Every year, thousands of young people finish their selectivity studies with their minds set on Medicine, Software Engineering or Law. The problem is that they are the usual ones, the ones that everyone knows and also the ones that, because of its popularityhave the highest cut-off marks. However, while these places are assigned in minutes, there are five careers with employment rates above 80% and almost no students. For some reason, companies looking for professionals with those profiles, but the students ignore them.
The report U-Ranking 2025 prepared by the BBVA Foundation and the IVIE has crossed the data of two variables that almost never go together: the real employability of the courses and the number of graduates from each branch. Among the results, attention is drawn to a group of degrees with very few enrollments, but with job placement rates that popular careers are not enough, and salaries above 30,000 euros.
A mismatch that comes from afar. a report Randstad Research and the San Pablo CEU Foundation estimate the mismatch rate between the studies completed and the jobs obtained in those areas after graduating at 49%. That is, almost half of graduates end up working in something not directly related to the career they have studied. Meanwhile, there are very specific technical profiles that companies they cannot cover.
High cut-off marks and the reputation of being tough studies they alienate many students of those races. However, the reality is that the fewer people study a degree, the easier it is to find a job in that field when they leave.
Environmental Engineering: 92 graduates and 85.5% hired. U-Ranking data indicates that there are only 92 graduates per year in Environmental Engineering in all of Spain. The Social Security affiliation rate of graduates of this degree four years after finishing it is 85.5%. That is, eight out of ten work “on their own” when they finish their degree, with an average contribution base of 32,643 euros gross per year.
The degree is four years and the average cut-off grade for the 2025-2026 academic year was 7.2, with a minimum of 5 at the Polytechnic University of Valencia. With regulatory pressure on environmental impact growing in Europe, these professional profiles are increasingly in demand in consulting, energy and public administration companies. There are very few candidates to cover that demand, which gives those who choose it a fairly comfortable starting position.
Geomatics and Materials Engineering: two almost invisible degrees. Geomatic and Topographic Engineering has 149 graduates. It is one of the rarest degrees in the Spanish university system. Even so, its affiliation rate reaches 86.3% and the average contribution base is around 31,845 euros per year. It can be accessed with an affordable passing grade, which starts at 5 in different universities such as the Polytechnic of Madrid, Valencia, the University of Jaén or the University of León. Its applications range from the use of drones, digital mapping and geographic information systems that are increasing their demand in sectors such as infrastructure, defense and urban planning.
On the other hand, Materials Engineering has 195 graduates, with a membership rate of 82.7% and average contribution bases of 33,240 euros. The cut-off mark in the 2025-26 academic year started at 5 in universities such as Salamanca, although it varies greatly depending on the center, rising to 8.5 at the University of Barcelona or 9.1 at the University of Seville. It is a very transversal degree that connects with very different sectors: from aeronautics, automotive or energy to biomedicine. Few students know her, but those who choose her do not usually stay without work for long.
Naval Engineering and Electronic Engineering: the best paid in the group. Naval and Oceanic Engineering is somewhat more in demand, but without reaching the levels of Medicine, Psychology or Nursing. It has 392 graduates and an average contribution base of 34,490 euros per year. Its affiliation rate is 82.5% and you can enter the University of A Coruña with a 5. This career is responsible for training professionals to design and build boats, marine structures and propulsion systems. Its main demand comes from shipyards, marine renewable energy and defense. The number of annual graduates does not even remotely cover available vacancies.
Electronic Engineering is the largest of the five, with 474 graduates. Even so, its tuition remains affordable with universities that require an average of 7.5 such as the Politècnica de Catalunya, the University of La Rioja or La Laguna. Its affiliation rate reaches 90% and the average contribution base is 37,544 euros, one of the highest in the ranking. Of the five careers that we have discussed, this is the one that combines the best employability with the highest remuneration.
In Xataka | Overqualification in Spain becomes chronic: 34% of workers perform tasks below their educational level
Image | Unsplash (Christian Lendl)
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