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Belgium
Overview of the education system (EAG 2024)
  • In Belgium, reducing the share of young adults without an upper secondary qualification has been a priority. The share of 25-34 year-olds without upper secondary educational attainment decreased by 4 percentage points between 2016 and 2023. At 14%, it is the same as the OECD average in 2023.
  • In Belgium, 52% of 25-34 year-olds without an upper secondary qualification are employed, compared to 78% of those with an upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary qualification. The corresponding OECD averages are 61% and 79%, respectively.
  • Across the OECD, the average NEET rate decreased from 15.8% to 13.8% between 2016 and 2023. In Belgium, the share of NEETs decreased from 12.4% to 9.4%.
  • In all OECD member countries, women aged 25-34 are as likely or more likely than their male peers to have a tertiary qualification (54% compared to 41% on average across OECD countries). With a tertiary educational attainment rate of 57% for women and 43% for men, the gap is similar to the OECD average in Belgium.
  • In Belgium, only 39% of young women with educational attainment below upper secondary educational level are employed, while the corresponding share for young men is 62% (the corresponding OECD averages are 47% and 72%). In contrast, 88% of young women with a tertiary qualification are employed, while the corresponding share for young men is 90% (the corresponding OECD averages are 84% and 90%).
  • In Belgium, 79% of 25-64 year-olds who have at least one parent with tertiary attainment also attained a tertiary qualification. In contrast, only 22% of 25-64 year-olds with parents without an upper secondary qualification have obtained a tertiary qualification themselves. This compares to the averages of 72% and 19%, respectively.
    • | Education at a Glance 2024 | Country note | Annexes from Education at a Glance 2024 | OECD Handbook for Internationally Comparative Education Statistics 2018 | OECD Education Policy Outlook: Belgium | Vlaams Ministerie van Onderwijs en Vorming (Education in the Flemish Community of Belgium, in Flemish) | Administration Générale de l'Enseignement et de la Recherche Scientifique (Department of Education and Scientific Research, in French) | Das Bildungsportal der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft | National Institute for Statistics (FOD Economie (ADSEI)) | Important note on Belgian education system |
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    The following list displays indicators for which your selected country shows the highest and lowest values among countries. The list can be sorted by level of education or by age group. All rankings are calculated including available data from OECD and partner countries. Find out more about the methodology here.

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    Attainment by gender

    In Belgium, the proportion of 25-34 year-old women who have attained a short cycle tertiary degree is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data (1.2 %, rank 27/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the proportion of 25-34 year-old men who have attained a short cycle tertiary degree is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data (0.6 %, rank 27/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Entrance

    In Belgium, the average age of new entrants in bachelor's programmes is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (19.3 Years, rank 39/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The average age of new entrants in tertiary education in Belgium is comparatively young. (19.4 Years, rank 32/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the average age of new entrants in master's programmes is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (23.5 Years, rank 38/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Entrance by field of education and gender

    The share of female who enter tertiary education in the field of education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (67.6 %, rank 36/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female who enter tertiary education in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (41.4 %, rank 38/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female who enter tertiary education in the field of information and communication technologies (ICTs) is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (12 %, rank 38/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of women among new entrants in bachelor's programmes in the field of information and communication technologies is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (12.6 %, rank 38/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of women among new entrants in bachelor's programmes in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (38.2 %, rank 39/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of women among new entrants in bachelor's programmes in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (23.2 %, rank 37/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering master's or equivalent programmes in engineering, manufacturing and construction in Belgium is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (25.9 %, rank 36/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering master's or equivalent programmes in information and communication technologies in Belgium is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (8.8 %, rank 37/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering master's or equivalent programmes in natural sciences, mathematics and statistics in Belgium is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (45.1 %, rank 35/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering master's or equivalent programmes in Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in Belgium is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (30 %, rank 37/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering short cycle tertiary programmes in education in Belgium is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (37.3 %, rank 21/22 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering short cycle tertiary programmes in engineering, manufacturing and construction in Belgium is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (5.2 %, rank 30/31 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering short cycle tertiary programmes in information and communication technologies in Belgium is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (10.6 %, rank 28/29 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering short cycle tertiary programmes in Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in Belgium is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (8.6 %, rank 31/32 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female in short-cycle tertiary programmes in the field of services is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (27.1 %, rank 26/29 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Participation in education

    The enrolment rate among 15-19 year-olds in Belgium is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (93.1 %, rank 4/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of students in government-dependent private tertiary educational institutions is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (58.3 %, rank 4/23 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of students in independent private tertiary educational institutions is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.1 %, rank 31/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of students enrolled in school- and work-based programmes among all upper secondary students enrolled in vocational programmes is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (6.7 %, rank 21/24 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of students enrolled in programmes providing full completion and access to tertiary education among all students enrolled in upper secondary vocational programmes is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (24.7 %, rank 39/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The average age of lower secondary students enrolled in vocational programmes in Belgium is one of the lowest compared to other countries with available data. (16.2 %, rank 19/22 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Belgium has one of the largest shares of lower secondary students enrolled in vocational programmes. (16.3 %, rank 3/23 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of lower secondary vocational students among vocational students is relatively high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (13.1 %, rank 5/19 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of upper secondary students enrolled in programmes giving partial completion or insufficient for completion is relatively high compared to the other countries. (32.6 %, rank 4/17 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of upper secondary students enrolled in programmes giving full level completion without access to tertiary education in Belgium is relatively high compared to the other countries. (42.7 %, rank 5/27 , 2022) Download Indicator

    (0.3 %, rank 15/17 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of vocational students as a share of short-cycle tertiary students is among the largest in all OECD and partner countries. (100 %, rank 1/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of two-year-olds in pre-primary education in Belgium is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (52.8 %, rank 1/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    (0.3 %, rank 2/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of three-year-olds in pre-primary education in Belgium is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (98 %, rank 4/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation

    In Belgium, the average age of post-secondary non-tertiary graduates from vocational programmes is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data (22.2 Years, rank 25/25 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the average age of first-time tertiary graduates is relatively low. (23.7 Years, rank 30/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The average age of bachelor's or equivalent graduates in Belgium is among the youngest. (23.4 Years, rank 30/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation by gender

    In Belgium, the share of female first-time graduates in short-cycle tertiary programmes is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (45.5 %, rank 23/27 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education

    The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of information and communication technologies is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (3 %, rank 38/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of health and welfare is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (26.8 %, rank 1/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of services is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.5 %, rank 38/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of education in Belgium is relatively small. (1.2 %, rank 38/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of information and communication technologies in Belgium is relatively small. (0.4 %, rank 38/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of short-cycle tertiary vocational graduates in the field of arts and humanities is relatively low compared to other OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (0.1 %, rank 35/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of short-cycle tertiary vocational graduates in the field of health and welfare is relatively high compared to other OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (54 %, rank 1/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the proportion of bachelor's, master's and doctoral or equivalent graduates in the field of STEM is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (18.6 %, rank 40/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the proportion of bachelor's, master's and doctoral or equivalent graduates in the field of health and welfare is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (25.2 %, rank 1/45 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education and gender

    The proportion of female tertiary graduates in health and welfare is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries. (33.7 %, rank 1/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of female doctoral graduates in the field of Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is relatively low. (37.8 %, rank 38/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of female tertiary graduates in the field of sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (8.7 %, rank 39/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of male tertiary graduates in the field of health and welfare is relatively high in Belgium. (16.5 %, rank 2/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of female post-secondary non-tertiary graduates in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (3.2 %, rank 25/27 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the proportion of female graduates from upper secondary vocational programmes in the field of business, administration and law is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries. (50.2 %, rank 36/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the proportion of female graduates from upper secondary vocational programmes in the field health and welfare is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries. (88.5 %, rank 5/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (44.6 %, rank 40/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (27.5 %, rank 39/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of information and communication technologies is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (13.6 %, rank 38/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Fields of education

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of services among all national tertiary students in Belgium is relatively low. (1.5 %, rank 36/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of new entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes in the field of arts and humanities is relatively small. (0 %, rank 33/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of new entrants to tertiary education in the field of services is comparatively small. (1.4 %, rank 36/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of new entrants in Information and communication tecnologies master's programmes is one of the lowest, compared to other countries with available data. (1.2 %, rank 36/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of new entrants in Science, technology, engineering and mathematics bachelor's programmes is relatively low in Belgium among countries with available data. (19.7 %, rank 37/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Student mobility

    In Belgium, the proportion of international graduates among first-time doctorate graduates is relatively high. (48.9 %, rank 4/31 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Student mobility by field of education

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of services among all international or foreign tertiary students in Belgium is relatively low. (1.5 %, rank 36/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the percentage of international doctoral graduates in the field of Information and communication technologies is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.5 %, rank 33/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of students enrolled in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics among all international or foreign students is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (19.1 %, rank 32/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of students enrolled in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics among tertiary students is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (19.4 %, rank 32/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of students enrolled in the field of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary among all international or foreign tertiary students is relatively high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (4.6 %, rank 3/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Expenditure per student

    Annual expenditure per tertiary student is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (15708 USD Equivalent, rank 5/32 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Expenditure per student for core educational services on primary to tertiary education in Belgium is comparatively high. (14978 USD Equivalent, rank 5/25 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Expenditure in education and national wealth

    In Belgium, expenditure on secondary educational institutions as a percentage of GDP is comparatively high. (2.5 %, rank 1/34 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, public and private expenditure on primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary educational institutions as a percentage of GDP is comparatively high. (4.1 %, rank 4/36 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, international expenditure on educational institutions as a percentage of GDP on primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education from final source of funds is relatively high. (0 %, rank 4/33 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, public expenditure on educational institutions as a percentage of GDP on primary to tertiary education from final source of funds is relatively high. (5.2 %, rank 4/41 , 2021) Download Indicator

    The public expenditure as a percentage of GDP from initial source of funds at primary to tertiary education is relatively high in Belgium. (5.2 %, rank 4/30 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, international expenditure as a percentage of GDP from initial source of funds on tertiary education is relatively large. (0.1 %, rank 5/35 , 2021) Download Indicator

    From 2012 to 2018, the average annual growth in total expenditure per full-time equivalent student on primary to tertiary education in Belgium is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.3 %, rank 5/30 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Government and private expenditure in education

    In Belgium, total public expenditure on secondary educational institutions as a percentage of total public expenditure is comparatively high. (3 %, rank 4/42 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Nature of expenditure

    In Belgium, the share of capital expenditure on all levels below tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (3.5 %, rank 33/33 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of current expenditure on all levels below tertiary education is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (96.5 %, rank 1/33 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of capital expenditure on primary through tertiary is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.1 %, rank 33/33 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of current expenditure on primary through tertiary education is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (95.9 %, rank 1/33 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of capital expenditure on secondary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (3.2 %, rank 30/31 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Who the teachers are

    The percentage of primary to upper secondary teachers younger than 30 is especially high. (15.9 %, rank 5/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of female teachers younger than 30 in tertiary education is relatively large. (58.2 %, rank 5/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of teachers under 30 in Belgium is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (12.2 %, rank 5/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of teachers under 30 in upper secondary vocational education is especially high in Belgium. (11.7 %, rank 3/30 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Migrant background

    The employment rate of foreign-born aged between 25 and 64 and without upper secondary education is comparatively low. (47.7 %, rank 29/30 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate of foreign-born aged between 25 and 64 with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (66.2 %, rank 31/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate of native-born aged between 25-64 with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (47.8 %, rank 31/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Ratio of student to teaching staff

    The ratio of students to teaching staff at the upper secondary level is especially low. (8.7 Ratio, rank 42/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The number of students per teacher in secondary schools is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (8.8 Ratio, rank 38/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The ratio of students to teaching staff at the vocational upper secondary level is especially low in Belgium. (7.6 Ratio, rank 30/31 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The ratio of students to teaching staff at the lower secondary level in government-dependent private institutions is especially low in Belgium. (9.1 Ratio, rank 19/22 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the number of students per teacher in public upper secondary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (8.6 Ratio, rank 41/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The ratio of students to teaching staff at the upper secondary level in government-dependent private institutions is especially low in Belgium. (8.8 Ratio, rank 19/22 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the number of students per teacher in all public secondary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (8.7 Ratio, rank 37/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The ratio of students to teaching staff at the secondary level in government-dependent private institutions is especially low in Belgium. (8.9 Ratio, rank 20/20 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the number of students per teacher in public institutions tertiary education is one of the highest among countries with available data. (30.1 Ratio, rank 3/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the number of students per teacher in independent private institutions tertiary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (0 Ratio, rank 25/25 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the number of students per teacher in public institutions short-cycle tertiary education is one of the highest among countries with available data. (29.7 Ratio, rank 4/23 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the number of students per teacher in public bachelor's, master's, doctoral or equivalent programmes is one of the highest among countries with available data. (30.1 Ratio, rank 2/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the number of students per teacher in independent private bachelor's, master's, doctoral or equivalent programmes is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (0 Ratio, rank 21/21 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Employment and educational attainment

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (90.8 %, rank 31/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (68.6 %, rank 35/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 55-64 year-olds with below upper secondary education is compartively low in Belgium. (36.5 %, rank 41/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 45-54 year-olds without upper secondary education is comparatively low. (54.1 %, rank 44/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the employment rate of 25-34 year-olds with a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is relatively low in Belgium. (83.2 %, rank 19/23 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Employment by gender and educational attainment

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds without upper secondary education is comparatively low. (47.7 %, rank 43/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-old men without upper secondary education is comparatively low. (56.7 %, rank 43/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-old men with below upper secondary education is compartively low in Belgium. (61.7 %, rank 40/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 55-64 year-old men with below upper secondary education is compartively low in Belgium. (43.1 %, rank 41/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of employed 25-64 year-old men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (74.7 %, rank 38/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Unemployment by gender and educational attainment

    The unemployment rate among 25-34 year-old men with below upper secondary education is compartively high in Belgium. (19 %, rank 4/40 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the unemployment rate of 25-34 year-old men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high in Belgium. (10.8 %, rank 4/33 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Inactivity and educational attainment

    In Belgium, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with below upper secondary education is one of the highest among countries with available data. (46.1 %, rank 3/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Inactivity by gender and educational attainment

    In Belgium, the inactivity rate 25-64 year-old women without an upper secondary education is relatively high compared to other countries with available data. (57.9 %, rank 5/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old men without an upper secondary education is relatively high compared to other countries with available data. (35.8 %, rank 2/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (19.4 %, rank 4/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old men with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (15.7 %, rank 4/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings and educational attainment

    In Belgium, the proportional difference in earnings between 25-64 year-old men with a bachelor's or equivalent degree and those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is low. (122 Index, rank 31/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of workers earning more than twice the median among those with a bachelor's or equivalent education degree is comparatively low. (6 %, rank 33/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of worker earning more than twice the median among those with a master's or doctoral or equivalent education degree is comparatively low. (20.2 %, rank 31/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the share of worker earning more than twice the median among those with a tertiary education degree is comparatively . (12 Index, rank 38/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-64 year-old workers with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education earning more than twice the overall median in Belgium is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (2 Index, rank 38/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the distribution of worker earning more than 1.5 times the median but at or below twice the median among those with below upper secondary education is comparatively low . (2 Index, rank 33/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the distribution of worker earning more than 1.5 times the median but at or below twice the median among those with with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (6 Index, rank 37/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Earnings, gender and educational attainment

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (among 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education and income from employment) are one of the highest among countries with available data. (88.1 %, rank 3/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women (as a percentage of men's earnings) among full- and part-time 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education are one of the highest among countries with available data. (80.4 %, rank 4/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the proportion of young women's earnings as a percentage of men's earnings (25-34 year-olds with tertiary education working full-time full-year), is relatively high compared to OECD and other members with available data (97.3 %, rank 1/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (25-64 year-olds with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education working full-time full-year) are one of the highest among countries with available data. (87.2 %, rank 4/30 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (45-54 year-olds with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education working full-time full-year) are one of the highest among countries with available data. (94.5 %, rank 2/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Neither in education nor employed

    The share of men without an upper secondary education neither in employment nor in education and training (25-29 year-olds) in Belgium is relatively high (45.6 %, rank 4/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-29 year-olds neither in employment nor in education and training without an upper secondary in Belgium is relatively high. (54.4 %, rank 5/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of men with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education neither in employment nor in education and training (25-29 year-olds) in Belgium is relatively high (15.6 %, rank 5/27 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of women who are inactive NEET (18-24 year-olds) in Belgium is relatively low. (4.9 %, rank 38/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of youth neither employed nor in education or training (15-19 year-olds) in Belgium is relatively low. (3 %, rank 39/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Belgium, the percentage of women neither employed nor in education or training among 15-19 year-olds is relatively low. (2.1 %, rank 41/41 , 2022) Download Indicator


    The data table will display up to six selected countries.
    General findings
    
                        
    
                            
    
                                
    • Educational and labour-market outcomes for young adults at risk of falling behind have improved. Since 2016, the share of 18-24 year-olds not in employment, education or training has fallen from 16% to 14% on average across the OECD. At the same time, the share of 25-34 year-olds without an upper secondary qualification has decreased from 17% to 14%.

    • Job opportunities have also improved: the employment rate among 25-34 year-olds without an upper secondary qualification has risen from 59% to 61%, and for those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary attainment, it has increased from 76% to 79%.

    • Educational outcomes are transmitted across generations. Inequalities start early and persist through all stages of the education system. In countries with available data, children from low-income families are on average 18 percentage points less likely to be enrolled in early childhood education and care before the age of 3.

    • Students who start an upper secondary programme are 19 percentage points less likely to successfully complete their studies if their parents have not attained upper secondary education than their peers with parents who have a tertiary qualification, and this gap is 13 percentage points for those starting a bachelor’s programmes.

    • These disadvantages result in very different levels of educational attainment. While 72% of adults who have at least one parent with a tertiary qualification have also obtained a tertiary qualification, only 19% of those whose parents have not completed upper secondary education have tertiary attainment.

    • Public expenditure on early childhood education measured as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 9% between 2015 and 2021, significantly more than for other levels of education. Enrolment rates in early childhood education have also continued to rise across all age groups. On average across the OECD, 83% of children aged 3-5 are enrolled in pre-primary education, up from 79% in 2013.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Equity in education and on the labour market | Education policies: Equity | Education policies: Gender | Education policies: Socio-economic status | Education policies: Migrant background | 
    
                            
    
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    • 	In almost all countries with available data, the share of younger adults (25-34 year-olds) without an upper secondary qualification has fallen since 2016 and for Costa Rica, Mexico, Portugal and Türkiye these declines have been in double digits in percentage-point terms. This means many more younger adults will have the opportunity to succeed in the labour market.

    • 	On average across OECD countries, the share of women with at least a bachelor's or equivalent degree has almost doubled in a generation: going from 24% among 55-64 year-olds to 47% among 25-34 year-olds, reflecting a substantial increase in educational attainment.

    • 	In most OECD countries, the share of 18-24 year-olds who are neither employed nor in formal education or training (NEET) has decreased between 2016 and 2023. Costa Rica and Lithuania are exceptions, having experienced a rise above 3 percentage points in the share over this period.

    • 	Employment rates for younger adults (25-34 year-olds) slightly improved in most countries between 2016 and 2023, irrespective of their educational attainment level. However, the gap in employment rates between younger adults with below upper secondary attainment and those with tertiary attainment has widened in more than half of OECD, partner and/or accession countries with comparable data for both years.

    • 	In OECD countries, workers who have not attained upper secondary education earn, on average, 18% less than those who have attained this level of education. Meanwhile, workers with a tertiary education earn, on average, 56% more than those with only an upper secondary education.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Attainment | Education policies: Labour market outcomes | 
    
                            
    
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    • 	Most children aged 3 to 5 (84%) attend early childhood education (ECE) programmes across the OECD, yet only 32% of those aged 0 to 2 are enrolled in early childhood educational development programmes (ISCED 01) on average. Younger children from low-income families are least likely to attend these programmes, despite being likely to benefit the most.

    • 	Since 2013, 12 countries have extended the length of compulsory education at either pre-primary or upper secondary level. As enrolment rates in the years before and after compulsory education are already generally high, these measures often aim to increase enrolment among disadvantaged groups, where rates are lower.

    • 	The vast majority of primary students are enrolled in public institutions, averaging 85% across OECD countries. In some countries, government-dependent private institutions are prevalent, which often function in similar ways to public institutions.

    • 	Gender disparities at the upper secondary level affect students’ pathways in the labour market and higher education. On average, 51% of graduates from upper secondary general programmes are female, but in vocational programmes female only make up 46% of graduates.

    • 	Family background strongly influences success in upper secondary education. In all countries with available data, students whose parents have lower educational attainment have substantially lower completion rates than students with a tertiary-educated parent. Completion rates for students with immigrant backgrounds are also lower than for non-immigrant students.

    • 	On average, women are over-represented in tertiary education, but they remain under-represented in some fields. Only 15% of female new entrants at tertiary level choose a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) field, compared to 41% of male new entrants. In contrast, only 4% of male entrants opted for the field of education and 8% for health and welfare, shares which have not changed since 2015.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Access and Participation  | 
    
                            
    
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    • 	Expenditure per student increases with the educational level in nearly all OECD countries, although by how much varies substantially among countries. On average, expenditure per student amounts to about USD 11 900 at primary level, USD 13 300 at secondary level and USD 20 500 at tertiary level.

    • 	OECD countries spend, on average, the equivalent of 4.9% of their gross domestic product (GDP) (over USD 3.5 trillion in total) on educational institutions from primary to tertiary levels (including tertiary research and development). Iceland, Israel, Norway and the United Kingdom invest over 6% of their national output into education.

    • 	Private sources play a much more important role in funding tertiary education, relative to government sources, than at lower levels. On average, private sources of funding amount to 0.3% of GDP for primary to post-secondary non-tertiary institutions, with a similar percentage for tertiary institutions. In contrast, government funding amounts to 3.2% of GDP for primary to post-secondary non-tertiary institutions, well above the 1.0% of GDP that governments spend on tertiary institutions.

    • 	On average, across OECD countries, the government is the primary source of funding for both public and private primary schools. For public institutions, the government covers nearly all expenditure, amounting to about USD 11 900 per student, while it accounts for less than 60% of the costs for private ones, roughly USD 7 900 per student, on average. However, these figure vary considerably across countries. 

    • 	Tuition fees for bachelor's degrees vary considerably from country to country. In one-third of the countries and other participants with data, public institutions either offer tuition-free education to national students or charge less than USD 1 100 per year in fees. In another third of countries, annual tuition fees are relatively modest, averaging between USD 1 400 and USD 3 100 per student. In the remaining countries, fees are considerably higher, exceeding USD 4 500 per year.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Finance and Funding | 
    
                            
    
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    • 	Between 2013 and 2022, the ratio of children to teaching staff at pre-primary level fell across most countries, from 16:1 to 15:1 on average in OECD countries, due to fewer enrolled children and more teachers. In some countries, however, the ratio has increased due to rising child enrolment and teacher shortages.

    • 	In most OECD countries, the salaries of teachers increase with the level of education they teach. On average across OECD countries and other participants, the salaries of teachers with the most prevalent qualifications with 15 years of experience range from USD 52 631 at pre-primary level to USD 60 803 at upper secondary level.

    • 	Between 2015 and 2023, the statutory salaries of teachers at primary and secondary levels increased by 28-29% in nominal terms on average across OECD countries. When adjusted for changes in prices, the rise in real salaries was much smaller, at 4-5%.

    • 	Based on official regulations or agreements, teachers in public schools in OECD countries and other participants are required to teach on average 1 007 hours per year at pre-primary level, 773 hours at primary level, 706 hours at lower secondary level (general programmes) and 679 hours at upper secondary level (general programmes). 

    • 	Of the 21 countries with available data, 18 reported that they faced teacher shortages at the start of the 2022/23 academic year, with only Greece, Korea and Türkiye not reporting any shortages.

    • 	The ageing of the teaching workforce is more pronounced in secondary schools than in primary education. On average across OECD countries, the share of older teachers (aged 50 and over) increases with the education level: from 34% in primary education to 36% in lower secondary and 41% in upper secondary education.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Teachers | Education policies: Teachers | OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS)  | 
    
                            
    
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            Diagram of funding flows - Belgium
            
    
            
    
        
    


        
		
    
            
    
			Click on the coverpage to see the full OECD iLibrary version
			
    
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            Country Reviews for Belgium
            
    
            
    
			
    
        
    
		
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
        
    
            Note: These values should be interpreted with care since they are influenced
            by countries' specific contexts and trade-offs. In education, there is often no simple
            most- or least-efficient model. For instance, the share of private expenditure in
            education must be read against other measures designed to mitigate inequities, 
			such as loans and grants; longer learning time is an opportunity to convey
            more and better content to students, but may hinder investments in other important
            areas. If you want further information on the nature of different variables, please
            take the time to read the analysis and contextual information, available at the website
            for each publication.
    
            All rankings for individual variables are compiled on the basis of OECD and G20 countries for which data are available. 
            The OECD average includes only OECD countries which are listed here: http://www.oecd.org/about/membersandpartners/
            

    
			Reference years displayed in the Education GPS correspond to the most common year of reference among countries for which data is available on each variable. Data for the latest available year is preferred and some 
			countries may have provided data refering to a more recent or late year. To know more about possible exceptions on data please click on the "Download Indicator" link on each variable. When a year of reference corresponds to a school year encompassing two years, the reference reads as follows: 2018 for school year 2017/2018.  
			

    
	    *TALIS averages are based on all countries participating in the TALIS survey, including partner countries and economies. 
		This explains the difference between the OECD average and the TALIS averages.
		Data from the TALIS survey and Education at a Glance (EAG) may differ. See Annex E of the TALIS technical report and 
		Annex 3 
		of EAG 2021 for more details about the data collections.
            

    
			B-S-J-Z (China) refers to the four PISA-participating provinces/municipalities of the People's Republic of China:
Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
			

    
            For additional notes, please refer to annexes in the list of links below the introductory country profile text.