All of these factors have an impact on earnings after college, and despite nearly the same rate of attendance within the American population between males and females, men with a Bachelor’s Degree continue to have higher weekly earnings on average than their female counterparts.

Unemployment rates of 25- to 29-year-olds, by educational attainment, Canada and jurisdictions. This table is included in Section E: Transitions and outcomes: Labour market outcomes of the Pan Canadian Education Indicators Program (PCEIP). PCEIP draws from a wide variety of data sources to provide information on the school-age population, elementary, secondary and postsecondary education, transitions, and labour market outcomes. The program presents indicators for all of Canada, the provinces, the territories, as well as selected international comparisons and comparisons over time. PCEIP is an ongoing initiative of the Canadian Education Statistics Council, a partnership between Statistics Canada and the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada that provides a set of statistical measures on education systems in Canada.

In 2022, about 37.7 percent of the U.S. population who were aged 25 and above had graduated from college or another higher education institution, a slight decline from 37.9 the previous year. However, this is a significant increase from 1960, when only 7.7 percent of the U.S. population had graduated from college. Demographics Educational attainment varies by gender, location, race, and age throughout the United States. Asian-American and Pacific Islanders had the highest level of education, on average, while Massachusetts and the District of Colombia are areas home to the highest rates of residents with a bachelor’s degree or higher. However, education levels are correlated with wealth. While public education is free up until the 12th grade, the cost of university is out of reach for many Americans, making social mobility increasingly difficult. Earnings White Americans with a professional degree earned the most money on average, compared to other educational levels and races. However, regardless of educational attainment, males typically earned far more on average compared to females. Despite the decreasing wage gap over the years in the country, it remains an issue to this day. Not only is there a large wage gap between males and females, but there is also a large income gap linked to race as well.

Brazil Working Age Population: Labour Force: Southeast: Unemployed: by Number of Year Studies: Higher Education: Completed data was reported at 764.000 Person th in Mar 2019. This records an increase from the previous number of 630.000 Person th for Dec 2018. Brazil Working Age Population: Labour Force: Southeast: Unemployed: by Number of Year Studies: Higher Education: Completed data is updated quarterly, averaging 422.000 Person th from Mar 2012 (Median) to Mar 2019, with 29 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 764.000 Person th in Mar 2019 and a record low of 241.000 Person th in Dec 2012. Brazil Working Age Population: Labour Force: Southeast: Unemployed: by Number of Year Studies: Higher Education: Completed data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table BR.GBA014: Continuous National Household Sample Survey: Working Age Population: Labour Force: Unemployed: by Number of Year Studies. [External Remarks] People without work (which generates income for the household), has taken action to seek employment during the reference period of 30 day and is available to work during the week of reference. Also people without work and who did not take action in order to find a job in 30 days reference period because had achieved work that would start after the reference week.

The unemployment rate for people ages 16 to 24 in the United States in 202024 23 was 10 percent. However, this rate was much lower for people aged 45 and over, at 2.9 percent. U.S. unemployment The unemployment rate in the United States varies based on several factors, such as race, gender, and level of education. Black and African-American individuals had the highest unemployment rate in 2021 out of any ethnicity, and people who had less than a high school diploma had the highest unemployment rate by education level. Alaska is consistently the state with the highest unemployment rate, although the El Centro, California metropolitan area was the area with the highest unemployment rate in the country in 2019. Additionally, in August 2022, farming, fishing, and forestry occupations had the highest unemployment rate in the United States Unemployment rate The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is the agency that researches and calculates the unemployment rate in the United States. Unemployment rises during recessions, which causes the cost of social welfare programs to increase. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says unemployed people are those who are jobless, have looked for employment within the last four weeks, and are free to work.

The folder 'population by educational attainment level (edat1)' presents data on the highest level of education successfully completed by the individuals of a given population.

The folder 'transition from education to work (edatt)' covers data on young people neither in employment nor in education and training – NEET, early leavers from education and training and the labour status of young people by years since completion of highest level of education.

The data shown are calculated as annual averages of quarterly EU Labour Force Survey data (EU-LFS).

Up to the reference year 2008, the data source (EU-LFS) is, where necessary, adjusted and enriched in various ways, in accordance with the specificities of an indicator, including the following:

• correction of the main breaks in the LFS series,
• estimation of the missing values, i.e. in case of missing quarters, annual results and EU aggregates are estimated using adjusted quarterly national labour force survey data or interpolations of the EU-LFS data with reference to the available quarter(s).

Details on the adjustments are available in CIRCABC.

The adjustments are applied in the following online tables:

• Population by educational attainment level (edat1)

- Population by educational attainment level, sex and age (%) - main indicators (edat_lfse_03)
- Population by educational attainment level, sex and NUTS 2 regions (%) (edat_lfse_04)

(Other tables shown in the folder 'population by educational attainment level (edat1)' are not adjusted and therefore the results in these tables might differ).

• Young people by educational and labour status (incl. neither in employment nor in education and training - NEET) (edatt0) – all tables
• Early leavers from education and training (edatt1) – all tables
• Labour status of young people by years since completion of highest level of education (edatt2) – all tables

LFS ad-hoc module data available in the folder 'transition from education to work (edatt)' are not adjusted.

The folder 'young people by educational and labour status (incl. neither in employment nor in education and training - NEET) (edatt0)' also presents one table with quarterly NEET data (lfsi_neet_q). Deviating from the NEET indicator calculation as provided in 3.4, the denominator in this table with quarterly data is the total population of the same age group and sex which explains differences in results. For further information, see the ESMS on 'LFS main indicators'.

Percentage of the population aged 25-64 who have successfully completed tertiary studies (e.g. university, higher technical institution, etc.), according to the EU Labour Force Survey. The attainment level refers to ISCED (International Standard Classification of Education) 2011 level 5-8 for data from 2014 onwards and to ISCED 1997 level 5-6 for data up to 2013.

This table contains data on the labour market position of graduates in higher education to: — graduating direction; — gender; — age; — origin grouping; — periods; — leveling moments.

Data available from: academic year 1999/'00. Frequency: stop it.

Status of the figures: These are definitive figures.

This table has been discontinued in connection with a redesign. Six Statline tables, three tables (on the labour market position, characteristics of employment and wages of employed graduates), each for two groups of graduates, are for the discontinued table replaced. See paragraph 3 for the links to the relevant tables. Status of the figures: These are definitive figures.

Changes compared to the previous version: This table has been discontinued.

Unemployment rate, participation rate, and employment rate by educational attainment, gender and age group, annual.

Labour force survey (LFS) Purpose and short description The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a socio-economic household sample survey. Its main objective is to classify the working age population (15 and older) into three groups (employed, unemployed and inactive persons) and to provide descriptive and explanatory data on every category. This survey is also carried out in the other EU Member States and is coordinated by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In Belgium, the LFS is organised by Statbel. The objective is to obtain comparable information at European level, in particular as regards employment and unemployment rates as defined by the International Labour Office (ILO), but also to collect and disseminate data that are otherwise not available, for example about the mobility of workers, the reasons for working part-time, the various forms of part-time employment, the occupation, the educational level of the working age population, ... . Survey population Members of private households aged 15 or older. Sample frame Demographic data from the National Register. Data collection method and sample size Data are collected through face-to-face interviews. Since 2017, there have been three (shorter) follow-up surveys to which households respond online or by telephone. Households with only inactive persons older than 64 can also be interviewed by telephone. Every year, around 47,000 households receive a letter asking them to take part in this survey. Response rate The response rate is above 75%. Periodicity Quarterly Release calendar Results availability: around 3 months after the end of the reference period. Forms Labour Force Survey 2020 (PDF, 541 Kb) Labour Force Survey 2021 (PDF, 1 Mb) Definitions Unemployed (ILO): According to the criteria of the International Labour Office, the unemployed include all people aged 15 years and over who: a) were without work during the reference week b) were available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment within two weeks after the reference week c) were actively seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps during the last four weeks including the reference week to seek paid employment or self-employment, or who had found a job to start within a maximum period of three months. Employed population (ILO): The employed comprise all people aged 15 and over who during the reference week performed some work for at least one hour for wage or salary, or for profit, or who had a job but were temporarily absent. For example, one can be temporarily absent for holidays, illness, technical or economic reasons (temporary unemployment),....Family workers are also included in the category ‘employed’. The employed are divided into three groups according to their professional status: Education level (3 classes): Low-skilled people are people who have at most a diploma of lower secondary education. Medium-skilled people are people who obtained a diploma of upper secondary education but not of higher education. Highly-skilled people have a diploma of higher education. Early leavers from education and training: the percentage of people aged 18 to 24 who did not complete upper secondary education and who is no longer involved in any form of education or training. Metadata Employment, unemployment, labour market (NL-FR) Labour force survey (LFS) (NL-FR) Survey methodology Modifications to the Labour Force Survey (LFS) in 2021 LFS: Methodological improvements to the Labour Force Survey 2017 (PDF, 99 Kb) LFS: Presentation of the survey until 2016 (NL-FR) LFS: Presentation of the survey from 2017 (NL-FR) Regulations Royal Decree of 10 January 1999 on the organisation of a labour force sample survey (NL-FR) Royal decree amending the royal decree of 10 January 1999 on the organisation of a labour force sample survey (NL-FR)

This Alberta Official Statistic describes the employment rates of persons aged 15 years and over by highest level of education for Alberta and Canada from 1990 to 2014. The educational classifications are '0-8 years', ‘some high school’, 'high school graduate', ‘some post-secondary’, 'post-secondary certificate or diploma', ‘bachelor’s degree’ and 'above bachelor’s degree'. Generally, persons with higher educational qualifications have higher employment rates than those with lower qualifications.

Graph and download economic data for Employment Level - Bachelor's Degree and Higher, 25 Yrs. & over (LNS12027662) from Jan 1992 to Aug 2025 about 25 years +, tertiary schooling, education, household survey, employment, and USA.

In 2022, Canada had the highest share of adults with a university degree, at over 60 percent of those between the ages of 25 and 64. India had the smallest share of people with a university degree, at 13 percent of the adult population. University around the world Deciding which university to attend can be a difficult decision for some and in today’s world, people are not left wanting for choice. There are thousands of universities around the world, with the highest number found in India and Indonesia. When picking which school to attend, some look to university rankings, where Harvard University in the United States consistently comes in on top. Moving on up One of the major perks of attending university is that it enables people to move up in the world. Getting a good education is generally seen as a giant step along the path to success and opens up doors for future employment. Future earnings potential can be determined by which university one attends, whether by the prestige of the university or the connections that have been made there. For instance, graduates from the Stanford Graduate School of Business can expect to earn around 250,000 U.S. dollars annually.