Rising incomes and record employment among young university graduates, alongside a growing share of foreign students and a record-high average secondary education diploma GPA among newly admitted first-year students, are among the findings of the new edition of the Bulgarian University Ranking System (BURS). Data for 2026 confirm that obtaining a higher level of higher education is associated with better chances of successful labour market realization, while significant differences remain between professional fields and higher education institutions. The updated information in the Ranking System helps prospective students navigate more easily the wide range of study opportunities in Bulgaria.
For another consecutive year, the National Ranking System demonstrates that a higher level of higher education improves the chances of successful labour market realization. According to the 2026 edition, 86% of employed graduates who completed master’s programs after secondary education in the previous five years and 69% of those who completed master’s programs after obtaining a higher education degree work in positions requiring higher education or in their vocation, compared with only 51% of graduates of bachelor’s programs. Master’s graduates generally also have higher incomes, a higher share of graduates covered by social insurance, and lower unemployment than bachelor’s graduates. Even better labour market outcomes are observed among doctoral graduates: 93% work in positions corresponding to their qualifications, while their average incomes are nearly twice as high as those of graduates with only a bachelor’s degree.
On average, among all Bulgarian citizens who graduated from higher education institutions in Bulgaria in the previous five years, the share working in positions requiring higher education or exercising a profession by vocation remains at last year’s level of 61%, compared with 46% in 2014. Unemployment in this group remains slightly above 2%, while for graduates of master’s programs after secondary education it is just around 1%. The share of graduates who are not socially insured in Bulgaria has reached a record-low level of 13%, compared with more than 25% in 2014. The average taxable income of graduates has increased to EUR 1,625, from EUR 1,417 last year and just EUR 543 in 2016, representing an almost threefold increase over the past decade.
Despite these positive trends, the new edition of the National Ranking System again shows significant differences in average income levels, unemployment, and the applicability of acquired higher education among graduates, depending on the completed professional field and on the specific higher education institution, even within the same professional field.
The lowest unemployment rates (below 1%) are observed among graduates in the professional fields “Military Science”, “Medicine”, “Pharmacy”, “Mathematics”, and “Dental Medicine”, while the highest rates are among graduates in “Tourism” (3.58%), “Social Activities” (3.34%), “Psychology” (3.2%), “Pedagogy” (3.11%), and “Pedagogy of Teaching in…” (2.84%).
The highest applicability of acquired higher education (over 90%) is observed among graduates in “Military Science”, “Medicine”, “Dental Medicine”, “Theory and Management of Education”, and “Pharmacy”, while the lowest is among graduates in “Tourism” (25%).
The highest share of graduates socially insured in Bulgaria (over 94%) is observed among those who studied “Theory and Management of Education”, “Pharmacy”, and “Military Science”, while the lowest is among graduates in “Transport, Navigation and Aviation” and “Fine Arts” (below 76%).
Graduates with the highest average taxable income are those from “Military Science” (EUR 3,747) and “Informatics and Computer Sciences” (EUR 2,553), followed by graduates in “National Security”, “Metallurgy”, “Communication and Computer Equipment”, “Energetics”, “Mathematics”, and “Public Health” (over EUR 2,000). At the level of individual higher education institutions, the highest average taxable income is earned by graduates of master’s programs in “Administration and Management” at the American University in Bulgaria (EUR 5,591), “Military Science” at the National Defence College “Georgi S. Rakovski” (EUR 4,913), and “Informatics and Computer Sciences” at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” (EUR 4,368) and New Bulgarian University (EUR 4,194). Among bachelor’s graduates, the highest taxable income is earned by graduates in “National Security” at the Academy of the Ministry of Interior (EUR 3,766), “Informatics and Computer Sciences” at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” (EUR 3,563), and “Military Science” at Bulgarian Air Force Academy “Georgi Benkovski” (EUR 3,373) and National Military University “Vasil Levski” (EUR 3,343).
For another consecutive year, first-year students with the highest average secondary education diploma GPAs are enrolled in “Medicine” (5.72), “Pharmacy” (5.70), “Dental Medicine” (5.68), and “Mathematics” (5.65). The lowest secondary education diploma GPAs are among first-year students in “Materials and Science of Materials” (4.36), “Minerals Prospecting, Extraction and Processing” (4.71), and “Livestock Breeding” (4.71). The national average secondary education diploma GPA of students admitted to their first year has increased to 5.16, compared with 5.14 last year. This is the highest level recorded since data on this indicator began to be maintained in the Ranking System in 2013.
The four professional fields with the largest number of students in 2026 are “Economics” (28,997), “Pedagogy” (15,824), “Medicine” (13,643), and “Administration and Management” (12,811). For another consecutive year, the field with the fewest students is “Arts Theory” – 78 students.
The higher education institution with the largest number of current students is Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” with 20,205 students, followed by the University of National and World Economy with 18,486 and Plovdiv University “Paisii Hilendarski” with 17,005. In 13 higher education institutions, the number of enrolled students is below 1,000, including three institutions with fewer than 100 students. Half of all students in Bulgaria are enrolled in the eight largest universities; the other half study in the remaining 43 accredited higher education institutions.
Private higher education institutions enroll nearly 12% of students in the country. The highest shares of students in private institutions are in “Theatre and Cinema Arts” (67%), “Fine Arts” (43%), “Administration and Management” (40%), “Psychology” (38%), and “National Security” (32%).
Over the past decade, the share of foreign students in Bulgaria has nearly doubled—from 4.7% in 2016 to nearly 9% of current students in 2026. For another consecutive year, the highest shares of foreign students are in “Medicine” (58% of current students), “Dental Medicine” (49%), and “Veterinary Medicine” (31%). In four more professional fields, foreign students account for more than 10% of current students: “Pharmacy” (15%), “Tourism” (13%), “Transport, Navigation and Aviation” (13%), and “Music and Dance Arts” (10%).
There are 114 joint programs offered by Bulgarian higher education institutions in partnership with foreign educational institutions. Of these, 44 are active, meaning that at least one current student is enrolled in them. In 2026, active joint programs exist in 21 professional fields, enrolling 3.3% of all current students in the country.
Since 2025, the Ranking System has included indicators measuring students’ assessments of lecture and practical class attendance, as well as their perception of whether these classes are mandatory. Survey results show that attendance at practical classes is higher than attendance at lectures: 69% of students in Bulgaria agree or somewhat agree that “Most of my colleagues attend practical classes regularly”, while only 50% say the same about lectures. Asked whether attendance at practical classes is mandatory, 75% of surveyed students respond positively, while the share is significantly lower for lectures, with only 48% considering them mandatory.
One in three students enrolled in Bulgarian higher education institutions is a first-generation student, meaning that neither parent has a higher education degree. However, fewer than 2% of students come from families in which the parents have only primary or lower education.
In the overall standardized rankings by professional field in the 2026 edition of the Ranking System, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” ranks first in 22 out of the 29 professional fields in which it participates. Technical University – Sofia ranks first in 6 out of 11 fields. Medical University – Sofia leads in all 5 fields in which it offers education. The University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy and Agricultural University – Plovdiv each achieve 3 first places. Trakia University – Stara Zagora and the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts – Plovdiv each lead two rankings. Another 13 higher education institutions top one ranking each.
Higher education institutions based in Sofia lead 44 professional-field rankings, while 12 rankings are led by higher education institutions outside the capital. In several rankings, more than one higher education institution shares first place with the same number of points. Only one ranking is led by a private higher education institution.
The Ranking System compares the performance of 51 accredited higher education institutions offering education in Bulgaria across 52 professional fields, based on dozens of indicators measuring different aspects of the teaching process, scientific activity, learning environment, social conditions, accessibility of education, prestige and regional significance of higher education institutions, as well as graduates’ labour market realization. The indicators used in the standardized rankings in the 2026 BURS are based on information from various sources, including higher education institutions, the National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency, the National Centre for Information and Documentation, the National Social Security Institute, the National Revenue Agency, the National Statistical Institute, the international bibliographic databases Scopus and Web of Science, and sociological surveys among employers, students, academic staff, and managerial and administrative staff at higher education institutions.
The aim of the Ranking System is to support prospective students in making informed choices and navigating the wide range of study opportunities offered by Bulgarian higher education institutions. Through the interactive Ranking System website (https://rsvu.mon.bg), users can view predefined “standardized rankings” of higher education institutions by professional field and create their own “custom rankings” based on their individual interests and preferences, using the indicators and functionalities available in the system.
The Ranking System also provides information on the most common professions among graduates of different professional fields at different higher education institutions in Bulgaria, as well as a list of the programs offered by individual higher education institutions.
Since 2024, the platform has also published an electronic version of the National Map of Higher Education in the Republic of Bulgaria. The 2025 edition is currently available in the system. Following approval of the 2026 edition of the Map by the Council of Ministers, its electronic version will also be published on the BURS platform.
Following the introduction of the euro in Bulgaria on 1 January 2026, all monetary indicators on the online platform of the Bulgarian University Ranking System and in the electronic version of the National Map of Higher Education in the Republic of Bulgaria, including indicators derived from monetary values, have been recalculated and are presented in euros. To ensure comparability and consistency of data over time, the recalculation has also been applied to all previous editions published on the BURS and National Map online platforms.
The Ranking System is available online at: https://rsvu.mon.bg
The 2026 edition of the Bulgarian University Ranking System has been updated and its data revised under commission from the Ministry of Education and Science by the OSI-S Consortium, comprising the Open Society Institute – Sofia and Sirma Group.
