PhD in Italy in 2026: ISTAT Data Reveals 96% Employability

Italy offers one of the most traditional and recognized academic environments in Europe. For Brazilians considering a PhD in the country — or those who already hold a doctoral degree and wish to work professionally in Italy — the data recently published by ISTAT (Istituto Nazionale di Statistica) in March 2026 provides an extremely revealing overview of the real career prospects for PhD holders.

In this guide, we analyze the main indicators from the survey "L'Inserimento Professionale dei Dottori di Ricerca — Anno 2025" (The Professional Integration of Research Doctors — Year 2025), contextualizing the data for the Brazilian public interested in academic and professional opportunities in Italy.

1. The Current Scenario: 96% Employability Among PhDs in Italy

The most impactful data from the ISTAT report is the 96.1% employability rate among research doctors who obtained their degree from Italian universities. This figure covers both those who completed their PhD in 2019 (evaluated 6 years later) and those from 2021 (evaluated 4 years later).

This index represents an increase of 2.3 percentage points compared to the previous 2018 survey, when the rate was 93.8%. To put this in context, the general employment rate in Italy for the population aged 15 to 64 is only 62.2% — meaning research doctors have an employability rate 34 percentage points above the national average.

2. Italy in the European Context: Few PhDs, High Demand

A crucial aspect for Brazilians evaluating an Italian PhD is Italy's relative positioning in Europe. With only 0.4% of PhDs in the total population, Italy ranks 22nd among the 27 European Union countries. The European average is 0.8%, with Germany leading at 1.4%, followed by Spain (0.9%) and France (0.7%).

This structural deficit creates a significant window of opportunity for highly qualified professionals, including Brazilians who wish to complement their education or enter the Italian market with a doctoral degree.

Every year, approximately 8,000 people obtain a PhD in Italy — a number that, although it has grown following PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) investments, is still insufficient to meet the demand of the qualified labor market.

3. Disciplinary Areas: Where the Best Opportunities Are

The ISTAT survey reveals significant differences between disciplinary areas in terms of employability, professional satisfaction, and compensation. This data is fundamental for Brazilians choosing a PhD field or planning their career in Italy.

3.1. STEM Areas: The Most Promising

The majority of PhDs (52.6%) are concentrated in STEM areas (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), with highlights in the Scientific group (28.1% of the total) and Industrial and Information Engineering (15.5%). These areas feature:

• Higher private sector integration: 43.6% of STEM PhDs work in the private sector, with industry as the main employer (38.4%)
• Better PhD evaluation: 72.2% of PhDs in Informatics and ICT Technologies and 68.0% in Industrial Engineering would take the same course again
• Maximum employability rate: the Economics group reaches 98.8%, followed by STEM areas with rates consistently above 96%
• Higher R&D involvement: 81.2% of men and almost 75% of women in STEM areas perform research and development activities

3.2. Health and Agro-veterinary Sciences

Representing 18.2% of PhDs, this area shows a strong link with the public sector (about 70% of those employed) and a high employment rate, particularly in the Health and social services sector, where 61.7% of PhDs work.

3.3. Arts and Humanities

With 12.4% of PhDs, these areas show the lowest relative employability rate (89.5% for the Art and Design group) and the highest concentration in the public sector (almost 80%). Despite rates still being high compared to the national average, PhDs in these areas are the least satisfied with career prospects.

4. The International Factor: Mobility and Foreign Presence

For Brazilians, one of the most encouraging pieces of data from the survey is the significant growth of foreign presence in Italian PhD programs. Among 2021 PhD graduates, 12.3% are foreigners — a proportion nearly three times higher than that recorded among undergraduates (4.6%) and double that observed among high school graduates (6%).

Furthermore, 5.7% of 2021 PhDs completed their entire university education abroad before entering a PhD in Italy, demonstrating that Italian universities are increasingly receptive to international candidates.

4.1. International Mobility During the PhD

International training periods during the PhD are becoming increasingly common: 53.2% of PhDs from the 2019 and 2021 cohorts completed at least one study period abroad, with an average duration of approximately six months. This rate grew significantly from the 43.1% level recorded for the 2012 and 2014 cohorts.

This data is particularly relevant because PhDs who completed training periods abroad tend to have better professional prospects: 14.1% of them live abroad after their PhD, compared to only 5.4% of those who did not have international experience.

4.2. Where PhDs Who Leave Italy Work

Of the PhDs living abroad in 2025, the main destinations are:

• Germany: 13.7%
• United States: 13.2%
• France: 11.8%
• Switzerland: 11.5%
• United Kingdom: 10.2% (a significant drop from 21.2% in 2018, due to the impact of Brexit)

5. Salaries and Compensation: The Difference Between Italy and Abroad

One of the most revealing findings of the survey concerns the salary difference between PhDs working in Italy and abroad. The average gap exceeds 1,500 net euros per month.

While 50% of PhDs working abroad receive more than 3,500 net euros per month, only 7.4% of those who remain in Italy reach this level. This differential partly explains the motivation for qualified emigration — 73.7% of PhDs who move abroad cite the search for higher compensation as a decisive factor (a 10 percentage point increase compared to 2018).

5.1. The Importance of the Employment Sector on Compensation

The data reveals that the sector of activity significantly impacts compensation:

• Private research institutes: best compensation — only 25.8% receive less than 2,000 euros
• Universities: 36.5% receive less than 2,000 euros
• Public research institutes: 37.6% receive less than 2,000 euros
• Schools and non-university teaching: 85.3% receive less than 2,000 euros

6. Gender Differences in the Academic Labor Market

Women represent 50.1% of PhDs in Italy, but with significant disparities between disciplinary areas. In Education and Training courses, they make up 76.7%; in Informatics and ICT Technologies, only 19.9%.

Although the employability rate is practically identical between men and women (96.2% vs. 96.0%), structural inequalities persist:

• Part-time: 67.5% of PhDs employed part-time are women
• Involuntary part-time: 61.9% are women
• Researcher positions (RTDB/RTT): only 38.2% are women (61.8% men)
• Technical-administrative roles in universities: 58.6% are women
• R&D activities: 77.5% of men vs. 71.2% of women engage in research and development

This data indicates that while access to the labor market is equitable, higher-prestige academic positions and research roles are still disproportionately occupied by men.

7. Professional Satisfaction and Career Prospects

The ISTAT report brings important data about the perception of PhDs regarding their training:

• 61.6% declare themselves very or completely satisfied with their PhD journey
• 70.3% positively evaluate the competence of the faculty
• 84.2% consider that the PhD was useful for obtaining their current job (4 points higher than 2018)
• 39.9% state that the degree is a mandatory requirement for their position (it was 28.3% in 2018)

However, almost 50% of PhDs are dissatisfied with career prospects, and 36.7% state they would not do the PhD again or are unsure — in 42.5% of cases, the reason is the uncertainty of professional outcomes.

8. Regional Mobility: The North as a Magnet

The geographical distribution of PhDs reveals a pattern of strong concentration in Northern Italy:

• 47.3% of PhDs are obtained in Northern universities (growth from 41.9% in 2012)
• 41.4% of PhDs currently reside in Northern Italy
• 27.7% are in the Center
• 19.8% in the Mezzogiorno (South)
• 11.1% abroad

Internal migration is intense: almost half of the PhDs originating from the Mezzogiorno (45.5%) live in another region. The regions with the highest retention are Lazio (79.1%), Lombardy (73.1%), Emilia-Romagna (72.5%), and Tuscany (72.0%). On the other hand, Molise, Basilicata, and Calabria lose almost 60% of their PhDs.

9. Industrial PhD: A Bridge to the Private Sector

A growing format that deserves the attention of Brazilians is the industrial PhD (dottorato industriale), which represents 14.7% of degrees granted and directly connects the doctoral student with companies. Of these, 72.5% are in the STEM area.

The results are significant: 64.6% of industrial PhDs work in the private sector, with industry absorbing 53.1% of STEM doctoral students with industrial training. For Brazilians with a technical profile and interest in working outside academia, this modality is especially attractive.

10. Practical Opportunities for Brazilians

10.1. How to Enter an Italian PhD Program

The Italian university system is organized into three cycles, with the PhD (dottorato di ricerca) being the third cycle. For Brazilians, the main paths are:

1. Direct application: each university publishes annual calls (bandi di concorso) for PhD positions, usually between April and September
2. Italian government scholarships: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs offers scholarships for international students through the Italian government scholarship program
3. Marie Skłodowska-Curie Programs: funded by the European Union, these programs offer PhDs with competitive conditions across Europe
4. Brazil-Italy bilateral agreements: institutions like CAPES and CNPq maintain cooperation programs with Italian universities

10.2. Documentation and Recognition of Degrees

Brazilians who already hold a PhD obtained in Brazil and wish to work in Italy need to consider:

• Dichiarazione di Valore (Declaration of Value): a document issued by the Italian consulate in Brazil attesting to the value of the Brazilian diploma
• Academic recognition: necessary for academic positions, done through the destination university
• Professional recognition: for regulated professions, a specific process with the relevant ministry is required
• Italian citizenship: PhDs with Italian or European citizenship have easier access to the labor market without the need for a visa

10.3. Most Promising Sectors for Brazilian PhDs

Based on ISTAT data and the reality of the Italian market, the most promising sectors for Brazilians with a PhD include:

• Informatics and ICT Technologies: 91.5% employability rate and highest satisfaction with the course — an area with strong demand and a shortage of professionals
• Industrial Engineering: strong integration in both public and private sectors, with good salary prospects
• Health Sciences: 64% of PhDs are women and 96.3% of those working in universities in the sector consider the degree essential
• Private research institutes: offer the best compensation and lowest dissatisfaction rate (4.5%)

11. Impact of the PNRR and Future Outlook

The PNRR (Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza) — the Italian post-pandemic recovery plan funded by the European Union — has significantly boosted the number of PhD positions. After the reduction caused by Ministerial Decree 45/2013, which restricted both the number of courses and funded scholarships, PNRR investments reversed this trend starting in 2021.

For Brazilians planning to start a PhD in the coming years, this is a particularly favorable moment: there are more positions, more scholarships, and greater international openness in Italian universities.

12. Final Considerations

ISTAT data confirms that a PhD in Italy is an investment with consistent and growing professional returns. With a 96.1% employability rate, increasing valuation of the degree in the labor market, and a structural deficit of PhDs in the country, the opportunities for Brazilians are real and substantial.

To maximize the return, it is recommended to:

1. Prioritize STEM areas and industrial PhDs for greater private sector integration and better compensation
2. Complete international training periods during the PhD to expand your professional network
3. Consider universities in Northern Italy, which concentrate the majority of positions and offer better regional employment prospects
4. Evaluate obtaining Italian citizenship prior to the PhD, facilitating access to the European labor market without restrictions

Bibliographic References

• ISTAT — Istituto Nazionale di Statistica. L'Inserimento Professionale dei Dottori di Ricerca — Anno 2025. Published on March 11, 2026. Available at: www.istat.it
• Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca (MUR). Open Data — Dottorato di Ricerca. Update: January 2026. Available at: ustat.mur.gov.it
• Decreto Ministeriale n. 45/2013 — Regulation of research doctoral courses in Italy
• Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza (PNRR) — Investments in training and research, Italian Government