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Estonia
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Estonia
Overview of the education system (EAG 2024)
  • In Estonia, the share of 25-34 year-olds without upper secondary educational attainment remained constant between 2016 and 2023. At 13%, it is 1 percentage point the OECD average in 2023.
  • In most OECD countries, the large majority of children are enrolled in early childhood education one year before the start of primary education. In Estonia, 94% of children in this age group are enrolled, compared with an OECD average of 96%.
  • Estonia did not increase the duration of compulsory education. Compulsory education in Estonia lasts from the age of 7 to 16 for a total of 9 years, which is below the OECD average of 11 years. In Estonia, a reform is being prepared to extend compulsory education to the age of 18, to be implemented from the school year 2025/26.
  • The average annual expenditure per student from primary to tertiary education in Estonia is USD 11 708 compared to an average of USD 14 209 in OECD countries. In Estonia, spending per student is USD 10 642 in primary education, USD 9 314 in secondary education and USD 18 967 in tertiary education.
  • Across the OECD, 18 out of 21 countries with available data on secondary education report that they face shortages of fully qualified teachers at the start of academic year 2022/2023. Estonia faces teacher shortages at all levels of education for all subjects.
  • In 2023, actual salaries of lower secondary teachers in Estonia reached USD 37 506, 24% higher than the minimum statutory salary (starting salary with minimum qualifications) of USD 30 183.
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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 level of tertiary attainment among 55-64 year-olds is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (40.7 %, rank 5/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Estonia has one of the lowest percentages of 25-64 year-old adults with less than primary education. (0.1 %, rank 33/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The level of below upper secondary attainment among 55-64 year-olds is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (5.7 %, rank 44/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Attainment by gender

    The share of 55-64 year-old men who attained below upper secondary education in Estonia is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (7.1 %, rank 42/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 55-64 year-old women who attained below upper secondary education in Estonia is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.5 %, rank 44/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Entrance by field of education and gender

    In Estonia,the share of male among new entrants in doctoral programmes enrolled in the field of education is relatively small. (18.2 %, rank 31/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the share of male among new entrants in doctoral programmes enrolled in the field of health and welfare is relatively small. (27.3 %, rank 35/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the share of men 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. (38.9 %, rank 37/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the share of men among new entrants in bachelor's programmes in the field of health and welfare is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (13.1 %, rank 38/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering master's or equivalent programmes in education in Estonia is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (12.4 %, rank 36/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering master's or equivalent programmes in information and communication technologies in Estonia is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (62.5 %, rank 35/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Participation in education

    The percentage of students in government-dependent private tertiary educational institutions is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 19/23 , 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. (6.1 %, rank 22/24 , 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. (54.5 %, rank 35/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of students aged 18 in general upper secondary programmes in Estonia is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (64.5 %, rank 4/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of students aged 19 in general upper secondary programmes in Estonia is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (17 %, rank 3/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the percentage of students enrolled in private institutions at all early childhood education level is comparatively low. (4.7 %, rank 35/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The average age of lower secondary students enrolled in vocational programmes in Estonia is one of the highest compared to other countries with available data. (33.4 %, rank 5/22 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the share of upper secondary students enrolled in programmes giving partial completion or insufficient for completion is relatively high compared to the other countries. (45.5 %, rank 2/17 , 2022) Download Indicator

    (100 %, rank 1/30 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of six-year-olds in ECEC in Estonia is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (92.5 %, rank 5/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of six-year-olds in primary education in Estonia is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.2 %, rank 43/45 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students enrolled in post-secondary non-tertiary programmes is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (74.8 %, rank 2/30 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation

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

    Graduation by gender

    The share of female graduates from upper secondary vocational programmes is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (35.7 %, rank 39/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Among OECD and partner countries with available data, Estonia has one of the largest shares of women graduates from tertiary programmes. (62.4 %, rank 3/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female graduates among post-secondary non-tertiary graduates from vocational programmes in Estonia is relatively high. (72.5 %, rank 3/27 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the share of female first-time bachelor's graduates is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (62.1 %, rank 5/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education

    The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of arts and humanities is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (13.3 %, rank 5/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of information and communication technologies is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (9.6 %, rank 1/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of sciences, journalism and information in Estonia is relatively small. (6 %, rank 38/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of health and welfare in Estonia is relatively small. (7.2 %, rank 38/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the proportion of upper secondary vocational graduates in the field of business, aministration and law is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2.1 %, rank 34/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the proportion of upper secondary vocational graduates in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (54 %, rank 3/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the proportion of upper secondary vocational graduates in the field of health and welfare is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 33/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the proportion of upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary vocational graduates in the field of health and welfare is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.1 %, rank 32/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education and gender

    In Estonia, the share of female doctoral graduates in the field of Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is relatively high. (61.2 %, rank 4/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the share of female doctoral graduates in the field of business, administration and law is relatively high. (69.2 %, rank 1/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the share of female doctoral graduates in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is relatively low. (22 %, rank 39/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of male tertiary graduates in the field of education is relatively low in Estonia. (2.3 %, rank 38/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the proportion of male tertiary graduates in the field of arts and humanities is relatively large. (11.7 %, rank 2/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of male tertiary graduates in the field of health and welfare is relatively low in Estonia. (5.2 %, rank 38/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in all fields is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (63.3 %, rank 4/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the field of education is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (90.5 %, rank 2/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of business, administration and law is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (66.1 %, rank 5/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of health and welfare is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (86.1 %, rank 1/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Fields of education

    In Estonia, the percentage of new entrants to tertiary education in the field of social sciences, journalism and information is relatively low. (6.9 %, rank 35/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the percentage of new entrants to tertiary education in the field of business, administration and law is relatively low. (18.6 %, rank 36/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of social sciences, journalism and information among all national tertiary students in Estonia is relatively low. (5.9 %, rank 33/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of health and welfare is relatively low, compared to other countries with available data. (8.5 %, rank 33/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of information and communication technologies is relatively high, compared to other countries with available data. (16.5 %, rank 2/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, 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. (6.3 %, rank 37/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Student mobility

    The share of worldwide foreign and international students is one of the small among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.1 %, rank 37/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Student mobility by field of education

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of information and communication technologies among all international or foreign tertiary students in Estonia is relatively high. (10.7 %, rank 2/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of engineering, manunfacturing and construction among all international or foreign tertiary students in Estonia is relatively low. (8.6 %, rank 34/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of health and welfare among all international or foreign tertiary students in Estonia is relatively low. (4.7 %, rank 33/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the share of international and foreign students among all students in the field of services is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 38/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the percentage of international doctoral graduates in the field of social sciences, journalism and information is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.7 %, rank 37/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the percentage of international doctoral graduates in the field of Information and communication technologies is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (23.5 %, rank 1/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, 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

    Expenditure per student for ancillary services on primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education in Estonia is comparatively low. (92 USD Equivalent, rank 26/27 , 2021) Download Indicator

    The total annual expenditure per full-time equivalent student on upper secondary general education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (5710 USD Equivalent, rank 25/28 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Expenditure in education and national wealth

    In Estonia, expenditure on secondary educational institutions as a percentage of GDP is comparatively low. (1.4 %, rank 32/34 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, expenditure on post secondary non-tertiary educational institutions as a percentage of GDP is comparatively high. (0.1 %, rank 4/20 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, 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 Estonia, international expenditure as a percentage of GDP from initial source of funds on tertiary education is relatively large. (0.3 %, rank 1/35 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Government and private expenditure in education

    In Estonia, total public expenditure on secondary educational institutions as a percentage of total public expenditure is comparatively low. (1.4 %, rank 41/42 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, total public expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary educational institutions as a percentage of total public expenditure is comparatively high. (0.2 %, rank 5/22 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, international expenditure on educational institutions as a percentage of total expenditure on primary to tertiary education is relatively high. (2.6 %, rank 4/31 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Nature of expenditure

    In Estonia, the share of current expenditure on primary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (84.6 %, rank 32/33 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the share of capital expenditure on all levels below tertiary education is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (13.8 %, rank 2/33 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the share of current expenditure on all levels below tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (86.2 %, rank 32/33 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the share of current expenditure on secondary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (87.7 %, rank 28/31 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Teachers

    The number of hours per year primary teachers spend teaching in public institutions is comparatively low in Estonia. (585 Hours, rank 23/24 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The number of hours per year lower secondary teachers spend teaching in public institutions is comparatively low in Estonia. (619 Hours, rank 20/24 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The number of hours per year pre-primary teachers spend teaching in public institutions is comparatively high in Estonia. (1350 Hours, rank 4/18 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Who the teachers are

    The share of women among teaching staff in lower secondary education is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (81.9 %, rank 4/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of women among teaching staff is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (82.4 %, rank 2/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of primary teachers aged between 30 and 49 is especially low. (42.1 %, rank 38/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of lower secondary teachers aged between 30 and 49 is especially low. (38.2 %, rank 37/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of upper secondary teachers aged between 30 and 49 is especially low. (41.7 %, rank 36/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of primary to upper secondary teachers aged between 30 and 49 is especially low. (40.8 %, rank 38/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of female teachers aged 50 or more in lower secondary education is especially high in Estonia. (84.6 %, rank 2/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the percentage of upper secondary general education teachers aged between 30 and 49 is relatively low, compared to the other countries with available data. (40.6 %, rank 30/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Teachers' salaries

    The ratio of pre-primary teachers' salaries to earnings of full-time, full-year workers with tertiary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.61 Ratio, rank 9/13 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average actual pre-primary teacher's salary among teachers aged between 25-64 is one of the lowest per hour of net teaching time among OECD and partner countries with available data. (29074 USD Equivalent, rank 16/18 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average actual primary teacher's salary among teachers aged between 25-64 is one of the lowest per hour of net teaching time among OECD and partner countries with available data. (37506 USD Equivalent, rank 19/23 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average actual lower secondary teacher's salary among teachers aged between 25-64 is one of the lowest per hour of net teaching time among OECD and partner countries with available data. (37506 USD Equivalent, rank 19/23 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average actual upper secondary teacher's salary among teachers aged between 25-64 is one of the lowest per hour of net teaching time among OECD and partner countries with available data. (37506 USD Equivalent, rank 20/23 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Principals' salaries

    Pre-primary 25-64 year-old school heads' salaries relative to earnings for full-time, full-year similarly educated workers with tertiary education is low in Estonia. (0.83 Ratio, rank 8/10 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Primary school 25-64 year-old heads' salaries relative to earnings for full-time, full-year similarly educated workers with tertiary education is low in Estonia. (0.96 Ratio, rank 11/13 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Lower-secondary 25-64 year-old school heads' salaries relative to earnings for full-time, full-year similarly educated workers with tertiary education is low in Estonia. (0.96 Ratio, rank 11/13 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Upper-secondary 25-64 year-old school heads' salaries relative to earnings for full-time, full-year similarly educated workers with tertiary education is low in Estonia. (0.96 Ratio, rank 12/13 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average actual salaries of 25-64 year-old pre-primary school heads is one of the lowest in Estonia. (39331 USD Equivalent, rank 12/13 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average actual salaries of 25-64 year-old primary school heads is one of the lowest in Estonia. (45910 USD Equivalent, rank 16/19 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average actual salaries of 25-64 year-old lower secondary education school heads is one of the lowest in Estonia. (45910 USD Equivalent, rank 16/19 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average upper-secondary school heads' actual salary is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (45910 USD Equivalent, rank 18/19 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Migrant background

    The level of below upper secondary attainment among 25-64 year-old foreign-born adults is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2.8 %, rank 32/32 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate of foreign-born aged between 25 and 64 and without upper secondary education is comparatively low. (46.2 %, rank 30/30 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-64 year-old foreign-borns who attained below upper secondary education and who arrived in Estonia by the age of 15 is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data (5.6 %, rank 23/26 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-64 year-old foreign-borns who attained below upper secondary education and who arrived in Estonia at 16 or older, is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data (0.9 %, rank 26/26 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Ratio of student to teaching staff

    The ratio of students to teaching staff at the vocational upper secondary level is especially high in Estonia. (18.9 Ratio, rank 4/31 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The ratio of students to teaching staff at the secondary level in government-dependent private institutions is especially low in Estonia. (10.1 Ratio, rank 17/20 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the number of students per teacher in private institutions tertiary education is one of the highest among countries with available data. (35.7 Ratio, rank 2/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the number of students per teacher in private bachelor's, master's, doctoral or equivalent programmes is one of the highest among countries with available data. (35.7 Ratio, rank 2/30 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Organisation of the education system

    In government-dependent private institutions at primary education level, the average class size is relatively small in Estonia among OECD and other partner countries with available data. (16 Students, rank 18/21 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In government-dependent private institutions at lower secondary level, classes are one of the smallest in Estonia among OECD and partner countries with available data. (16 Students, rank 18/21 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Employment and educational attainment

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a bachelor's or equivalent tertiary education degree is high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (90.8 %, rank 2/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (96.5 %, rank 3/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-olds with below upper secondary education is compartively high in Estonia. (77.5 %, rank 3/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 55-64 year-olds with tertiary education is compartively high in Estonia. (85.4 %, rank 5/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-olds with a general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (85.2 %, rank 1/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Employment by gender and educational attainment

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-old women without upper secondary education is comparatively high. (61.1 %, rank 5/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-old men with tertiary education is compartively high in Estonia. (95.2 %, rank 2/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-old women with below upper secondary education is compartively high in Estonia. (71.1 %, rank 2/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 55-64 year-old men with below upper secondary education is compartively low in Estonia. (39.6 %, rank 42/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, 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. (77.4 %, rank 4/39 , 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 Estonia compared to other countries with available data. (78.9 %, rank 5/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the employment rate of 25-34 year-old men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high in Estonia. (89.5 %, rank 3/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Unemployment and educational attainment

    The unemployment rate among 25-34 year-olds with a vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is one of the highest of all OECD countries and partner economies for which data are available. (9.8 %, rank 4/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Inactivity and educational attainment

    The inactivity rate of 25-34 years-old adults with below upper secondary education is low in Estonia. (15 %, rank 44/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The inactivity rate of 25-34 years-old adults with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is low in Estonia. (10 %, rank 42/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-olds with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (10.9 %, rank 37/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with a bachelor's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (5.6 %, rank 45/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with below upper secondary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (23.6 %, rank 41/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (13 %, rank 38/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The inactivity rate of 55-64 years-old adults with tertiary education is low in Estonia. (11.1 %, rank 45/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Inactivity by gender and educational attainment

    In Estonia, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old women without an upper secondary education is relatively low. (16.8 %, rank 44/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the inactivity rate 25-64 year-old women without an upper secondary education is relatively low compared to other countries with available data. (30.4 %, rank 42/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (16.9 %, rank 34/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (15.9 %, rank 38/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (6.9 %, rank 35/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (14.7 %, rank 35/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (15.1 %, rank 44/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old men with tertiary education is relatively low. (2.4 %, rank 43/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings and educational attainment

    Compared with other OECD and partner countries, the proportional difference in earnings between 25-64 year-old adults with a short-cycle tertiary education degree and those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is low. (90 Index, rank 30/30 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The gap in average earnings between 25-64 year-old women with a short-cycle tertiary education degree and those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (102 Index, rank 28/29 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the proportional difference in earnings between 25-64 year-old men with a short-cycle tertiary education degree and those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is low. (99 Index, rank 30/30 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Earnings of foreign-born aged between 25 and 64 who work full- and part-time with a short cycle tertiary education are comparatively low. (88.5 %, rank 30/30 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Earnings of 25-64 year-old full- and part-time workers with a master's, doctoral or equivalent education degree are comparatively low. (152.4 %, rank 31/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Estonia, the share of worker earning more than twice the median among those with a short-cycle tertiary education degree is comparatively low. (4.4 %, rank 27/28 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-64 year-old workers without an upper secondary education earning more than twice the overall median in Estonia is one of the highest among countries with available data. (7 Index, rank 4/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Earnings, gender and educational attainment

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (among 25-64 year-olds with upper secondary education or post-secondary non-tertiary education and income from employment) are one of the lowest among countries with available data. (71.8 %, rank 38/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (45-54 year-olds without an upper secondary education working full-time full-year) are one of the lowest among countries with available data. (61.5 %, rank 35/37 , 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 lowest among countries with available data. (61 %, rank 29/29 , 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 lowest among countries with available data. (69 %, rank 28/30 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Neither in education nor employed

    The share of 25-29 year-olds neither in employment nor in education and training without an upper secondary in Estonia is relatively low. (23.9 %, rank 38/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    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 Estonia is relatively low (16 %, rank 22/26 , 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 Estonia is relatively low (5.3 %, rank 25/26 , 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 Estonia is relatively low (9.6 %, rank 27/30 , 2023) 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 - Estonia

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    Key
    Country Reviews for Estonia

    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.