- Youth unemployment
- 9.9 % · Sep 2026
- Recent-grad employment
- 85.4 % · 2025
- Average wage (PPP)
- 86,977 US$ PPP · 2025
- Price level
- 100 USA = 100 · 2025
- Housing squeeze
- 110 index · Q2 2026
Jobs & cost of living · United States
For recent grads: how easy it is to find work, how good the jobs are, what they pay and what life costs.
Grad view
Beveridge curve: how hard is it to find a job?
quarterly unemployment rate (x) vs job vacancy rate (y), since 2010 · up and left = tighter market, easier to get hired| Latest | US |
|---|---|
| Unemployment rate % | 4.2Sep 2026 |
| Youth unemployment, 15–24 % | 9.9Sep 2026 |
| Unemployment, 25–29 % | 8.0Sep 2026 |
| Unemployment with a degree % | 2.6Sep 2026 |
| Job vacancy rate % | 4.3Aug 2026 |
| Job openings per unemployed person ratio | 1.01Aug 2026 |
| Long-term unemployed (1 year +) % of unemployed | 13.82025 |
| Quits rate % | 1.9Aug 2026 |
| Employment rate, tertiary-educated 25–34 % | 85.42025 |
| Not in employment, education or training (NEET) % | 11.62025 |
| Graduate earnings premium index | 1662024 |
| Temporary contracts % | 4.32023 |
| Temporary contracts, 15–24 % | 12.92023 |
| Part-time work % | 26.92025 |
| Hours worked per worker, per year hours | 1,8002025 |
| Average annual wage US$ PPP | 86,9772025 |
| Median full-time wage (approx.) US$ PPP | 62,6082025 |
| Real wage growth % | 1.72025 |
| Minimum wage, hourly US$ PPP | 7.252025 |
| Minimum wage vs median wage % of median | 24.12025 |
| Minimum wage, monthly (EU) PPS | 834H2 2026 |
| Price level of household consumption USA = 100 | 1002025 |
| Price level now (OECD, monthly) USA = 100 | 100Aug 2026 |
| Price level of household consumption (EU27 = 100) EU27 = 100 | 1492024 |
| Big Mac price US$ | 6.22H2 2026 |
| House price-to-income index | 110Q2 2026 |
| House price-to-rent index | 130Q4 2024 |
| Rents Index 2015=100 | 149Q4 2024 |
Unemployment
Unemployment rate
monthly where available · %Youth unemployment, 15–24
US 16–24 · %Unemployment, 25–29
CW 25–34 · US 20–24 · %Unemployment with a degree
advanced education · US bachelor’s, 25–34 · %Finding a job
Job vacancy rate
vacancies ÷ (jobs + vacancies) · US JOLTS openings rate · %Job openings per unemployed person
above 1 = more openings than jobseekers · ratioLong-term unemployed (1 year +)
share of the unemployed · % of unemployedQuits rate
people leaving their job voluntarily, a sign of confidence (JOLTS) · %Graduates
Employment rate, tertiary-educated 25–34
%Not in employment, education or training (NEET)
EU 15–29 · elsewhere 15–24 · %Graduate earnings premium
full-time earnings of tertiary-educated 25–34s, upper secondary = 100 · indexJob quality
Temporary contracts
share of employees · %Temporary contracts, 15–24
%Part-time work
share of employment · %Hours worked per worker, per year
hoursWages
Average annual wage
full-time equivalent, constant prices, PPP · US$ PPPMedian full-time wage (approx.)
real minimum wage ÷ minimum-to-median ratio, PPP · US$ PPPReal wage growth
yearly change of the average wage after inflation · %Minimum wage, hourly
constant prices, PPP · US$ PPPMinimum wage vs median wage
% of medianMinimum wage, monthly (EU)
purchasing power standards · PPSCost of living
Price level of household consumption
how expensive life is at market exchange rates, USA = 100 · USA = 100Price level now (OECD, monthly)
comparative price level, USA = 100 · USA = 100Price level of household consumption (EU27 = 100)
EU27 = 100Big Mac price
NL and EU: euro-area average · US$Housing
House price-to-income
vs its own long-term average (= 100) · indexHouse price-to-rent
vs its own long-term average (= 100) · indexRents
Index 2015=100Not available for United States: Employment rate of recent graduates, Very long hours (50 h + a week), Usual weekly hours, full-time job, Price level: food (EU27 = 100), Price level: housing, water, energy (EU27 = 100), Price level: transport (EU27 = 100), Price level: restaurants and hotels (EU27 = 100), Housing cost overburden, aged 25–29, Still living with their parents, 25–29.