One year after finishing an Italian doctorate, 94.1 per cent of graduates are employed, according to an AlmaLaurea survey presented at the University of Trento. That figure sits 2.9 percentage points higher than the 2024 rate and marks the peak of a time series dating back to 2019, when employment stood at 89 per cent.
Employment Outcomes Reach Highs Across Italian Universities
The AlmaLaurea report comprises two documents covering nearly 9,500 PhD graduates from 2025 across 50 universities, alongside a survey of nearly 9,000 graduates from 2024 contacted one year after completion. University of Trento Rector Flavio Deflorian, AlmaLaurea President Ivano Dionigi, and Director Marina Timoteo detailed the findings during an October 15 presentation. For doctoral recipients who completed their studies in 2022 and were tracked three years later, the employment rate reaches 97 per cent. Almost all subject areas exceed 95 per cent employment in that cohort, with the exception of humanities graduates, who sit slightly below the average at 93.9 per cent.
Public and Private Sectors Drive Demand for STEM Roles
Demand centers heavily on public and private sector roles, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. While master’s degree holders typically require five years to reach comparable employment levels, doctorate holders achieve peak rates after one year. Despite these high employment milestones, lower domestic salaries compared to those working across the border continue to drive many graduates to seek opportunities abroad.
Frequently Asked Questions About Italian PhD Career Paths
How many universities participated in the AlmaLaurea survey?
The career path survey covered nearly 9,500 PhD graduates across 50 universities, while the employment outcome survey tracked nearly 9,000 graduates across 64 universities.
What was the response rate for the 2025 survey?
The survey tracking graduates one year after completion achieved a response rate of 80.9 per cent from a cohort of nearly 9,000 PhD recipients.
How do humanities employment rates compare to other disciplines?
Humanities graduates tracked three years post-qualification record an employment rate of 93.9 per cent, which sits slightly below the overall 97 per cent average for that specific cohort.
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