In 2014, 91.5% of the 2010 doctorate holders were employed and 7% were looking for a job. The situation was better for the 2008 doctorate holders: 93.3% were employed and 5.4% were looking for a job.
Employment is high in all areas, in particular among doctorate holders in mathematics and computer sciences, industrial and information engineering (more than 97% for the 2008 doctorate holders and more than 95% for the 2010 doctorate holders). Conversely, historical, philosophical, pedagogical and psychological sciences doctorate holders have a lower percentage (around 88 percent).
The share of doctorate holders employed in a fixed-term employment was 43.7% for the 2008 cohort and 53.1% for the 2010 cohort. These percentages have increased since the previous survey (2009), when 35.1% of the 2004 doctorate holders and 43.7% of the 2006 doctorate holders were employed in a fixed-term job.
Around 73.4% of the 2008 doctorate holders in employment and 74.4% of the 2010 doctorate holders in employment performed research and development activities in their job. A slight disadvantage for the female doctorate holders is recorded: 30.6% for the 2008 cohort and 29.0% for the 2010 cohort do not perform any R&D activity at all.
Job satisfaction was rated with a 7.2 score on a 0-10 scale. The work dimensions that receive the highest scores are ‘autonomy’ (with a score of 8) and ‘tasks performed’ (7.9 score); the dimensions with minimal scores are ‘career opportunities’ (5.3 score) and ‘job security’ (5.8 score). Satisfaction levels expressed by the female doctoral graduates on every job aspects are systematically lower than the ones stated by the males.
The median net monthly income of 2008 doctorate holders was 1,750 euros, while the income received by 2010 doctorate holders was slightly lower, 1,633 euros.
For information
Education, Training and Labour Division
Francesca Gallo
Email: gallo@istat.it
Ph. +39 06 4673 4749