Average taxable income of young university graduates in Bulgaria reaches €1,625

The average taxable income of people who graduated from a Bulgarian university within the past five years has reached €1,625. The figure comes from the latest edition of the 2026 University Ranking System, presented today.

The earnings of young university graduates have nearly tripled over the past decade, rising from just €543 in 2016. In the past year alone, they increased by more than €200, or 15%, from €1,417 in 2025.

The data also show a record-high employment rate among university graduates in Bulgaria. “In 2026, only 13% of those who graduated within the past five years are not registered as insured in the country, compared with 25% in 2014,” Georgi Stoychev, Executive Director of the Open Society Institute, said during the presentation of the ranking system.

The unemployment rate among people who graduated from university within the past five years stands at just over 2%.

It was also reported that over the past decade, the share of international students in Bulgaria has nearly doubled, from 4.7% in 2016 to around 9% of all currently enrolled students in 2026. For another consecutive year, their share is highest in the field of Medicine, where 58% of students are from abroad. By this measure, Bulgaria is the clear European leader.

Edited by Miglena Ivanova