Which EU country has the highest tertiary education attainment?

Among 25–34 year-olds, Ireland has the highest tertiary attainment in the EU at 66.8% (2025), followed by other high-attainment member states. The lowest in this dataset is Romania at 23.0%. Rankings reflect official Eurostat figures for both sexes. Source: Eurostat, edat_lfse_03 (CC-BY 4.0).

What is the EU average for tertiary education among young adults?

The EU-27 average is 44.8% of 25–34 year-olds with a tertiary qualification (ISCED 2011 levels 5–8) in 2025. The age band 25–34 is used because most people in it have finished education, so it captures recent attainment trends. Source: Eurostat, edat_lfse_03 (CC-BY 4.0).

What counts as "tertiary education" here?

Tertiary education means ISCED 2011 levels 5–8 — short-cycle tertiary, Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral or equivalent qualifications. Each country figure is the share of 25–34 year-olds (both sexes) holding such a qualification. It measures attainment of the population, not current enrolment. Source: Eurostat, edat_lfse_03 (CC-BY 4.0).

Is this real, official data?

Yes. Every value is a published Eurostat figure from dataset edat_lfse_03 ("Population by educational attainment level, sex and age"), licensed CC-BY 4.0 (European Commission, Eurostat). The figures are official 2025 values for 25–34 year-olds, both sexes — not modelled, estimated, or interpolated.

GeraLearn / EU Tertiary Education by Country

EU Tertiary Education by Country

Across the EU, 44.8% of 25–34 year-olds had completed tertiary education (ISCED 2011 levels 5–8) in 2025. By country, the rate ranges from 66.8% (Ireland) down to 23.0% (Romania). Official Eurostat data (CC-BY 4.0).

Which EU countries have the highest share of young adults with a tertiary education?

Across the EU, 44.8% of 25–34 year-olds had completed tertiary education (ISCED 2011 levels 5–8) in 2025. Ireland leads at 66.8% and Romania is lowest at 23.0%. These are official Eurostat attainment rates for both sexes, across 27 member states. Source: Eurostat (CC-BY 4.0).

Source:Eurostat — Population by educational attainment level (edat_lfse_03)·As of 2025 reference year · updated annually · last refreshed 11 June 2026

EU tertiary education attainment describes the share of young adults in each European Union member state who have completed higher education — measured by Eurostat as the percentage of 25–34 year-olds (both sexes) holding an ISCED 2011 level 5–8 qualification (short-cycle tertiary, Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctoral). The 25–34 age band is used because most people in it have finished their education, so it reflects recent attainment rather than the whole working-age population. These are official statistics, not estimates.

EU tertiary education comparator

Pick an EU member state to compare its tertiary education attainment rate (share of 25–34 year-olds with a higher-education qualification) against the EU-27 average. Every figure is a real published Eurostat percentage.

EU member state

Tertiary attainment (25–34)

66.8%

Rank (of 27)

vs EU-27 average

+22.0 pts

The 66.8% rate for Ireland is 22.0 points above the 44.8% EU-27 average.

Figures are official Eurostat attainment rates (dataset edat_lfse_03, ISCED 2011 levels 5–8, age 25–34, both sexes, % of population), CC-BY 4.0. Attainment measures the share of the population holding a higher-education qualification, not current enrolment. Nothing here is modelled or interpolated.

EU tertiary education attainment, ranked

#	Country	Tertiary attainment (25–34)	vs EU-27
1	Ireland	66.8%	+22.0 pts
2	Luxembourg	65.0%	+20.2 pts
3	Lithuania	60.8%	+16.0 pts
4	Cyprus	60.0%	+15.2 pts
5	Netherlands	56.1%	+11.3 pts
6	France	55.8%	+11.0 pts
7	Sweden	53.6%	+8.8 pts
8	Belgium	52.7%	+7.9 pts
9	Denmark	52.5%	+7.7 pts
10	Spain	52.5%	+7.7 pts
11	Malta	47.7%	+2.9 pts
12	Poland	45.2%	+0.4 pts
13	Latvia	44.7%	−0.1 pts
14	Estonia	44.3%	−0.5 pts
15	Austria	43.7%	−1.1 pts
16	Greece	42.8%	−2.0 pts
17	Slovenia	42.8%	−2.0 pts
18	Portugal	42.5%	−2.3 pts
19	Croatia	42.0%	−2.8 pts
20	Bulgaria	41.2%	−3.6 pts
21	Germany	40.9%	−3.9 pts
22	Finland	38.2%	−6.6 pts
23	Slovakia	36.3%	−8.5 pts
24	Czechia	36.0%	−8.8 pts
25	Hungary	32.6%	−12.2 pts
26	Italy	31.1%	−13.7 pts
27	Romania	23.0%	−21.8 pts
—	EU-27 average	44.8%	—

All 27 EU member states are listed. Click any country for its full breakdown — attainment rate, EU rank, gap to the EU-27 average and context. Figures are the share of 25–34 year-olds with a tertiary qualification (2025).

EU tertiary education by country — FAQ

Which EU country has the highest tertiary education attainment?: Among 25–34 year-olds, Ireland has the highest tertiary attainment in the EU at 66.8% (2025), followed by other high-attainment member states. The lowest in this dataset is Romania at 23.0%. Rankings reflect official Eurostat figures for both sexes. Source: Eurostat, edat_lfse_03 (CC-BY 4.0).
What is the EU average for tertiary education among young adults?: The EU-27 average is 44.8% of 25–34 year-olds with a tertiary qualification (ISCED 2011 levels 5–8) in 2025. The age band 25–34 is used because most people in it have finished education, so it captures recent attainment trends. Source: Eurostat, edat_lfse_03 (CC-BY 4.0).
What counts as "tertiary education" here?: Tertiary education means ISCED 2011 levels 5–8 — short-cycle tertiary, Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral or equivalent qualifications. Each country figure is the share of 25–34 year-olds (both sexes) holding such a qualification. It measures attainment of the population, not current enrolment. Source: Eurostat, edat_lfse_03 (CC-BY 4.0).
Is this real, official data?: Yes. Every value is a published Eurostat figure from dataset edat_lfse_03 ("Population by educational attainment level, sex and age"), licensed CC-BY 4.0 (European Commission, Eurostat). The figures are official 2025 values for 25–34 year-olds, both sexes — not modelled, estimated, or interpolated.

Explore EU tertiary education by country

Ireland

66.8% · above the EU-27 average

Luxembourg

65.0% · above the EU-27 average

Lithuania

60.8% · above the EU-27 average

Cyprus

60.0% · above the EU-27 average

Netherlands

56.1% · above the EU-27 average

France

55.8% · above the EU-27 average

Sweden

53.6% · above the EU-27 average

Belgium

52.7% · above the EU-27 average

Denmark

52.5% · above the EU-27 average

Spain

52.5% · above the EU-27 average

Malta

47.7% · above the EU-27 average

Poland

45.2% · in line with the EU-27 average

Latvia

44.7% · in line with the EU-27 average

Estonia

44.3% · in line with the EU-27 average

Austria

43.7% · below the EU-27 average

Greece

42.8% · below the EU-27 average

Slovenia

42.8% · below the EU-27 average

Portugal

42.5% · below the EU-27 average

Croatia

42.0% · below the EU-27 average

Bulgaria

41.2% · below the EU-27 average

Germany

40.9% · below the EU-27 average

Finland

38.2% · below the EU-27 average

Slovakia

36.3% · below the EU-27 average

Czechia

36.0% · below the EU-27 average

Hungary

32.6% · below the EU-27 average

Italy

31.1% · below the EU-27 average

Romania

23.0% · below the EU-27 average

Related education data

UK graduate salaries by subject — median UK graduate earnings by degree (DfE LEO, in £)
US college salaries by major — median US early-career earnings by field of study (College Scorecard, in $)

Build higher-education skills

Wherever you are in Europe, GeraLearn’s affordable, certificate-backed courses help you build in-demand, university-level skills — at your own pace, priced in EUR (€).

Browse courses →

Source: Eurostat — Population by educational attainment level (edat_lfse_03). Figures are the share of 25–34 year-olds (both sexes) who have completed tertiary education (ISCED 2011 levels 5–8), as of the 2025 reference year. Licensed CC-BY 4.0 (European Commission, Eurostat). Attainment measures the population holding a higher-education qualification, not current enrolment. Last refreshed 2026-06-11T23:00:00+0200. No figure is modelled or interpolated.