Over-qualification rates by economic activity in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Over-qualification rates by economic activity was 25.3% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
25.3%
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
7th
of 45 countries
All-time high
25.7%
in 2015
All-time low
23.0%
in 2008
Years of data
12
2008–2019

Over-qualification rates by economic activity in United Kingdom, 2008–2019

01020302008201320192008: 23 Percentage2009: 23.4 Percentage2010: 24.8 Percentage2011: 24.1 Percentage2012: 24 Percentage2013: 24.5 Percentage2014: 24.9 Percentage2015: 25.7 Percentage2016: 25.7 Percentage2017: 25.7 Percentage2018: 25.6 Percentage2019: 25.3 Percentage

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.

Analysis

United Kingdom recorded 25.3% for over-qualification rates by economic activity in 2019.

The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and up 8.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, over-qualification rates by economic activity in United Kingdom peaked at 25.7% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 23.0%, in 2008.

That places United Kingdom 7th out of 45 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.

Over-qualification rates by economic activity in United Kingdom, year by year

Annual values for Over-qualification rates by economic activity (NACE Rev. 2) in United Kingdom, 2008 to 2019.
Year Percentage Change
2008 23.0% —
2009 23.4% +1.7%
2010 24.8% +6.0%
2011 24.1% -2.8%
2012 24.0% -0.4%
2013 24.5% +2.1%
2014 24.9% +1.6%
2015 25.7% +3.2%
2016 25.7% +0.0%
2017 25.7% +0.0%
2018 25.6% -0.4%
2019 25.3% -1.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 23.2% 23.0% 23.4% 2
2010s 25.0% 24.0% 25.7% 10

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 4 Cyprus 27.4% compare
  2. 5 Ireland 27.1% compare
  3. 6 Austria 26.0% compare
  4. 7 United Kingdom 25.3% compare
  5. 9 Estonia 24.4% compare
  6. 9 Estonia 24.4% compare

See the full ranking of 47 places →

More economy & growth data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is over-qualification rates by economic activity in United Kingdom?
Over-qualification rates by economic activity in United Kingdom was 25.3% in 2019, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest over-qualification rates by economic activity recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 25.7% in 2015.
What is the lowest over-qualification rates by economic activity recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 23.0% in 2008.
How does United Kingdom rank for over-qualification rates by economic activity?
United Kingdom ranks 7th out of 45 countries with data for 2019.
Is over-qualification rates by economic activity rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Over-qualification rates by economic activity (NACE Rev. 2). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Over-qualification rates by economic activity in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 28 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/over-qualification-rates-by-economic-activity-nace-rev-2/united-kingdom-2/

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About this data

Indicator
Over-qualification rates by economic activity (NACE Rev. 2)
Unit
Percentage
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
47 places, 809 data points, 2008–2025
Last refreshed