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Switzerland
Overview of the education system (EAG 2024)
  • In Switzerland, reducing the share of young adults without an upper secondary qualification has not been a priority. The share of 25-34 year-olds without upper secondary educational attainment remained constant between 2016 and 2023. At 9%, it is 5 percentage points below the OECD average in 2023.
  • In Switzerland, 64% of 25-34 year-olds without an upper secondary qualification are employed, compared to 87% 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 Switzerland, the share of NEETs decreased from 9.4% to 8.9%.
  • 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 54% for women and 50% for men, the gap is much narrower than the OECD average in Switzerland.
  • In Switzerland, only 52% of young women with educational attainment below upper secondary educational level are employed, while the corresponding share for young men is 74% (the corresponding OECD averages are 47% and 72%). In contrast, 90% of young women with a tertiary qualification are employed, while the corresponding share for young men is 94% (the corresponding OECD averages are 84% and 90%).
  • In Switzerland, 70% of 25-64 year-olds who have at least one parent with tertiary attainment also attained a tertiary qualification. In contrast, only 23% 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.
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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

    The proportion of 25-64 year-olds who attained a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (3.3 %, rank 1/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-34 year-olds who have attained a general degree at the upper secondary or post-secondary level is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (8.3 %, rank 35/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of 25-34 year-olds who attained a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (2.4 %, rank 1/32 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Attainment by gender

    The share of 25-34 year-old men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in Switzerland is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (8.5 %, rank 35/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Entrance

    The share of new entrants younger than 25 in bachelor's or equivalent programmes is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (71.9 %, rank 36/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of women among tertiary education new entrants is one of the smallest compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (50.8 %, rank 33/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering bachelor's programmes in Switzerland is relatively small. (50.4 %, rank 38/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the percentage of new entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes younger than 25 is relatively low. (26.7 %, rank 31/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the percentage of first-time entrants into tertiary education younger than 25 is relatively low. (68.2 %, rank 30/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The average age of new entrants in tertiary education in Switzerland is comparatively old. (24.8 Years, rank 2/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The proportion of women among the new entrants in master's programmes in Switzerland is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (51.4 %, rank 37/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of first-time entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (2.4 %, rank 23/27 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Entrance by field of education and gender

    The share of female who enter tertiary education in the field of business, administration and law is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (48.5 %, rank 37/39 , 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. (47.1 %, rank 35/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female who enter tertiary education in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (20.3 %, rank 37/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of women among new entrants in bachelor's programmes in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (17.4 %, rank 38/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering master's or equivalent programmes in engineering, manufacturing and construction in Switzerland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (26 %, rank 35/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering master's or equivalent programmes in natural sciences, mathematics and statistics in Switzerland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (44.7 %, rank 36/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering short cycle tertiary programmes in engineering, manufacturing and construction in Switzerland 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 Switzerland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (0 %, rank 29/29 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering short cycle tertiary programmes in Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in Switzerland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (5.1 %, rank 32/32 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering short-cycle tertiary programmes in education in Switzerland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (4.3 %, rank 18/22 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female in short-cycle tertiary programmes in the field of arts and humanities is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (32.3 %, rank 30/32 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Participation in education

    The percentage of three-year-olds in early childhood education in Switzerland is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2.2 %, rank 40/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of four-year-olds in early childhood and primary education in Switzerland is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (48.8 %, rank 38/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of 3-5 year-old children in early childhood and primary education in Switzerland is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (50 %, rank 39/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the enrolment rate of children under 3 is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 37/39 , 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 largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (90.8 %, rank 5/24 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of students aged 18 in vocational upper secondary programmes in Switzerland is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (49.8 %, rank 4/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of students aged 19 in general upper secondary programmes in Switzerland is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (15 %, rank 5/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of students aged 19 tertiary programmes in Switzerland is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 31/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of students aged 20 in general upper secondary programmes in Switzerland is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (7.3 %, rank 4/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of students aged 20 in vocational upper secondary programmes in Switzerland is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (16.8 %, rank 3/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the percentage of students enrolled in private institutions at all early childhood education level is comparatively low. (5 %, rank 34/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the percentage of students enrolled in private institutions at pre-primary level is comparatively low. (5 %, rank 41/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, upper secondary vocational students among all vocational students are relatively more numerous than in other OECD or partner countries. (92.8 %, rank 4/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    (79.6 %, rank 26/30 , 2022) Download Indicator

    (0 %, rank 16/17 , 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 average age of short-cycle tertiary students enrolled in vocational programmes is comparativele high. (34.2 %, rank 4/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of two-year-olds in early childhood education in Switzerland is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 37/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    (0.2 %, rank 5/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of three-year-olds in pre-primary education in Switzerland is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2.2 %, rank 39/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of four-year-olds in pre-primary in Switzerland is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (48.8 %, rank 40/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation

    The share of tertiary graduates younger than 30-years-old is one of the smallest among countries with available data. (75.1 %, rank 29/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the percentage of first-time short-cycle tertiary graduates younger than 30 is relatively low. (33.5 %, rank 27/29 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of long first degree master's graduates in public institutions is relatively high in Switzerland. (100 %, rank 1/25 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of first-time short-cycle graduates is relatively low in Switzerland. (1 %, rank 26/28 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of first-time master's graduates is relatively low in Switzerland. (0 %, rank 25/25 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The average age of short-cycle tertiary graduates in Switzerland is among the oldest. (36.9 Years, rank 1/25 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The average age of bachelor's or equivalent graduates in Switzerland is among the oldest. (27.9 Years, rank 4/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation by gender

    Among OECD and partner countries with available data, Switzerland has one of the smallest shares of women graduates from tertiary programmes. (51.4 %, rank 32/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of female first-time bachelor's graduates is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (51.4 %, rank 31/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education

    In Switzerland, the proportion of upper secondary vocational graduates in the field of business, aministration and law is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (30.3 %, rank 4/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the proportion of upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary vocational graduates in the field of business, administration and law is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (30.3 %, rank 3/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of short-cycle tertiary vocational graduates in the field of arts and humanities is relatively high compared to other OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (22.3 %, rank 5/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, 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. (52.8 %, rank 2/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of short-cycle tertiary vocational graduates in the field of services is relatively low compared to other OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (0 %, rank 33/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education and gender

    In Switzerland, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in all fields is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (50.7 %, rank 41/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the field of education is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (69.1 %, rank 38/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of business, administration and law is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (48.4 %, rank 41/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, 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. (45.9 %, rank 39/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, 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. (25.2 %, rank 40/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, 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. (12.6 %, rank 41/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (18.7 %, rank 41/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (40.3 %, rank 40/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Fields of education

    In Switzerland, the share of new entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes in the field of information and communication technologies is relatively small. (0.1 %, rank 29/32 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of health and welfare is relatively high, compared to other countries with available data. (27.8 %, rank 5/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of new entrants in arts and humanities bachelor's programmes is especially low, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (6.3 %, rank 36/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the proportion of new entrants in social sciences, journalism and information bachelor's programmes is slightly low, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (5.7 %, rank 39/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of new entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics is comparatively low in Switzerland, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (11.2 %, rank 29/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of new entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes in the field of services is one of the low among countries with available data. (0 %, rank 30/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the percentage of new entrants in Services master's programmes is comparatively low among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.4 %, rank 35/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Student mobility

    Switzerland has one of the largest proportion of international or foreign students enrolled in tertiary education among OECD and partner countries with available data. (19.1 %, rank 5/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of international students entering short-cycle tertiary programmes is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 27/30 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of international and foreign students enrolled in doctoral or equivalent programmes is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (57.8 %, rank 2/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the proportion of international graduates among first-time short-cycle tertiary first-time graduates is relatively low. (0 %, rank 23/27 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the proportion of international graduates among first-time doctorate graduates is relatively high. (59.6 %, rank 2/31 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The proportion of international students among the new entrants in master's programmes in Switzerland is relatively high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (34.1 %, rank 5/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the proportion of international or foreign students enrolled in master's programmes is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (31.3 %, rank 4/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the proportion of international or foreign students enrolled in short-cycle tertiary programmes is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 31/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the number of international or foreign students for every hundred national students home or abroad is comparatively high. (22 Students, rank 3/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of international or foreign students enrolled in short-cycle tertiary programmes among men is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (0 %, rank 30/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of international or foreign students enrolled in short-cycle tertiary programmes among women is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (0 %, rank 30/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    (18.1 %, rank 4/46 , 2020) Download Indicator

    Student mobility by field of education

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics among all international or foreign tertiary students in Switzerland is relatively high. (16.7 %, rank 1/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the percentage of international doctoral graduates in the field of arts and humanities is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (5.5 %, rank 34/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the percentage of international doctoral graduates in the field of Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (34.5 %, rank 5/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of students enrolled in the field of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary among all international or foreign tertiary students is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (0.5 %, rank 34/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Expenditure per student

    Annual expenditure per student on research and development in tertiary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (19911 USD Equivalent, rank 2/33 , 2021) Download Indicator

    From 2012 to 2018, the average annual growth in total expenditure on primary to tertiary education in Switzerland is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (33126 USD Equivalent, rank 2/37 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Expenditure in education and national wealth

    In Switzerland, 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

    From 2012 to 2018, the average annual growth in total expenditure per full-time equivalent student on primary to tertiary education in Switzerland 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 Switzerland, total public expenditure on primary through tertiary educational institutions as a percentage of total public expenditure is comparatively high. (12.6 %, rank 5/42 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Teachers

    The number of hours per year pre-primary teachers spend teaching in public institutions is comparatively low in Switzerland. (769 Hours, rank 15/18 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Who the teachers are

    The share of women among teaching staff in upper secondary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (46.3 %, rank 39/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of women among teaching staff in tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (37.2 %, rank 41/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of women among teaching staff in general upper secondary education in Switzerland is relatively small. (49 %, rank 34/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of women among teaching staff in vocational upper secondary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (45 %, rank 31/31 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of female teachers aged 50 or more in lower secondary education is especially low in Switzerland. (53.3 %, rank 34/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of female teachers aged 50 or more in upper secondary education is especially low in Switzerland. (41.7 %, rank 36/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of female teachers aged 50 or more in tertiary education is especially low in Switzerland. (31.2 %, rank 35/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of tertiary teachers older than 50 is relatively high, compared to other countries with data available. (49 %, rank 5/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of bachelor's, master's and doctoral level teachers younger than 30 is relatively low, compared to other countries with data available. (2.4 %, rank 30/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of tertiary teachers younger than 30 is relatively low, compared to other countries with data available. (2.4 %, rank 32/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of bachelor's, master's and doctoral level female teachers older than 50 is relatively low, compared to other countries with data available. (31.2 %, rank 33/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Teachers' salaries progression

    Starting salaries for teachers with minimum training in primary education are especially high. (70049 USD Equivalent, rank 3/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Salaries of primary school teachers with minimum training after 10 years of experience are especially high. (87412 USD Equivalent, rank 3/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Salaries of primary school teachers with minimum training at the top of scale are especially high. (106485 USD Equivalent, rank 3/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Starting salaries for lower secondary teachers with minimum training are especially high. (77234 USD Equivalent, rank 3/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Salaries of lower secondary teachers with minimum training after 10 years of experience are especially high. (98873 USD Equivalent, rank 2/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Migrant background

    The proportion of 25-64 year-old native-born people without upper secondary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (5.5 %, rank 33/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings of foreign-born aged between 25 and 64 who work full-time full-year with upper secondary or post-secondary non tertiary education are low compared to those of native-born with the same characteristics. (90 Index, rank 23/26 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Employment and educational attainment

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-olds with tertiary education is compartively high in Switzerland. (91.6 %, rank 5/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is compartively high in Switzerland. (87.1 %, rank 2/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the employment rate of 25-34 year-olds with a bachelor's or equivalent tertiary education degree is relatively high in Switzerland. (90.7 %, rank 5/45 , 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 high in Switzerland. (96.9 %, rank 3/23 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Employment by gender and educational attainment

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-old women with tertiary education is compartively high in Switzerland. (89.6 %, rank 3/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the employment rate among 25-34 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively high (86 %, rank 3/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of employed 25-64 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (78 %, rank 3/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the employment rate of 25-34 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high in Switzerland compared to other countries with available data. (80.3 %, rank 4/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Unemployment and educational attainment

    Compared to other countries with available data, the unemployment rate of 25-34 year-olds with a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is relatively low in Switzerland. (1.8 %, rank 7/7 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Unemployment by gender and educational attainment

    Compared to other countries with available data, the unemployment rate of 25-34 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low in Switzerland. (4.2 %, rank 28/32 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Inactivity and educational attainment

    The inactivity rate of 25-34 years-old adults with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is low in Switzerland. (9 %, rank 43/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The inactivity rate of 25-34 years-old adults with tertiary education is low in Switzerland. (5.6 %, rank 42/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-olds with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (13.5 %, rank 35/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-olds with a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (1.4 %, rank 8/8 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Inactivity by gender and educational attainment

    In Switzerland, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (16.1 %, rank 35/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (19.3 %, rank 35/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (9.9 %, rank 34/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old women with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (11.2 %, rank 43/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (17.1 %, rank 42/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old women with tertiary education is relatively low. (7.1 %, rank 42/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings and educational attainment

    In Switzerland, 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. (20.9 %, rank 29/33 , 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 Switzerland is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (2 Index, rank 38/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, 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 . (1 Index, rank 36/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, 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 full- and part-time 25-64 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education are one of the lowest among countries with available data. (63.1 %, rank 37/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (among 25-34 year-olds with upper secondary education or post-secondary non-tertiary education and income from employment) are one of the high among countries with available data. (92.2 %, rank 5/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, 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 (93.1 %, rank 4/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (25-34 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. (96.5 %, rank 4/29 , 2021) 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. (87.5 %, rank 3/30 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (25-34 year-olds with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education working full-time full-year) are one of the highest among countries with available data. (91.3 %, rank 5/27 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Neither in education nor employed

    The share of women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education neither in employment nor in education and training (25-29 year-olds) in Switzerland is relatively low (6.5 %, rank 26/26 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education neither in employment nor in education and training (25-29 year-olds) in Switzerland is relatively low (6.5 %, rank 24/26 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-29 year-olds neither in employment nor in education and training with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in Switzerland is relatively low (6.5 %, rank 30/30 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education neither in employment nor in education and training (25-29 year-olds) in Switzerland is relatively low (9.6 %, rank 29/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-29 year-olds neither in employment nor in education and training with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in Switzerland is relatively low. (8.6 %, rank 28/30 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of women with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education neither in employment nor in education and training (25-29 year-olds) in Switzerland is relatively low. (8.9 %, rank 41/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-29 year-olds neither in employment nor in education and training with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary in Switzerland is relatively low. (8.1 %, rank 40/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of women who are inactive NEET (15-29 year-olds) in Switzerland is relatively low. (5.6 %, rank 38/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of women who are inactive NEET (18-24 year-olds) in Switzerland is relatively low. (5.1 %, rank 37/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of youth neither employed nor in education or training among 25-29 year-olds in Switzerland is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (9.2 %, rank 40/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the share of women neither employed nor in education among 15-29 year-olds is relatively low. (8 %, rank 39/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Switzerland, the percentage of women neither employed nor in education or training among 20-24 year-olds is relatively low. (8.5 %, rank 38/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of young women neither employed nor in education or training (25-29 year-olds) in Switzerland is comparatively low . (10.6 %, rank 40/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of 18-24 year-old women neither employed nor in education or training is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (7.6 %, rank 38/42 , 2022) Download Indicator


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    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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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    Key
    Diagram of funding flows - Switzerland

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    Key
    Country Reviews for Switzerland

    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.