High School Graduates Dominate Unemployment in Mataram
As many as 11,303 residents of Mataram City remain unemployed throughout 2025. The high unemployment rate in the capital of West Nusa Tenggara province (NTB) is dominated by high school graduates and triggered by the strong influx of job seekers from outside the area.
The Mataram City Social Services Office (Dinsos) records that the high unemployment figure is inseparable from Mataram’s strong appeal as a centre for education and economic activity.
Head of Dinsos Mataram, Muzakkir Walad, stated that the situation is influenced by the large number of migrants seeking work in Mataram.
“This city is a magnet for economic activity and job opportunities. There are also many people from outside, for example from Bima or Dompu. After graduating from university, they tend not to return home, and this is one of the factors causing the high open unemployment rate,” said Muzakkir on Tuesday (14/6/2026).
Muzakkir detailed that the number of unemployed in Mataram City throughout 2025 reached 11,303 people. Meanwhile, the number of employed residents is recorded at 224,196 people out of a total labour force of 235,499 people.
To reduce the unemployment rate this year, the Mataram City Government will introduce several activities, one of which is through a job fair.
“Dinsos Mataram will hold a job fair and cross-sector collaborations,” he emphasised.
Meanwhile, based on data from the NTB Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the unemployment rate as of November 2025 is dominated by males with an Open Unemployment Rate (TPT) of 3.40 percent, while females stand at 2.62 percent.
BPS NTB also recorded that the TPT in urban areas reached 3.17 percent, higher than in rural areas at 2.90 percent. Based on education level, vocational high school (SMK) graduates contribute the highest to unemployment at 6.47 percent, followed by high school (SMA) graduates at 4.66 percent, elementary school (SD) at 2.21 percent, diploma and university at 1.77 percent, and junior high school (SMP) at 1.70 percent.