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Young adults with a tertiary education

Topic: Education

In Ireland, 66.8% of people aged 25 to 34 have completed tertiary education, against 23.0% in Romania.

In 2025, 44.8% of people aged 25 to 34 in the EU had completed tertiary education, from short-cycle tertiary courses to a doctorate. A level counts only with a qualification recognised by the national education authorities.

The EU aims to raise the share of people aged 25 to 34 who have completed tertiary education to at least 45% by 2030.

These figures are not from Eurostat. Sources: Council Resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030), 2021/C 66/01, Annex II, point 5 (retrieved 4 November 2026)

Figures for:
2025.
Covers:
the whole year.
New data:
once a year.
Dataset updated:
30 October 2026.

Published 4 November 2026

27 / 27 EU countries ranked

The ranking

In 2025, the share of people aged 25 to 34 who have completed tertiary education was lowest in Romania, at 23.0%, and highest in Ireland, at 66.8%.

Share of people aged 25 to 34 who have completed tertiary education, %

2025
020406080%
Rank 1: Ireland, 66.8 %
Rank 2: Luxembourg, 65.2 %
Rank 3: Lithuania, 60.8 %
Rank 4: Cyprus, 60.0 %
Rank 5: Netherlands, 56.1 %
Rank 6: France, 55.8 %
Rank 7: Sweden, 53.6 %
Rank 8: Belgium, 52.7 %
Rank 9: Denmark, 52.5 %
Rank 9: Spain, 52.5 %
Rank 11: Malta, 47.7 %
Rank 12: Poland, 45.2 %
Rank 13: Latvia, 44.7 %
Rank 14: Estonia, 44.3 %
Rank 15: Austria, 43.7 %
Rank 16: Greece, 42.8 %
Rank 16: Slovenia, 42.8 %
Rank 18: Portugal, 42.5 %
Rank 19: Croatia, 42.0 %
Rank 20: Bulgaria, 41.2 %
Rank 21: Germany, 40.9 %
Rank 22: Finland, 38.2 %
Rank 23: Slovakia, 36.3 %
Rank 24: Czechia, 36.0 %
Rank 25: Hungary, 32.6 %
Rank 26: Italy, 31.1 %
Rank 27: Romania, 23.0 %
How to read: bars start at zero. Every country with a value is shown, ranked from highest to lowest.Source: Eurostat, Population in private households by educational attainment level (edat_lfse_03).Chart: Civitascope (civitascope.eu) · CC BY 4.0 · Download image · Download data ·

Over time

From 2021 to 2025, the EU figure rose from 41.5% to 44.8%.

Share of people aged 25 to 34 who have completed tertiary education in the EU, %

2021–2025
EU, by year: 2021 41.5%, 2022 42.0%, 2023 43.1%, 2024 43.9%, 2025 44.8%.
How to read: one value a year, from 2021 to 2025. The axis does not start at zero, so that the change shows.Source: Eurostat, Population in private households by educational attainment level (edat_lfse_03).Chart: Civitascope (civitascope.eu) · CC BY 4.0 · Download image · Download data ·

Between 2021 and 2025, the share fell in 8 countries and rose in 19.

Share of people aged 25 to 34 who have completed tertiary education, %

2021 and 2025 · ranked by 2025
202120252025 − 2021Difference
203040506070pp
Rank 1: Ireland, 2021: 62.2 %, 2025: 66.8 %, 2025 − 2021: +4.6 pp
Rank 2: Luxembourg, 2021: 62.6 %, 2025: 65.2 %, 2025 − 2021: +2.6 pp
Rank 3: Lithuania, 2021: 57.5 %, 2025: 60.8 %, 2025 − 2021: +3.3 pp
Rank 4: Cyprus, 2021: 58.8 %, 2025: 60.0 %, 2025 − 2021: +1.2 pp
Rank 5: Netherlands, 2021: 55.6 %, 2025: 56.1 %, 2025 − 2021: +0.5 pp
Rank 6: France, 2021: 50.3 %, 2025: 55.8 %, 2025 − 2021: +5.5 pp
Rank 7: Sweden, 2021: 49.3 %, 2025: 53.6 %, 2025 − 2021: +4.3 pp
Rank 8: Belgium, 2021: 50.9 %, 2025: 52.7 %, 2025 − 2021: +1.8 pp
Rank 9: Denmark, 2021: 49.1 %, 2025: 52.5 %, 2025 − 2021: +3.4 pp
Rank 9: Spain, 2021: 48.5 %, 2025: 52.5 %, 2025 − 2021: +4.0 pp
Rank 11: Malta, 2021: 42.9 %, 2025: 47.7 %, 2025 − 2021: +4.8 pp
Rank 12: Poland, 2021: 41.8 %, 2025: 45.2 %, 2025 − 2021: +3.4 pp
Rank 13: Latvia, 2025: 44.7 %, 2021: 45.5 %, 2025 − 2021: −0.8 pp
Rank 14: Estonia, 2021: 43.2 %, 2025: 44.3 %, 2025 − 2021: +1.1 pp
Rank 15: Austria, 2021: 42.4 %, 2025: 43.7 %, 2025 − 2021: +1.3 pp
Rank 16: Greece, 2025: 42.8 %, 2021: 44.2 %, 2025 − 2021: −1.4 pp
Rank 16: Slovenia, 2025: 42.8 %, 2021: 47.9 %, 2025 − 2021: −5.1 pp
Rank 18: Portugal, 2025: 42.5 %, 2021: 45.9 %, 2025 − 2021: −3.4 pp
Rank 19: Croatia, 2021: 36.2 %, 2025: 42.0 %, 2025 − 2021: +5.8 pp
Rank 20: Bulgaria, 2021: 33.8 %, 2025: 41.2 %, 2025 − 2021: +7.4 pp
Rank 21: Germany, 2021: 36.9 %, 2025: 40.9 %, 2025 − 2021: +4.0 pp
Rank 22: Finland, 2025: 38.2 %, 2021: 40.1 %, 2025 − 2021: −1.9 pp
Rank 23: Slovakia, 2025: 36.3 %, 2021: 39.5 %, 2025 − 2021: −3.2 pp
Rank 24: Czechia, 2021: 34.9 %, 2025: 36.0 %, 2025 − 2021: +1.1 pp
Rank 25: Hungary, 2025: 32.6 %, 2021: 33.4 %, 2025 − 2021: −0.8 pp
Rank 26: Italy, 2021: 28.3 %, 2025: 31.1 %, 2025 − 2021: +2.8 pp
Rank 27: Romania, 2025: 23.0 %, 2021: 23.3 %, 2025 − 2021: −0.3 pp
Eurostat marks a break in the series between 2021 and 2025 for Bulgaria, France and Slovenia. Their two values are not fully comparable.How to read: each arrow goes from 2021 (outlined dot) to 2025 (filled dot). A leftward arrow means the share fell. Each value is beside its dot. The column on the right is their difference, 2025 − 2021. Countries are ranked by 2025.Source: Eurostat, Population in private households by educational attainment level (edat_lfse_03).Chart: Civitascope (civitascope.eu) · CC BY 4.0 · Download image · Download data ·

Women and men

Among men, the spread across countries was slightly narrower. Romania was again the lowest, at 21.1%, and Ireland again the highest, at 63.3%. The gap between Ireland and Romania was 42.2 percentage points.

Among women, the spread across countries was slightly wider than among men. Ireland was again the highest, at 70.2%, and Romania again the lowest, at 25.2%. The highest and the lowest were 45.0 percentage points apart.

Share of people aged 25 to 34 who have completed tertiary education: men and women, %

2025
MenWomenWomen − menDifference
203040506070%
Rank 1: Ireland, Men: 63.3 %, Women: 70.2 %, Women − men: +6.9
Rank 2: Lithuania, Men: 52.8 %, Women: 69.9 %, Women − men: +17.1
Rank 3: Cyprus, Men: 51.8 %, Women: 69.1 %, Women − men: +17.3
Rank 4: Luxembourg, Men: 63.0 %, Women: 67.5 %, Women − men: +4.5
Rank 5: Denmark, Men: 44.1 %, Women: 61.3 %, Women − men: +17.2
Rank 5: Sweden, Men: 46.4 %, Women: 61.3 %, Women − men: +14.9
Rank 7: Netherlands, Men: 51.6 %, Women: 60.8 %, Women − men: +9.2
Rank 8: Belgium, Men: 45.2 %, Women: 60.3 %, Women − men: +15.1
Rank 9: France, Men: 52.3 %, Women: 59.2 %, Women − men: +6.9
Rank 10: Spain, Men: 46.6 %, Women: 58.7 %, Women − men: +12.1
Rank 11: Estonia, Men: 33.2 %, Women: 56.2 %, Women − men: +23.0
Rank 11: Malta, Men: 41.5 %, Women: 56.2 %, Women − men: +14.7
Rank 13: Slovenia, Men: 31.6 %, Women: 55.4 %, Women − men: +23.8
Rank 14: Latvia, Men: 35.2 %, Women: 54.7 %, Women − men: +19.5
Rank 15: Poland, Men: 36.3 %, Women: 54.5 %, Women − men: +18.2
Rank 16: Greece, Men: 35.4 %, Women: 50.9 %, Women − men: +15.5
Rank 17: Portugal, Men: 34.6 %, Women: 50.7 %, Women − men: +16.1
Rank 18: Croatia, Men: 34.3 %, Women: 50.5 %, Women − men: +16.2
Rank 19: Austria, Men: 38.0 %, Women: 49.7 %, Women − men: +11.7
Rank 20: Bulgaria, Men: 34.6 %, Women: 48.1 %, Women − men: +13.5
Rank 21: Finland, Men: 30.7 %, Women: 46.2 %, Women − men: +15.5
Rank 22: Slovakia, Men: 27.7 %, Women: 45.3 %, Women − men: +17.6
Rank 23: Germany, Men: 38.0 %, Women: 44.1 %, Women − men: +6.1
Rank 24: Czechia, Men: 28.9 %, Women: 43.5 %, Women − men: +14.6
Rank 25: Italy, Men: 24.7 %, Women: 37.8 %, Women − men: +13.1
Rank 26: Hungary, Men: 27.9 %, Women: 37.6 %, Women − men: +9.7
Rank 27: Romania, Men: 21.1 %, Women: 25.2 %, Women − men: +4.1
How to read: the filled dot is women, the outlined dot men, each with its value beside it. The column on the right is their difference, women − men. Countries are ranked by women.Source: Eurostat, Population in private households by educational attainment level (edat_lfse_03).Chart: Civitascope (civitascope.eu) · CC BY 4.0 · Download image · Download data ·
EveryoneMenWomen
Lowest23.0%Romania21.1%Romania25.2%Romania
Highest66.8%Ireland63.3%Ireland70.2%Ireland
Highest − lowest43.8 pp42.2 pp45.0 pp

Everyone

Lowest: 23.0% (Romania)Highest: 66.8% (Ireland)Highest − lowest: 43.8 pp

Men

Lowest: 21.1% (Romania)Highest: 63.3% (Ireland)Highest − lowest: 42.2 pp

Women

Lowest: 25.2% (Romania)Highest: 70.2% (Ireland)Highest − lowest: 45.0 pp

Two generations

In 2025, 44.8% of people aged 25 to 34 in the EU had completed tertiary education, against 26.5% of people aged 55 to 64.

Share of people who have completed tertiary education, aged 25 to 34 and 55 to 64, %

2025
EU, aged 25 to 34: 44.8 %,aged 55 to 64: 26.5 %,
Rank 1: Ireland, aged 25 to 34: 66.8 %,aged 55 to 64: 43.4 %,
Rank 2: Luxembourg, aged 25 to 34: 65.2 %,aged 55 to 64: 37.2 %,
Rank 3: Lithuania, aged 25 to 34: 60.8 %,aged 55 to 64: 33.7 %,
Rank 4: Cyprus, aged 25 to 34: 60.0 %,aged 55 to 64: 34.3 %,
Rank 5: Netherlands, aged 25 to 34: 56.1 %,aged 55 to 64: 32.2 %,
Rank 6: France, aged 25 to 34: 55.8 %,aged 55 to 64: 30.2 %,
Rank 7: Sweden, aged 25 to 34: 53.6 %,aged 55 to 64: 37.1 %,
Rank 8: Belgium, aged 25 to 34: 52.7 %,aged 55 to 64: 39.0 %,
Rank 9: Denmark, aged 25 to 34: 52.5 %,aged 55 to 64: 32.2 %,
Rank 9: Spain, aged 25 to 34: 52.5 %,aged 55 to 64: 32.6 %,
Rank 11: Malta, aged 25 to 34: 47.7 %,aged 55 to 64: 21.1 %,
Rank 12: Poland, aged 25 to 34: 45.2 %,aged 55 to 64: 22.1 %,
Rank 13: Latvia, aged 25 to 34: 44.7 %,aged 55 to 64: 32.1 %,
Rank 14: Estonia, aged 25 to 34: 44.3 %,aged 55 to 64: 38.9 %,
Rank 15: Austria, aged 25 to 34: 43.7 %,aged 55 to 64: 27.5 %,
Rank 16: Greece, aged 25 to 34: 42.8 %,aged 55 to 64: 29.1 %,
Rank 16: Slovenia, aged 25 to 34: 42.8 %,aged 55 to 64: 22.9 %,
Rank 18: Portugal, aged 25 to 34: 42.5 %,aged 55 to 64: 19.6 %,
Rank 19: Croatia, aged 25 to 34: 42.0 %,aged 55 to 64: 19.6 %,
Rank 20: Bulgaria, aged 25 to 34: 41.2 %,aged 55 to 64: 26.5 %,
Rank 21: Germany, aged 25 to 34: 40.9 %,aged 55 to 64: 29.8 %,
Rank 22: Finland, aged 25 to 34: 38.2 %,aged 55 to 64: 40.8 %,
Rank 23: Slovakia, aged 25 to 34: 36.3 %,aged 55 to 64: 20.0 %,
Rank 24: Czechia, aged 25 to 34: 36.0 %,aged 55 to 64: 19.9 %,
Rank 25: Hungary, aged 25 to 34: 32.6 %,aged 55 to 64: 26.2 %,
Rank 26: Italy, aged 25 to 34: 31.1 %,aged 55 to 64: 13.9 %,
Rank 27: Romania, aged 25 to 34: 23.0 %,aged 55 to 64: 11.4 %,
How to read: one row per country, one dot per group on an axis from zero, and a line from the lowest to the highest. Each value is in the columns on the right. Countries are ranked by the “aged 25 to 34” column.Source: Eurostat, Population in private households by educational attainment level (edat_lfse_03).Chart: Civitascope (civitascope.eu) · CC BY 4.0 · Download image · Download data ·

About the data

The share of people in an age group whose highest level of education successfully completed is tertiary education (ISCED 2011 levels 5 to 8, from short-cycle tertiary to doctoral level).

Eurostat: “The educational attainment level of an individual is the highest ISCED (International Standard Classification of Education) level successfully completed, the successful completion of an education programme being validated by a recognised qualification, i.e. a qualification officially recognised by the relevant national education authorities or recognised as equivalent to another qualification of formal education.” (source)

EU Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS), a sample survey of households run by the national statistical institutes. The values are annual averages of the quarterly survey results.

How to read these numbers

How it is measured

The survey covers people usually living in private households. People in collective or institutional households are not included.

A level counts only when it was successfully completed with a qualification recognised by the national education authorities. People who did not answer the question on their highest level of education are left out of the share.

Breaks in the series

A break in the series (flag b) means that a value is not fully comparable with the years before it. This concerns Bulgaria (2024), France (2024) and Slovenia (2023).

Sources and data

Eurostat, Population in private households by educational attainment level (edat_lfse_03). Data updated 30 October 2026, retrieved 4 November 2026. Licence: CC BY 4.0.

Eurostat metadata · Eurostat methodology

The exact Eurostat API query

https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/api/dissemination/statistics/1.0/data/edat_lfse_03?format=JSON&lang=en&age=Y25-34&freq=A&geo=AT&geo=BE&geo=BG&geo=CY&geo=CZ&geo=DE&geo=DK&geo=EE&geo=EL&geo=ES&geo=EU27_2020&geo=FI&geo=FR&geo=HR&geo=HU&geo=IE&geo=IT&geo=LT&geo=LU&geo=LV&geo=MT&geo=NL&geo=PL&geo=PT&geo=RO&geo=SE&geo=SI&geo=SK&isced11=ED5-8&sex=T&unit=PC

How every number in this story was computed

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