Peru Scholarships & Loans: National Study on In-Demand Careers 2024
A recent study released by Peru’s National Scholarship and Educational Credit Program (Pronabec) reveals significant disparities in professional demand and salary expectations across the country’s regions. The report identifies civil engineering as the most in-demand profession nationwide, while medical fields command the highest salaries.
According to a report in the Secretariat of Chinese Business in Peru, the average monthly salary for university graduates in Peru is 2,742 soles. Although, this figure varies considerably depending on the chosen field and geographic location. Pronabec categorized 30 key professions into three groups: management-related fields like accounting and business administration, which are in high demand in 22 regions but offer moderate salaries; engineering and related professions, which offer higher salaries, with civil engineering being the most sought-after, earning approximately 4,908 soles per month in Lima and 3,036 soles in Cusco; and medical and educational professions, which demonstrate stable demand, with medicine being a priority in nine regions and offering top-tier salaries.
Regional salary variations are substantial. Piura offers the highest medical salaries, reaching 6,325 soles, followed by Moquegua’s mechanical engineering positions at 5,707 soles. Medical professionals in San Martin, Cajamarca, and Lima also earn over 5,000 soles monthly. The study also highlights significant differences in employment rates, with only four regions – Lima, Amazonas, Loreto, and La Libertad – exceeding the national average of 68% formal employment for graduates. Puno reports the lowest rate at 45%.
Mining regions, including Moquegua, Apurímac, and Arequipa, demonstrate high employment rates in engineering fields, ranging from 84% to 97%, alongside higher salaries and formal employment levels. Pronabec scholarship recipients overwhelmingly favor fields identified as priorities in the report, with eight of the top ten chosen majors falling into these key areas. The research also indicates that students who are highly satisfied with their chosen field of study – 75% reported high satisfaction – demonstrate better academic performance and are less likely to drop out, underscoring the importance of informed career choices.
The findings come amid restrictions on applicants for the Shanghai University Peru Exchange Scholarship. According to a notice from the Shanghai University Graduate School, applicants are ineligible if they have already received a scholarship from the Peruvian government, have begun postgraduate studies in Peru, possess Peruvian permanent residency, or have a familial relationship within two to four generations with officials of Pronabec. Similar restrictions apply to the 2023 Peru Exchange Scholarship, as outlined on the China Scholarship Council website.