PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia recorded 5.74 million graduates in 2023, reflecting a 4.2% increase, with over two-thirds employed in skilled occupations, according to the latest Graduates Statistics 2023 report.
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the positive economic and labour market environment throughout 2023 contributed to this growth, with graduates making up 22.3% of the working-age population aged 15 and above.
“Of the total graduates, 4.92 million were active in the labour force, translating to a graduate labour force participation rate of 85.7%.
“Degree holders comprised 54.4% (3.12 million), while diploma holders accounted for 45.6% (2.62 million).
“Year-on-year, the number of degree graduates in the labour force rose by 5.4%, while diploma holders increased by 3.5%, supported by improved employment opportunities and lower unemployment rates,” he said in a statement following the release of the report yesterday.
Graduates, as defined in the report, are individuals with the highest certificate obtained from universities, colleges, polytechnics, recognised bodies or their equivalent, with a study duration of at least two years.
Mohd Uzir added that employed graduates grew by 4.9% to 4.76 million in 2023, compared to 4.53 million in 2022, reflecting a healthier labour market.
Some 67.6% of employed graduates, or 3.21 million individuals, were in skilled occupations, with professionals making up the largest proportion (57.4%), followed by technicians and associate professionals (24.2%), and managers (18.5%).
“Graduates in semi-skilled roles represented 31.3% of employment (1.49 million), while those in low-skilled categories accounted for just 1.1% (51,800),” he said, Bernama reported.
By economic sector, the majority of graduates were employed in the services sector, comprising 77.5% of graduate employment (3.69 million).
This was followed by the manufacturing sector (13.4%; 637,900 graduates) and the construction sector (6.3%; 301,100 graduates).
The agriculture sector (1.7%; 83,000) and mining and quarrying sector (1.0%; 46,800) made up the remainder.
Touching on salaries and wages, Dr Mohd Uzir highlighted that higher earnings were recorded for graduates in 2023 compared to the previous year.
The median monthly salaries and wages for full-time equivalent principal occupations rose by 3.4% to RM4,409 (2022: RM4,265).
“All three skill categories experienced positive growth.
“Graduates in skilled occupations saw a 3.6% increase in median monthly salaries and wages, reaching RM5,663 (2022: RM5,467).
“Those in semi-skilled roles recorded a 4.3% increase to RM2,375 (2022: RM2,276), while the low-skilled category saw a 1.9% rise to RM1,915 (2022: RM1,880),” he said.
