The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) publishes Graduates Statistics once a year. A graduate is anyone whose highest certificate is a diploma or degree from a course of at least two years, at any age. The 2024 edition was released on 31 October 2025.
Graduate unemployment at a glance
- 2024 rate: 3.2% of graduates in the labour force were unemployed, 165,900 people.
- Since 2020: the rate fell 1.2 percentage points from 4.4%, with 22,500 fewer unemployed graduates.
- Young graduates: 16.7% of those aged 24 and under were unemployed, 13.5 percentage points above all graduates.
- Next update: Graduates Statistics 2025 is due on 5 November 2026.
Graduate unemployment since 2020
| Year | Graduates in the labour force | Unemployed | Unemployment rate | Degree | Diploma |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5,142,600 | 165,900 | 3.2% | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| 2023 | 4,923,100 | 167,300 | 3.4% | 3.3% | 3.6% |
| 2022 | 4,709,200 | 174,800 | 3.7% | 3.6% | 3.8% |
| 2021 | 4,463,900 | 185,200 | 4.1% | 4.0% | 4.3% |
| 2020 | 4,241,500 | 188,400 | 4.4% | 4.1% | 4.8% |
The rate has fallen every year since 2020, while the number of graduates in the labour force grew from 4,241,500 to 5,142,600.
- Degree holders: 3.1% in 2024, down from 4.1%.
- Diploma holders: 3.4% in 2024, down from 4.8%.
- Against everyone: Malaysia's overall unemployment rate was also 3.2% in 2024.
Unemployment by age
| Age | All graduates, 2024 | Degree, 2024 | Diploma, 2024 | All graduates, 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 and under | 16.7% | 20.5% | 14.8% | 16.7% |
| 25 to 34 | 3.8% | 4.6% | 2.7% | 5.6% |
| 35 to 44 | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.9% | 1.4% |
| 45 and over | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1.2% |
Unemployment is concentrated among the youngest graduates, most of whom have just finished their studies.
- 24 and under: 16.7%, the same as in 2020.
- Degree holders aged 24 and under: 20.5%, down from 23.2% in 2020.
- 25 to 34: 3.8%.
- 35 and over: below 1%.
Unemployment by sex
| All graduates | Degree | Diploma | Degree, 24 and under | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 3.0% | 2.4% | 3.7% | 17.3% |
| Women | 3.5% | 3.8% | 3.1% | 22.1% |
Women graduates had a higher rate than men, 3.5% against 3.0%. The gap is widest among young degree holders: 22.1% of women aged 24 and under against 17.3% of men.
Graduates in jobs below their skill level
DOSM counts a graduate as skill-related underemployed when they work in a semi-skilled or low-skilled job.
- All graduates: 32.2% of employed graduates, 1,600,400 people, in 2024.
- 24 and under: 66.0%.
- Degree holders: 21.0%.
- Diploma holders: 47.1%.
- Time-related underemployment: 0.8% worked under 30 hours a week and wanted more work.
The Higher Education Ministry's tracer study gives a different view: 92.3% of 2025 graduates in the labour force had a job at convocation. That survey counts any job, at any skill level.
What the figures cover
- Source: DOSM's Labour Force Survey, for people aged 15 and over whose highest certificate is a diploma or degree.
- Unemployed: did not work in the reference week and was looking for work, or was not looking for one of the reasons DOSM lists.
- All ages: the figures cover every graduate, not only recent ones. The age table is the closest guide to fresh graduates.
- Small samples: DOSM marks some age-group rates for use with caution.
Questions
What is the graduate unemployment rate in Malaysia?
3.2% in 2024, according to DOSM's Graduates Statistics 2024. 165,900 graduates were unemployed. The 2025 figures are due on 5 November 2026.
How many fresh graduates are unemployed in Malaysia?
DOSM does not publish a figure for fresh graduates as such. Among graduates aged 24 and under, 16.7% were unemployed in 2024, and 20.5% of degree holders in that age group.
Are degree or diploma holders more likely to be unemployed?
Diploma holders, slightly: 3.4% against 3.1% for degree holders in 2024. Among those aged 24 and under, degree holders had the higher rate, 20.5% against 14.8%.
How many graduates work in jobs below their qualification?
32.2% of employed graduates worked in semi-skilled or low-skilled jobs in 2024, and 66.0% of those aged 24 and under.
Related guides
Sources
DOSM Graduates Statistics 2024 and KPT Graduate Tracer Study 2025
- DOSM, Graduates Statistics 2024 Released 31 October 2025. Tables 1b (graduates by qualification and sex), 3a (unemployment rate by age) and 6i to 6j (skill-related underemployment), data workbook.
- KPT, Laporan Kajian Pengesanan Graduan 2025 Employment rate of 2025 graduates at convocation.
- DOSM, Advance Release Calendar, November 2026 Graduates Statistics 2025 due 5 November 2026.