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Iceland
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Iceland
Overview of the education system (EAG 2024)
  • In Iceland, the share of 25-34 year-olds without upper secondary educational attainment decreased by 4 percentage points between 2016 and 2023. At 19%, it is 5 percentage points above the OECD average in 2023.
  • In eight OECD countries, there is no childcare gap as free early childhood education or compulsory education starts immediately following the end of paid parental leave. In contrast, Iceland has an above average childcare gap of 5 years between the end of paid parental leave and the start of free compulsory education.
  • Iceland did not increase the duration of compulsory education. Compulsory education in Iceland lasts from the age of 6 to 16 for a total of 10 years, which is below the OECD average of 11 years.
  • The average annual expenditure per student from primary to tertiary education in Iceland is USD 16 581. In Iceland, spending per student is USD 16 786 in primary education, USD 16 068 in secondary education and USD 17 019 in tertiary education.
  • Iceland faces teacher shortages at all levels of 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.
  • In 2023, actual salaries of lower secondary teachers in Iceland reached USD 59 086, 18% higher than the minimum statutory salary (starting salary with minimum qualifications) of USD 49 914. The difference between actual salaries and the minimum statutory salaries results partly from the structure of the teacher population (by qualification and experience) as this affects the level of statutory salaries, but also from the amount of additional work-related payments (bonuses and allowances for performing certain tasks).
    • | Education at a Glance 2024 | Country note | Annexes from Education at a Glance 2024 | OECD Handbook for Internationally Comparative Education Statistics 2018 | OECD Education Policy Outlook: Iceland | Mennta- og menningarmálaráðuneytið (Ministry of Education, Science and Culture) | Hagstofa Íslands (Statistics Iceland) |
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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 have attained only pre-primary or primary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.4 %, rank 39/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Attainment by gender

    Iceland has one of the smallest share of women among 25-34 year-olds with a vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education. (24.7 %, rank 36/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Iceland has one of the smallest share of women among 55-64 year-olds with a vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education. (37.2 %, rank 34/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in Iceland is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (8 %, rank 32/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Entrance

    The share of women among tertiary education new entrants is one of the largest compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (61.7 %, rank 1/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering bachelor's programmes in Iceland is relatively large. (61.7 %, rank 1/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering doctoral or equivalent programmes in Iceland is one of the largest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (55.6 %, rank 2/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the percentage of new entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes younger than 25 is relatively low. (20.3 %, rank 33/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the percentage of first-time entrants into tertiary education younger than 25 is relatively low. (71.8 %, rank 29/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The proportion of women among the new entrants in master's programmes in Iceland is relatively high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (70.2 %, rank 2/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of first-time entrants in master's programmes is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (1.4 %, rank 23/23 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Entrance by field of education and gender

    In Iceland,the share of male among new entrants in doctoral programmes enrolled in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is relatively small. (62.5 %, rank 33/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of male among new entrants in doctoral programmes enrolled in the field of health and welfare is relatively small. (30.8 %, rank 31/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering short cycle tertiary programmes in education in Iceland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (40.4 %, rank 20/22 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering master's or equivalent programmes in natural sciences, mathematics and statistics in Iceland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (32.4 %, rank 37/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of men 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. (61.4 %, rank 40/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, 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. (10.9 %, rank 39/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of men among new entrants in bachelor's programmes in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (60.7 %, rank 39/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering doctoral or equivalent programmes in Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in Iceland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (54.1 %, rank 34/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering master's or equivalent programmes in engineering, manufacturing and construction in Iceland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (54.2 %, rank 39/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering master's or equivalent programmes in health and welfare in Iceland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (18.7 %, rank 37/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering master's or equivalent programmes in Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in Iceland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (44.7 %, rank 39/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering short-cycle tertiary programmes in health and welfare in Iceland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (1.7 %, rank 28/29 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female in short-cycle tertiary programmes in the field of business, administration and law is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (10 %, rank 31/31 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female in short-cycle tertiary programmes in the field of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (21.1 %, rank 25/26 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Participation in education

    The percentage of students in independent private tertiary educational institutions is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 33/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the percentage of female students enrolled in upper secondary vocational programmes is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries. (35.2 %, rank 40/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the enrolment rate of children under 3 is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (49.1 %, rank 5/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of students aged 18 in general upper secondary programmes in Iceland is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (71.6 %, rank 3/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of students aged 19 in general upper secondary programmes in Iceland is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (29.9 %, rank 2/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of students aged 20 in general upper secondary programmes in Iceland is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (13.9 %, rank 1/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The average age of upper secondary students enrolled in vocational programmes in Iceland is relatively high compared to the other countries. (26.7 %, rank 5/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    (3.4 %, rank 14/17 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of vocational students as a share of short-cycle tertiary students is among the smallest in all OECD and partner countries. (49.1 %, rank 34/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The average age of short-cycle tertiary students enrolled in vocational programmes is comparativele high. (35.9 %, rank 1/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate among students aged 15-19 in upper secondary general programmes in Iceland is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (51.9 %, rank 4/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of two-year-olds in early childhood education in Iceland is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (95.1 %, rank 2/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate among students aged 20-24 in upper secondary programmes in Iceland is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (13.9 %, rank 3/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate among students aged 20-24 in upper secondary general programmes in Iceland is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (7.2 %, rank 2/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students enrolled in post-secondary non-tertiary programmes is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (28.1 %, rank 27/30 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation

    The average age of graduates from general programmes at the upper secondary level in Iceland is comparatively high. (20.3 Years, rank 4/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the percentage of first-time short-cycle tertiary graduates younger than 30 is relatively low. (51.2 %, rank 25/29 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the percentage of first-time master's graduates younger than 35 is relatively low. (63.1 %, rank 30/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

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

    The percentage of first-time master's graduates is relatively low in Iceland. (0.3 %, rank 24/25 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of first-time graduates in vocational programmes at post-secondary non-tertiary level is comparatively small. (81.1 %, rank 24/25 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The average age of short-cycle tertiary graduates in Iceland is among the oldest. (34.1 Years, rank 3/25 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation by gender

    Among OECD and partner countries with available data, Iceland has one of the largest shares of women graduates from tertiary programmes. (63.4 %, rank 2/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female graduates among post-secondary non-tertiary graduates from vocational programmes in Iceland is relatively low. (27.4 %, rank 27/27 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of female first-time graduates in short-cycle tertiary programmes is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (45.3 %, rank 24/27 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of female first-time bachelor's graduates is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (63.8 %, rank 2/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of female first-time master's graduates is relatively largest, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (85.7 %, rank 1/24 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education

    The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (8.1 %, rank 39/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of arts and humaties in Iceland is relatively large. (17.5 %, rank 3/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of business, administration and law in Iceland is relatively small. (3.1 %, rank 39/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of information and communication technologies in Iceland is relatively small. (0 %, rank 40/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, 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. (0.8 %, rank 36/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, 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. (56 %, rank 2/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the percentage of post-secondary non-tertiary vocational graduates in the field of health and welfare is relatively low. (0 %, rank 23/25 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the proportion of upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary vocational graduates in the field of business, administration and law is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.4 %, rank 35/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the proportion of upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary vocational graduates in the field of STEM is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (56.1 %, rank 1/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of short-cycle tertiary vocational graduates in the field of STEM is relatively low compared to other OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (3.5 %, rank 34/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

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

    In Iceland, the share of short-cycle tertiary vocational graduates in the field of services is relatively high compared to other OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (49.4 %, rank 2/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the proportion of bachelor's, master's and doctoral or equivalent graduates in the field of STEM is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (17.1 %, rank 42/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education and gender

    The proportion of female tertiary graduates in education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries. (22.8 %, rank 4/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of female doctoral graduates in the field of Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is relatively high. (60 %, rank 5/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of female doctoral graduates in the field of business, administration and law is relatively high. (66.7 %, rank 2/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of female doctoral graduates in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is relatively low. (23.5 %, rank 38/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of female tertiary graduates in the field of social sciences, journalism and information is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (17.9 %, rank 3/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of male tertiary graduates in the field of education is relatively high in Iceland. (11.4 %, rank 2/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the proportion of male tertiary graduates in the field of social sciences, journalism and information is relatively large. (13.7 %, rank 1/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the percentage of female post-secondary non-tertiary graduates in the field of business, administration and law is relatively small. (46.7 %, rank 24/26 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of female post-secondary non-tertiary graduates in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (6.2 %, rank 24/27 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the proportion of female graduates from upper secondary vocational programmes in the field health and welfare is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries. (95.5 %, rank 2/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, 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. (67.8 %, rank 1/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (37.6 %, rank 4/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, 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. (85.2 %, rank 2/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Fields of education

    In Iceland, the percentage of new entrants to tertiary education in the field of information and communication technologies (ICTs) is relatively low. (3.9 %, rank 34/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of new entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is relatively small. (1.5 %, rank 31/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of business, administration and law is relatively low, compared to other countries with available data. (3.3 %, rank 36/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is relatively high. (27.8 %, rank 5/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the percentage of new entrants in business, administration and law bachelor's programmes is relatively low, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (16.5 %, rank 37/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of new entrants in Information and communication tecnologies master's programmes is one of the lowest, compared to other countries with available data. (0.8 %, rank 38/38 , 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 Iceland, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (7.4 %, rank 31/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of new entrants in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary master's programmes is especially low. (0.2 %, rank 38/39 , 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 %, rank 41/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of national tertiary students enrolled abroad in Iceland is relatively high. (11.7 %, rank 3/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, 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. (44.5 %, rank 3/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, international or foreign students from North America are most represented among all international or foreign students, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (17.1 %, rank 3/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the proportion of new international entrants in master's long first degree (LFD) programmes is relatively low. (0 %, rank 21/21 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the proportion of international or foreign students enrolled in short-cycle tertiary programmes is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (22.2 %, rank 3/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Student mobility by field of education

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of arts and humanities among all international or foreign tertiary students in Iceland is relatively high. (37.9 %, rank 1/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of business, administration and law among all international or foreign tertiary students in Iceland is relatively low. (6.8 %, rank 36/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics among all international or foreign tertiary students in Iceland is relatively high. (15.5 %, rank 2/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of engineering, manunfacturing and construction among all international or foreign tertiary students in Iceland is relatively low. (8.8 %, rank 32/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

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

    In Iceland, the percentage of international doctoral graduates in the field of Information and communication technologies is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 34/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of students enrolled in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics among tertiary students is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (18.2 %, rank 34/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Expenditure per student

    Annual expenditure per pupil at the pre-primary level is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (24548 USD Equivalent, rank 2/13 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Annual expenditure per primary student is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (16786 USD Equivalent, rank 3/36 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Expenditure in education and national wealth

    In Iceland, expenditure on primary through tertiary educational institutions as a percentage of GDP is one of the highest among OECD countries and partner economies. (6.1 %, rank 3/36 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, expenditure on primary educational institutions as a percentage of GDP is comparatively high. (2.4 %, rank 2/36 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, 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 Iceland, public and private expenditure on primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary educational institutions as a percentage of GDP is comparatively high. (4.7 %, rank 2/36 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, public 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. (4.6 %, rank 1/41 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, 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 Iceland, public expenditure on educational institutions as a percentage of GDP on primary to tertiary education from final source of funds is relatively high. (5.8 %, rank 2/41 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, private expenditure on educational institutions as a percentage of GDP on primary to tertiary education from final source of funds is relatively low. (0.2 %, rank 32/36 , 2021) Download Indicator

    The public expenditure as a percentage of GDP from initial source of funds at primary to tertiary education is relatively high in Iceland. (5.8 %, rank 2/30 , 2021) Download Indicator

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

    Government and private expenditure in education

    The share of private expenditure on all levels below tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (3 %, rank 32/36 , 2021) Download Indicator

    The share of private expenditure on tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (7.1 %, rank 34/37 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Iceland has one of the smallest shares of private expenditure on primary through tertiary educational institutions among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (3.9 %, rank 32/36 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, total public expenditure on primary educational institutions as a percentage of total public expenditure is comparatively high. (4.8 %, rank 5/43 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of public expenditure on educational institutions, for primary to tertiary education is comparatively large. (95.2 %, rank 4/36 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Nature of expenditure

    In Iceland, the share of capital expenditure on primary through tertiary is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.6 %, rank 32/33 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of current expenditure on primary through tertiary education is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (95.4 %, rank 2/33 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of capital expenditure on secondary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (3.8 %, rank 28/31 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of capital expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.3 %, rank 15/18 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of capital expenditure on tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.7 %, rank 34/34 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of current expenditure on tertiary education is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (98.3 %, rank 1/34 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Teachers

    The number of hours per year primary teachers spend teaching in public institutions is comparatively low in Iceland. (624 Hours, rank 22/24 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The number of hours per year pre-primary teachers spend teaching in public institutions is comparatively high in Iceland. (1445 Hours, rank 2/18 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Who the teachers are

    The share of women among teaching staff in pre-primary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (91.3 %, rank 39/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of women among teaching staff in lower secondary education is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (82 %, rank 3/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of women among teaching staff in tertiary education is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (54.8 %, rank 2/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of primary teachers younger than 30 is especially low. (6.6 %, rank 37/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of female teachers younger than 30 in tertiary education is relatively large. (58.5 %, rank 4/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of female teachers aged 50 or more in lower secondary education is especially high in Iceland. (84 %, rank 3/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of female teachers aged 50 or more in tertiary education is especially high in Iceland. (51 %, rank 5/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of teachers under 30 in early childhood educational development is especially high in Iceland. (36.7 %, rank 1/20 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of women among teaching staff in early childhood educational development is one of the lowest, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (91.3 %, rank 19/21 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the percentage of teachers under 30 in pre-primary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (36.8 %, rank 3/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the percentage of teachers aged between 30 and 49 in pre-primary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (42.7 %, rank 34/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of male teachers in pre-primary education is especially high in Iceland. (8.7 %, rank 3/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Teachers' salaries

    The average actual upper secondary teacher's salary among teachers aged between 25-64 is one of the highest per hour of net teaching time among OECD and partner countries with available data. (76346 USD Equivalent, rank 5/23 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Teachers' salaries progression

    The salary progression from the start to the top of the salary scale for a lower secondary school teacher is among the least rewarding among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.16 Ratio, rank 32/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of pre-primary teachers' salaries at the top of scale to their starting salary is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.16 Ratio, rank 25/28 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of primary teachers' salaries at the top of scale to their starting salary is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.16 Ratio, rank 32/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of upper secondary teachers' salaries at the top of scale to their starting salary is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.27 Ratio, rank 31/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Ratio of student to teaching staff

    The number of students per teacher in tertiary institutions is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (8.9 Ratio, rank 38/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The number of pupils per teacher in pre-primary schools is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.4 Ratio, rank 40/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The number of students per teacher in primary schools is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner countries with available data. (9.9 Ratio, rank 42/45 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the ratio of students to teaching staff in bachelor's and tertiary advanced research programmes is one of the lowest compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (8.9 Ratio, rank 33/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the ratio of children to contact staff in pre-primary education is one of the lowest compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.4 Ratio, rank 25/25 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The ratio of students to teaching staff at the lower secondary level in private institutions is especially low in Iceland. (7.1 Ratio, rank 37/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The ratio of students to teaching staff at the lower secondary level in government-dependent private institutions is especially low in Iceland. (7.1 Ratio, rank 21/22 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the number of students per teacher in public institutions tertiary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (8.1 Ratio, rank 40/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the number of students per teacher in government-dependent private institutions tertiary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (12.6 Ratio, rank 12/16 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the number of students per teacher in public bachelor's, master's, doctoral or equivalent programmes is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (8.1 Ratio, rank 33/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the number of students per teacher in private bachelor's, master's, doctoral or equivalent programmes is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (12.6 Ratio, rank 28/30 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the number of students per teacher in government-dependent private bachelor's, master's, doctoral or equivalent programmes is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (12.6 Ratio, rank 9/11 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the ratio of children to teaching staff in early childhood educational development is one of the lowest compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (2.8 Ratio, rank 21/21 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland the ratio of children to contact staff in early childhood educational development is one of the lowest compared to the other OECD and partner countries with available data. (2.8 Ratio, rank 13/15 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Organisation of the education system

    Classes in lower secondary private institutions are comparatively small in Iceland. (15 Students, rank 32/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In government-dependent private institutions at primary education level, the average class size is relatively small in Iceland among OECD and other partner countries with available data. (15 Students, rank 19/21 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In government-dependent private institutions at lower secondary level, classes are one of the smallest in Iceland among OECD and partner countries with available data. (15 Students, rank 19/21 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Employment and educational attainment

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (94 %, rank 2/41 , 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. (96.6 %, rank 2/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-olds with below upper secondary education is compartively high in Iceland. (79.3 %, rank 1/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 55-64 year-olds with tertiary education is compartively high in Iceland. (87.5 %, rank 2/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 55-64 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is compartively high in Iceland. (83 %, rank 1/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-olds with a vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (89.5 %, rank 4/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the employment rate of 25-34 year-olds with a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is relatively high in Iceland. (94.2 %, rank 2/40 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Employment by gender and educational attainment

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds without upper secondary education is comparatively high. (76.5 %, rank 2/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively high. (86.5 %, rank 1/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-old men without upper secondary education is comparatively high. (84.9 %, rank 5/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-old women without upper secondary education is comparatively high. (64.1 %, rank 3/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-old women with tertiary education is comparatively high. (89.9 %, rank 3/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-old men with below upper secondary education is compartively high in Iceland. (86.3 %, rank 5/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-old women with below upper secondary education is compartively high in Iceland. (67.6 %, rank 3/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 55-64 year-old men with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is compartively high in Iceland. (89.4 %, rank 1/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 55-64 year-old women with below upper secondary education is compartively high in Iceland. (59.7 %, rank 4/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the employment rate among 25-34 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively high (87.6 %, rank 1/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of employed 25-64 year-old men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (90.2 %, rank 2/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of employed 25-64 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (83.3 %, rank 1/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of employed 25-64 year-old men with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (91.3 %, rank 3/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Unemployment and educational attainment

    The unemployment rate among 55-64 year-olds with below upper secondary education is comparatively low. (1.3 %, rank 38/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 55-64 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (1.1 %, rank 40/42 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 55-64 year-olds with tertiary education is comparatively low. (1.3 %, rank 36/40 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (2.3 %, rank 42/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (1.5 %, rank 34/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the unemployment rate of 25-34 year-olds with a bachelor's or equivalent tertiary education degree is relatively low in Iceland. (2.3 %, rank 37/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the unemployment rate of 25-34 year-old with a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is relatively low in Iceland. (1.9 %, rank 34/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Unemployment by gender and educational attainment

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-old men with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (1.9 %, rank 42/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-old women without upper secondary education is comparatively low. (2.8 %, rank 39/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-old women with tertiary education is comparatively low. (1.4 %, rank 43/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 55-64 year-old men with tertiary education is compartively low in Iceland. (1.3 %, rank 33/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 55-64 year-old men with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is compartively low in Iceland. (1.1 %, rank 39/40 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 55-64 year-old women with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is compartively low in Iceland. (1.2 %, rank 39/40 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of unemployed 25-64 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.3 %, rank 34/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of unemployed 25-64 year-old men with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.6 %, rank 33/33 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Inactivity and educational attainment

    The inactivity rate of 25-34 years-old adults with below upper secondary education is low in Iceland. (15.5 %, rank 43/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-olds with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (7.7 %, rank 31/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with below upper secondary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (20.6 %, rank 43/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (4.1 %, rank 40/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with a short cycle tertiary education degree is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (9.8 %, rank 32/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (11.5 %, rank 44/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (13.9 %, rank 36/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (9.9 %, rank 35/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The inactivity rate of 55-64 years-old adults with below upper secondary education is low in Iceland. (29.2 %, rank 42/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The inactivity rate of 55-64 years-old adults with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is low in Iceland. (16 %, rank 45/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The inactivity rate of 55-64 years-old adults with tertiary education is low in Iceland. (11.3 %, rank 44/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Inactivity by gender and educational attainment

    In Iceland, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old women without an upper secondary education is relatively low. (27.8 %, rank 41/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (7.4 %, rank 38/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (10.9 %, rank 33/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (15.5 %, rank 33/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old men with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (7.2 %, rank 32/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old men with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (7.3 %, rank 41/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Neither in education nor employed

    The share of inactive youth neither in formal education nor training among 18-24 year-olds in Iceland is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (3.3 %, rank 41/42 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of unemployed youth neither in formal education nor training among 18-24 year-olds in Iceland is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (1.4 %, rank 41/42 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of women without an upper secondary education neither in employment nor in education and training (25-29 year-olds) in Iceland is relatively low (34.8 %, rank 37/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of men without an upper secondary education neither in employment nor in education and training (25-29 year-olds) in Iceland is relatively low (12.5 %, rank 37/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-29 year-olds neither in employment nor in education and training without an upper secondary in Iceland is relatively low. (23.3 %, rank 39/40 , 2022) 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 Iceland is relatively low. (13.7 %, rank 37/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of men with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education neither in employment nor in education and training (25-29 year-olds) in Iceland is relatively low. (6.4 %, rank 37/40 , 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 Iceland is relatively low. (9 %, rank 38/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-29 year-olds neither in employment nor in education and training with tertiary education in Iceland is relatively low. (5.1 %, rank 37/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of women who are inactive NEET (18-24 year-olds) in Iceland is relatively low. (3 %, rank 41/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of men who are inactive NEET (15-29 year-olds) in Iceland is relatively low. (3.1 %, rank 40/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of men who are unemployed NEET (18-24 year-olds) in Iceland is relatively low. (2.3 %, rank 39/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of inactive NEET (15-29 year-olds) in Iceland is relatively low. (4.7 %, rank 38/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The proportion of youth neither employed nor in education or training among 20-24 year-olds in Iceland is relatively small. (5.7 %, rank 41/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The proportion of youth neither employed nor in education or training among 15-29 year-olds in Iceland is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (7.1 %, rank 39/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of men neither employed nor in education among 15-29 year-olds is relatively low. (5.9 %, rank 39/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the share of women neither employed nor in education among 15-29 year-olds is relatively low. (8.4 %, rank 38/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Among 15-29 year-olds, the share of youth without an upper secondary or post-secondary non tertiary degree who are neither employed nor in education or training in Iceland is relatively low. (4.9 %, rank 41/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the proportion of youth with a tertiary degree who are neither employed nor in education or training among 15-29 year-olds is comparatively small. (4.3 %, rank 39/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Among 20-24 year-old men in Iceland, a small share of them are neither employed nor in education or training. (6.9 %, rank 40/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Among 25-29 year-old men in Iceland, a small share of them are neither employed nor in education or training. (6.4 %, rank 39/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the percentage of women neither employed nor in education or training among 15-19 year-olds is relatively low. (2.8 %, rank 37/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Iceland, the percentage of women neither employed nor in education or training among 20-24 year-olds is relatively low. (4.5 %, rank 42/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 18-24 year-olds who are neither employed nor in education or training is comparatively small in Iceland. (4.7 %, rank 42/42 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of 18-24 year-old men neither employed nor in education or training is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (6 %, rank 39/42 , 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. (3.3 %, rank 42/42 , 2022) Download Indicator


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


        
		
    
            
    
			Click on the coverpage to see the full OECD iLibrary version
			
    
				Key
            
    
            Country Reviews for Iceland
            
    
            
    
			
    
        
    
		
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
        
    
            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.