January 7, 2026

Data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) once again revealed the direct relationship between education level and participation in economic life.

The labor force statistics for the third quarter of 2025 announced by TurkStat demonstrated the decisive role of diplomas in the business world. The data prove that as the level of education rises, labor force participation rates increase steadily and significantly.

According to the TurkStat report, the most active group in the labor market by a wide margin was higher education graduates. The labor force participation rate of higher education graduates was recorded at 76.9 percent.

Higher education graduates were followed by vocational and technical high school graduates with a rate of 67.1 percent, and by general high school graduates with a rate of 57 percent. Among those with less than a high school education, this rate remained at 45.8 percent, while it was only 17.6 percent among those who are illiterate.

Commenting on the figures, President of the Council of Higher Education, Erol Özvar, stated that the picture supports the employment-oriented vision of higher education, saying: “As education levels increase, labor force participation and employment rates rise in parallel. Higher education is the most important instrument that strengthens not only individuals’ academic competencies but also their capacity to integrate into the economic system.”