The impact of a university degree on finding a job varies significantly by country in Europe
Eurostat data shows that unemployment among university graduates is very low in Central and Eastern Europe, while it remains high in Turkey and some Balkan countries.
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Although a university degree is still seen as a significant advantage for entering the job market in Europe, the strength of this advantage varies significantly from country to country. An analysis based on Eurostat data has revealed a clear divergence across Europe in unemployment rates for higher education graduates.
Countries with the lowest unemployment among higher education graduates aged 25-54 are concentrated in Central and Eastern Europe. In Romania, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Bulgaria, the unemployment rate in this group remains below 1.5 percent.
In contrast, unemployment among university graduates in North Macedonia, Turkey, and Bosnia and Herzegovina is around 7 percent. Within the European Union, the highest rate is recorded in Greece at approximately 6 percent.
In France and Spain, the picture for higher education graduates also remains above the EU average. While the average unemployment rate for university graduates in the 25-54 age group in the EU is 3.6 percent, the rate in Italy and Germany is around 3 percent.
SPAIN STANDS OUT IN GENERAL UNEMPLOYMENT
There are also wide differences within Europe regarding general unemployment rates. Despite growth in its economy, Spain has one of the highest levels in the EU with an unemployment rate of over 9 percent in the 25-54 age group. This rate is also above the 8.7 percent level in Serbia and the 7.5 percent level in Turkey.
While the EU average for the same age group is calculated at 5.4 percent, Italy at 6.6 percent and France at 6.1 percent are above the average. The Czech Republic, Malta, Poland, and the Netherlands are among the countries with the lowest unemployment, with rates below 3 percent.
NEET data, which shows the connection of young people to education and employment, also shows similar differences. In the EU, 11 percent of young people aged 15-29 are not in education, employment, or training. While this rate is below 5 percent in the Netherlands, it rises to 19 percent in Romania.
Over the last 10 years, the NEET rate across the EU has declined by more than 4 percentage points. The largest decreases were recorded in Italy with 12 points and in Greece with 10 points. Conversely, a limited increase was observed in the rate of young people remaining outside the labor force in Germany, Luxembourg, and Austria.