Graduate Unemployment Falls to 11.9% Amid Rising National Rate
Stats SA's third-quarter 2026 labour survey shows graduate joblessness down quarter-on-quarter while overall unemployment climbs to 33.7%.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Employment
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Statistics South Africa reported an 11.9% unemployment rate for graduates in the third quarter of 2026, down 0.6 percentage points from the previous quarter. National unemployment rose from 31.9% in the third quarter of 2025 to 33.7% in the same quarter of 2026.
Why it matters
The graduate rate sits far below the national figure, while unemployment rose across all education levels over the year. Graduate employment remains a comparatively stronger position in a labour market under sustained pressure.
Statistics South Africa's Quarterly Labour Force Survey puts graduate unemployment at 11.9%, against a national rate of 33.7% and 39.2% for people without a matric qualification. The survey does not indicate what is driving the quarter-on-quarter fall in graduate joblessness.
The players
Statistics South Africa (Stats SA)
The national statistics agency that publishes the Quarterly Labour Force Survey used to track employment and unemployment across the country.
The details
The number of unemployed people rose by 571 000 over the year to about 8.58 million, while 16.84 million people were employed in the July to September 2026 period. Youth unemployment among people aged 15 to 24 stood at 63.6%.
Timeline
Third quarter 2025: national unemployment rate of 31.9%.
Second quarter 2026: comparison base for the graduate and matric-level figures.
July to September 2026: reference period of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey.
Labour Market Trend
Stats SA's Quarterly Labour Force Survey series shows national unemployment rising from 31.9% to 33.7% across the year to Q3 2026. The graduate figure moves against that broader trend, falling 0.6 percentage points in the latest quarter.
Job seekers with a degree face a considerably lower unemployment rate than those without a matric qualification, which stands at 39.2%. Households relying on a single income should weigh the rise in national joblessness against their own job security and savings.
The takeaway
Graduate unemployment improved this quarter, but the wider jobless total of about 8.58 million shows the labour market is still tightening for most workers. Tracking the next quarterly release will show whether the graduate gain holds.
Further reading
For more on how joblessness is measured across the country, see Employment coverage.
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