This article will cover the 30 countries with the highest percentage of college graduates. This article will cover popular degree choices amongst college graduates and navigate through the major players in the industry. If you want to skip our analysis, go directly to the 5 Countries With The Highest Percentage of College Graduates.
The Future of College Graduates
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of unemployed people with a bachelor’s degree or higher in the United States as of July 2023 is 1,295,00o, with a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 2.0%. To excel, more than just a strong academic record is needed by students. With increasing competition and a faltering job market, college students must go above and beyond in their academic journey to bag a decent job when they graduate. Taking up summer internships, participating in volunteering activities, and taking courses outside of the degree are common measures students take to build a good profile.
Most students engage in summer jobs to build a portfolio before they graduate. Popular summer jobs include the Walt Disney Co (NYSE:DIS) Store Sales Associate, Walt Disney Co (NYSE:DIS) workroom manager. Notable companies offering summer jobs include Six Flags Entertainment Corp (NYSE:SIX) and SeaWorld Entertainment Inc (NYSE:SEAS).
While the future may seem bleak to college graduates, the job market dynamics have shifted entirely. According to a report by Grand View Research, as of 2022, the global freelancing market was valued at $4.39 billion. The global freelancing market is expected to reach a valuation of $14.39 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.5%. Currently, North America dominates the freelancing market. However, Europe is next in line to become the largest freelancing market by 2030. In the coming years, the European market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.6 from 2023 to 2030. The Asia Pacific is also one of the fastest-growing markets for freelancers. The freelancer market in the Asia Pacific is expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17% from 2023 to 2030. The European and Asian markets for freelancing are primarily fueled by the incidence of remote work, advancements in technology, and growing standards of living.
Popular companies providing a range of freelancing opportunities include Upwork Inc. (NASDAQ:UPWK), Fiverr International Ltd. (NYSE:FVRR), and Freelancer Limited (OTC:FLNCF). Upwork Inc. (NASDAQ:UPWK) leads the way with its generative AI technology. On June 29, Fortune reported how Upwork Inc. (NASDAQ:UPWK) integrated AI into its system. Upwork Inc.’s (NASDAQ:UPWK) AI-powered talent matching tool enables the system to match freelancers with clients based on their skills, experience, and average expected pay. Upwork Inc. (NASDAQ:UPWK) also owns an AI-powered fraud detection tool. This tool prevents freelancers and clients from committing any fraudulent activities.
The Student Loan Scene For College Students
Acquiring a credible university or college degree is daunting for most students. The financial burden of studying in a for-profit university may hinder students from gaining their desired degree. However, on May 19, Forbes reported that the United States Department of Education implemented a new policy measure, Gainful Employment (GE), protecting students from enrolling in a for-profit organization with low graduation rates and a high debt-to-earnings ratio. As per the law, a student’s loan for education must not be higher than 8% of their annual earnings. Also check out the 15 Biggest Endowments in the US and Their Investments.
There may be better financial decisions than acquiring student loans for some students. However, some third-party organizations offer student loans with student-friendly policies at significantly low-interest rates. Notable companies offering student loans include Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:CFG), SoFi Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:SOFI), and The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE:PNC).
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:CFG) offers graduate and undergraduate students a range of private student loans. Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:CFG) offers loans that usually last for almost 5 to 20 years, with an approximate value of $1000 to $750,000.
SoFi Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:SOFI) offers private loans to college students, graduate students, and students going to law, business, or medical school. SoFi Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:SOFI) is known for its low-interest rates on most student loans. The applicant must demonstrate a strong academic record to acquire a student loan.
PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE:PNC) offers student loans to graduate and undergraduate students at fixed and variable interest rates. The average term length for the loans ranges from 5 years to 20 years. PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE:PNC) offers special loans to students in the healthcare industry.
A college degree is essential to acclaim an upward trajectory in your career, in fact, it is one of the first steps. A college degree not only benefits the individual, but it brings heaps of economic return and reward for the economy. Let’s now move to discuss some countries with the highest percentage of college graduates.
Photo by Alvaro Reyes on Unsplash
Our Methodology
We acquired data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to rank the 30 countries with the highest percentage of college graduates. We sourced the percentage of the population with tertiary education. While we had data available for people between the ages of 25-64, we applied filters to acquire data for people between the ages of 24-34 to make it more relevant to our segment of college graduates. The ranking is displayed in ascending order of the respective percentages of population with tertiary education for each country.
30 Countries With The Highest Percentage of College Graduates.
30. Finland
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 40.06%
With 40.06% of its young population with tertiary education, Finland ranks amongst the 30 countries with the highest percentage of college graduates. Popular fields of study in Finland include Information Technology Engineering, Media Engineering, Business Studies, and Electronics Engineering.
If you are looking to study at a top-ranked university, acquiring a low-cost student loan could be the solution to your financial constraints. Notable companies offering student loans include Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:CFG), SoFi Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:SOFI), and The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE:PNC).
29. Chile
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 40.51%
Chile is amongst the 30 countries with the highest percentage of graduates. Chile is a popular destination for international students and is home to one of the best universities. Chile is famous for its courses in architecture, education, social policy, art, design, law, and agriculture.
28. Poland
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 40.64%
Poland is a popular destination for students to study because of the vast range of scholarships they offer to international students. Popular fields include Computer Science, psychology, business management, medicine, and law.
27. Iceland
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 41.92%
With 41.92% of its young population with tertiary education, Iceland ranks amongst the 30 countries with the highest percentage of college graduates. Popular fields of study in Iceland include environmental science and international studies.
26. Austria
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 42.44%
Austria is among the 30 countries with the highest percentage of college graduates. Common fields of study include courses in humanities, law, communication, history, and language studies.
25. Estonia
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 43.18%
Estonia is a popular destination for students interested in studying technology and science. With 43.18% of its young population with tertiary education, Estonia is amongst the 30 countries with the highest percentage of college graduates.
24. Greece
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 44.18%
Greece ranks among the 30 countries with the highest college graduates. Popular fields of study include courses in business, engineering, natural sciences, and the social sciences.
23. New Zealand
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 45.32%
With 45.32% of its young population with tertiary education, New Zealand ranks amongst the 30 countries with the highest percentage of college graduates. Popular fields of study include courses in Animation, Engineering, medicine, and business studies.
22. Latvia
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 45.5%
Latvia is popular for its degrees in the fields of marketing, business, design agriculture, and political science. With 45.5% of its young population with tertiary education, Latvia ranks amongst the 30 countries with the highest percentage of college graduates.
21. Israel
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 46.01%
Israel is among the 30 countries with the highest percentage of college graduates. Popular fields of study include courses in business studies, design studies, economics, engineering studies, and humanities.
20. Portugal
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 47.45%
Portugal is a popular destination for international students because of the low tuition fee and scholarships available. Common degree choices include courses in economics, business, finance, and information technology.
19. Slovenia
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 47.95%
Popular fields of study in Slovenia include biology, biochemistry, clinical medicine, engineering, and environmental sciences. With 47.05% of its young population with tertiary education, Slovenia ranks among the 30 countries with the highest percentage of college graduates.
18. Spain
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 48.73%
Spain is known for its vast range of scholarships offered to students looking for tertiary education in the country. Popular fields of study include courses in business, engineering, and art and design.
17. Denmark
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 49.04%
With 49.94% of its young population with tertiary education, Denmark ranks amongst the 30 countries with the highest percentage of college graduates. Popular fields of study include courses in computer sciences, business studies, architecture, and engineering.
16. Sweden
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 49.22%
Swedish universities are among the top-ranked universities in the world. While it may be expensive to pursue a degree in Sweden, most universities offer generous scholarships to students. Popular fields of study include courses in computer science, economics, environmental studies, and international relations.
15. France
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 50.26%
France is a popular destination for international students because of the significantly lower tuition fee. With 50.26% of its young population with tertiary education, France ranks amongst the 30 countries with the highest percentage of college graduates.
14. Belgium
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 50.87%
Belgium is known for its investment in technological advancements and is home to some of the best universities in the world. With 60.87% of its young population with tertiary education, Belgium ranks amongst the 30 countries with the highest percentage of college graduates.
13. United States
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 51.17%
The United States has always been one of the most popular destinations for students from all over the world to study. With vast opportunities for career advancements, most people want to earn a degree and build a career in the United States. Popular fields of study include courses in the natural sciences, information technology, computer science, and engineering.
12. Switzerland
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 52.27%
With 52.27% of its young population with tertiary education, Switzerland ranks amongst the 30 countries with the highest percentage of college graduates. Popular fields of study include courses in engineering, computer science, chemistry, civil engineering, business, and law.
11. Australia
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 54.31%
Australia is known for its vast range of degrees and courses for every level of education. Popular fields of study include courses in business, engineering, psychology, and architecture.
10. Norway
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 55.03%
With 55.03% of its young population with tertiary education, Norway ranks amongst the 30 countries with the highest percentage of college graduates. Common fields of study include biology, marketing, entrepreneurship, law, international environment, and development studies.
9. Netherlands
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 55.60%
The Netherlands is known for its highly-ranked degree programs in business, management, and marketing. With 55.60% of its young population with tertiary education, the Netherlands ranks amongst the 30 countries with the highest percentage of college graduates.
8. United Kingdom
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 57.47%
The United Kingdom is home to one of the oldest and most popular universities in the world. Some of the notable names include Oxford University, Cambridge University, and the London School of Economics. With 57.47% of its young population with tertiary education, the United Kingdom ranks among the 30 countries with the highest percentage of college graduates.
7. Lithuania
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 57.48%
Lithuania is among the 30 countries with the highest percentage of graduates. Popular fields of study include degrees in business, engineering, law, and medicine.
6. Russia
Percentage of Population with Tertiary Education: 62.09%
With 62.09% of its young population with tertiary education, Russia ranks among the 30 countries with the highest percentage of college graduates. Popular degrees in Russia include degrees in physics, engineering, medicine, and psychology.
Some notable companies that can help you finance your degree include Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:CFG), SoFi Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:SOFI), and The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE:PNC).
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Disclosure: None. 30 Countries With The Highest Percentage of College Graduates is originally published on Insider Monkey.