Austria: Four Out of Five University Graduates Secure Employment After Graduation

Four out of five university students in Austria get hired two years after completing their degrees, according to the latest update of the Graduate Tracking (ATRACK), a mutual project of Statistics Austria and a consortium of higher education institutions in Austria led by the University of Vienna.

Only two percent of graduates from Austrian higher education institutions remain unemployed two years after completing education, Erudera.com reports.

“Graduates from higher education institutions in Austria have very good labor market opportunities. Two years after graduation, only two percent are affected by unemployment,” Statistics Austria Director General Tobias Thomas said.

In a press release issued on April 13, Statistics Austria noted that 45 percent of graduates in the country are considered hired at the time of graduation. The proportion of employed graduates one year after graduation is 81 percent, and the figure goes up to 82 percent two years after graduation.

Later, the number of employed graduates drops slightly, partly due to more women taking parental leave.

“While two years after graduation, six percent of them were on parental leave, the figure rises to almost 13 percent ten years later. At this time, only one percent of male graduates are on parental leave,” the press release reads.

The results show that the degree also pays off financially, and one year after completing their degrees, graduates in full-time jobs earn a gross monthly salary of about €3,100. In a more extended period – three years after graduation, the monthly income is around €3,400. It increases to €3,800 five years after graduation and to €4,600 after ten years.

The payment depends on the level of education, and it is higher for doctorates or PhDs who earn €4,400 a month. On the other hand, those with master’s degrees earn about €3,600 three years after graduation, while bachelor’s holders receive about €3,000 a month.

However, data have revealed a large gender pay gap in Austria, with women earning a median gross salary of around €3,100, compared to male graduates earning about €3,900. The press release states that this is a difference in wages of about 19 percent, and the proportion increases over time and accounts for 24 percent ten years after graduation.

There was also a difference in the proportion of men and women working full-time, with 89 percent of men working full-time jobs, compared to 78 percent of women. Ten years after degree completion, 89 percent of men continue to work full-time compared to only 53 percent of women.

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