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United States
Overview of the education system (EAG 2024)
  • In the United States, the share of 25-34 year-olds without upper secondary educational attainment decreased by 3 percentage points between 2016 and 2023. At 6%, it is 8 percentage points below 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, the United States has an above average childcare gap of 5 years between the end of paid parental leave and the start of free early childhood education.
  • Twelve OECD member and accession countries have increased the duration of compulsory education over the past decade. The duration of compulsory education in the United States (11 years, from ages 6 to 16) did not increase during this time period. This duration is identical to the OECD average.
  • The average annual expenditure per full-time equivalent student from primary to tertiary education in the United States is USD 20 387 compared to an average of USD 14 209 in OECD countries. In the United States, spending per full-time equivalent student is USD 15 270 in primary education, USD 16 301 in secondary education and USD 36 274 in tertiary education.
  • In 2023, average actual salaries of lower secondary teachers aged 25-64 in the United States reached USD 68 324, 40% higher than the minimum statutory salary (starting salary with minimum qualifications) of USD 48 899.
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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 below upper secondary attainment among 25-34 year-olds is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (5.7 %, rank 40/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The level of below upper secondary attainment among 25-64 year-olds is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (8 %, rank 40/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The level of tertiary attainment among 25-64 year-olds is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (50.7 %, rank 8/47 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The level of tertiary attainment among 55-64 year-olds is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (45.2 %, rank 4/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-64 year-olds who have attained a general upper secondary or post-secondary qualification is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (41.3 %, rank 1/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the percentage of 25-64 year-olds who attained a bachelor's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (25.3 %, rank 10/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-64 year-olds who attained a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (2.1 %, rank 5/37 , 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. (9.4 %, rank 39/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-34 year-olds who have attained a general degree at the upper secondary or post-secondary level is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (42.5 %, rank 1/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the share of 25-34 year-olds who attained a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (1.8 %, rank 2/32 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Attainment by gender

    The proportion of 25-64 year-old men who have attained a general degree at the tertiary level is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (46.7 %, rank 8/47 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-64 year-old women who have attained a general degree at the tertiary level is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (54.7 %, rank 9/47 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-34 year-old men who have attained at least upper secondary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (93.5 %, rank 6/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-34 year-old women who have attained at least upper secondary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (95.1 %, rank 7/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 year-old men who attained below upper secondary education in United States is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (6.5 %, rank 40/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 year-old women who attained below upper secondary education in United States is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.9 %, rank 39/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-64 year-old men who attained below upper secondary education in United States is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (8.8 %, rank 41/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-64 year-old women who attained below upper secondary education in United States is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (7.2 %, rank 40/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 55-64 year-old men who attained below upper secondary education in United States is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (10.2 %, rank 40/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in United States is one of the highest among countries with available data. (37.9 %, rank 1/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 year-old men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in United States is one of the highest among countries with available data. (47 %, rank 2/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Education expectancy

    In United States, the expected years in education between ages 15 and 29 are comparatively short for men. (5.5 Years, rank 40/43 , 2022) 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. (56.5 %, rank 8/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering doctoral or equivalent programmes in United States is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (46.2 %, rank 30/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The average age of new entrants in tertiary education in United States is comparatively young. (19.6 Years, rank 31/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the share of first-time entrants in bachelor's programmes is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (58 %, rank 29/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Participation in education

    The percentage of students in independent private tertiary educational institutions is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (28.1 %, rank 9/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of 20-24 year-olds in United States is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (34.1 %, rank 36/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of students aged 17 in general upper secondary programmes in United States is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (88.8 %, rank 2/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of students aged 17 in post-secondary non-tertiary programmes in United States is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.2 %, rank 10/32 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of students aged 17 in tertiary programmes in United States is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.9 %, rank 4/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of students aged 18 in post-secondary non-tertiary programmes in United States is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.9 %, rank 8/32 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of students aged 18 tertiary programmes in United States is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (12.7 %, rank 4/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of students aged 19 tertiary programmes in United States is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (18.4 %, rank 3/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of students aged 20 in general upper secondary programmes in United States is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 41/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of students aged 20 tertiary programmes in United States is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (14.5 %, rank 4/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

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

    The average age of post-secondary non-tertiary students enrolled in vocational programmes in United States is among the lowest. (27.7 %, rank 20/27 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate among students aged 15-19 in upper secondary general programmes in United States is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (55.9 %, rank 1/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate among students aged 15-19 in short-cycle tertiary programmes in United States is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (6.5 %, rank 4/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate among students aged 20-24 in upper secondary programmes in United States is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 43/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate among students aged 20-24 in upper secondary general programmes in United States is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 39/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate among students aged 20-24 in short-cycle tertiary programmes in United States is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (9 %, rank 3/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate among students aged 20-24 in bachelor's programmes in United States is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (19.8 %, rank 35/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

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

    The percentage of three-year-olds in pre-primary education in United States is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (37.5 %, rank 35/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of four-year-olds in pre-primary in United States is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (62.9 %, rank 39/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of four-year-olds in primary education in United States is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 7/45 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of five-year-olds in pre-primary education in United States is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (82.1 %, rank 35/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation

    The average age of graduates from general programmes at the upper secondary level in United States is comparatively low. (17.3 Years, rank 35/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the percentage of master's or equivalent graduates in public institutions is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (47.3 %, rank 29/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of doctorate graduates in public institutions is relatively low in United States. (58.9 %, rank 30/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of first-time bachelor's graduates is relatively low in United States. (59.9 %, rank 29/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation by gender

    In United States, the share of female first-time graduates in short-cycle tertiary programmes is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (62.8 %, rank 5/27 , 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. (16.8 %, rank 1/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of business, administration and law is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (18.6 %, rank 37/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (8.2 %, rank 3/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    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. (6.9 %, rank 42/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of health and welfare is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (20 %, rank 8/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of health and welfare in United States is relatively small. (10.9 %, rank 35/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the proportion of upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary vocational graduates in the field of arts and humanities is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (13.3 %, rank 7/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, 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. (10.4 %, rank 28/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the proportion of upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary vocational graduates in the field of STEM is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (26.1 %, rank 33/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the proportion of upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary vocational graduates in the field of health and welfare is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (27.9 %, rank 3/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the share of short-cycle tertiary vocational graduates in the field of arts and humanities is relatively high compared to other OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (41.1 %, rank 4/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the share of short-cycle tertiary vocational graduates in the field of services is relatively low compared to other OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (4.9 %, rank 28/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the proportion of bachelor's, master's and doctoral or equivalent graduates in the field of health and welfare is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (20.3 %, rank 10/45 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education and gender

    The proportion of female tertiary graduates in education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries. (8.9 %, rank 35/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The proportion of female tertiary graduates in the humanities and arts is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries. (17.3 %, rank 4/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The proportion of female tertiary graduates in health and welfare is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries. (26.4 %, rank 8/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The proportion of female tertiary graduates in social sciences, business and law is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries. (15.8 %, rank 40/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the share of female doctoral graduates in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is relatively low. (27.2 %, rank 34/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, 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. (14.5 %, rank 7/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the proportion of male tertiary graduates in the field of arts and humanities is relatively large. (16.1 %, rank 1/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the proportion of male tertiary graduates in the field of social sciences, journalism and information is relatively large. (10.5 %, rank 7/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of male tertiary graduates in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics is relatively low in United States. (31.5 %, rank 36/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of male tertiary graduates in the field of health and welfare is relatively high in United States. (10.3 %, rank 9/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of business, administration and law is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (51.1 %, rank 39/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (38.6 %, rank 10/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (24.6 %, rank 33/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Student mobility

    United States has a small share of international students graduate from tertiary programmes compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (4.5 %, rank 25/32 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of worldwide foreign and international students is one of the large among OECD and partner countries with available data. (18.6 %, rank 1/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of national tertiary students enrolled abroad in United States is relatively low. (0.6 %, rank 39/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the number of international or foreign students per national student abroad is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (9 Students, rank 3/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, 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. (3.3 %, rank 10/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, international or foreign students from Latin America and the Caribbean are most represented among all international or foreign students, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (8.8 %, rank 8/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, international or foreign students from Asia are most represented among all international or foreign students, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (74.3 %, rank 5/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, international or foreign students from Europe are least represented among all international or foreign students, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (7.3 %, rank 34/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, international or foreign students from Oceania are most represented among all international or foreign students, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.7 %, rank 3/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the percentage of international or foreign students coming from neighbouring countries is comparatively low . (5 Students, rank 35/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Student mobility by field of education

    In United States, the percentage of international doctoral graduates in the field of arts and humanities is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (6.3 %, rank 30/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the percentage of international doctoral graduates in the field of Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (28.7 %, rank 9/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, 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. (7.5 %, rank 6/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the percentage of international doctoral graduates in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (33.4 %, rank 5/38 , 2022) 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. (92.8 %, rank 35/42 , 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. (51.3 %, rank 8/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of primary to upper secondary teachers younger than 30 is especially high. (14 %, rank 10/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of male teachers in pre-primary education is especially high in United States. (7.2 %, rank 7/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of teachers under 30 in United States is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (10.8 %, rank 10/34 , 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 highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.6 Ratio, rank 10/13 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of 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 16/17 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of lower secondary 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. (0.63 Ratio, rank 16/17 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of upper secondary 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. (0.65 Ratio, rank 16/17 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average actual pre-primary 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. (64207 USD Equivalent, rank 2/18 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average actual primary 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. (65977 USD Equivalent, rank 7/23 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average actual lower 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. (68324 USD Equivalent, rank 7/23 , 2023) Download Indicator

    After 15 years of experience, a lower secondary teacher with typical qualification can expect to have one of the highest salaries among OECD and partner countries with available data. (73787 USD Equivalent, rank 6/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    After 15 years of experience, an upper secondary teacher with typical qualification can expect to have one of the highest salaries among OECD and partner countries with available data. (74001 USD Equivalent, rank 8/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    After 15 years of experience, a pre-primary teacher with typical qualification can expect to have one of the highest salaries among OECD and partner countries with available data. (73220 USD Equivalent, rank 4/28 , 2023) Download Indicator

    After 15 years of experience, a primary teacher with typical qualification can expect to have one of the highest salaries among OECD and partner countries with available data. (70399 USD Equivalent, rank 6/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of lower secondary female teachers' salaries to earnings of full-time, full-year women workers with tertiary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.63 Ratio, rank 11/12 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of lower secondary male teachers' salaries to earnings of full-time, full-year men workers with tertiary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.64 Ratio, rank 11/12 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The salaries of 25-34 year-old general lower-secondary teachers relative to earnings for full-time, full-year similarly educated workers with tertiary education is low in United States. (0.55 Ratio, rank 11/13 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The salaries of 35-44 year-old general lower-secondary teachers relative to earnings for full-time, full-year similarly educated workers with tertiary education is low in United States. (0.64 Ratio, rank 12/13 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The salaries of 45-54 year-old general lower-secondary teachers relative to earnings for full-time, full-year similarly educated workers with tertiary education is low in United States. (0.69 Ratio, rank 12/13 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The salaries of 55-64 year-old general lower-secondary teachers relative to earnings for full-time, full-year similarly educated workers with tertiary education is low in United States. (0.7 Ratio, rank 12/13 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Teachers' salaries progression

    In pre-primary education, the salary ratio of teachers with maximum qualifications at the top of the salary scale to those with minimum training and starting salaries is relatively low. (1.22 Ratio, rank 16/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In lower secondary education, the salary ratio of teachers with maximum qualifications at the top of the salary scale to those with minimum training and starting salaries is comparatively low. (1.19 Ratio, rank 25/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In upper secondary education, the salary ratio of teachers with maximum qualifications at the top of the salary scale to those with minimum training and starting salaries is relatively low. (1.19 Ratio, rank 24/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Principals' salaries

    Primary school 25-64 year-old heads' salaries relative to earnings for full-time, full-year similarly educated workers with tertiary education is high in United States. (1.05 Ratio, rank 9/13 , 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 high in United States. (1.09 Ratio, rank 9/13 , 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 high in United States. (1.12 Ratio, rank 10/13 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average actual salaries of 25-64 year-old primary school heads is one of the highest in United States. (113806 USD Equivalent, rank 5/19 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average actual salaries of 25-64 year-old lower secondary education school heads is one of the highest in United States. (117176 USD Equivalent, rank 6/19 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Migrant background

    The proportion of 25-64 year-old native-born people without upper secondary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.8 %, rank 34/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate of native-born aged between 25-64 with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (46.5 %, rank 32/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate of native-born aged between 25-64 with tertiary education is comparatively low. (83.5 %, rank 30/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate of native-born aged between 25 and 34 with tertiary education is comparatively low. (69.9 %, rank 30/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings of foreign-born aged between 25 and 64 who work full-time full-year without upper secondary education are low compared to those of native-born workers with the same characteristics (87 Index, rank 24/26 , 2021) Download Indicator

    The percentage of foreign-born aged between 15 and 29 who are neither employed nor in education and training is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (17.6 %, rank 9/28 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The earnings of foreign-born workers as a percentage of native-born workers (among 25-64 years-old with below upper secondary attainment) are one of the lowest among countries with availaible data (78 %, rank 16/18 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Ratio of student to teaching staff

    In United States, the number of students per teacher in general upper secondary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (15 Ratio, rank 9/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the number of students per teacher in public lower secondary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (15.6 Ratio, rank 7/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the number of students per teacher in all public secondary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (15.8 Ratio, rank 6/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the number of students per teacher in all private secondary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (9.4 Ratio, rank 30/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the number of students per teacher in private institutions tertiary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (11.3 Ratio, rank 33/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the number of students per teacher in independent private institutions tertiary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (11.3 Ratio, rank 23/25 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Organisation of the education system

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

    In independent private institutions at lower secondary level, classes are one of the smallest in United States among OECD and partner countries with available data. (15 Students, rank 19/23 , 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 low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (86.2 %, rank 39/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (91.4 %, rank 27/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 45-54 year-olds with a general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (73.3 %, rank 35/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 45-54 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (73.3 %, rank 43/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the employment rate of 25-34 year-olds with a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is relatively high in United States. (95 %, rank 7/23 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Employment by gender and educational attainment

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education is comparatively low. (83.1 %, rank 37/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (70.5 %, rank 40/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-old men with upper secondary or a post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (76.1 %, rank 45/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-old men with tertiary education is comparatively low. (87.2 %, rank 42/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-old women with tertiary education is comparatively low. (79.6 %, rank 37/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 55-64 year-old men with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is compartively low in United States. (64.6 %, rank 37/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the share of employed 25-64 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (63.9 %, rank 31/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the share of employed 25-64 year-old men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (76.1 %, rank 36/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Unemployment and educational attainment

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the lowest of all OECD countries and partner economies for which data are available. (1.7 %, rank 30/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the lowest of all OECD countries and partner economies for which data are available. (0.6 %, rank 12/13 , 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 United States. (2.4 %, rank 30/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the unemployment rate of 25-34 year-old with a short cycle tertiary education degree is relatively low in United States. (3.7 %, rank 17/22 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Unemployment by gender and educational attainment

    The unemployment rate among 25-34 year-old women with tertiary education is compartively low in United States. (2.7 %, rank 36/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Inactivity and educational attainment

    The inactivity rate of 25-34 years-old adults with tertiary education is high in United States. (11.3 %, rank 10/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with a bachelor's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (15.1 %, rank 7/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (8.1 %, rank 3/25 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-olds with a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (9.3 %, rank 7/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (12.3 %, rank 1/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-olds with a short cycle tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (14.1 %, rank 7/26 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with a short cycle tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (19.4 %, rank 9/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education is one of the highest among countries with available data. (15 %, rank 7/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is one of the highest among countries with available data. (26.5 %, rank 3/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (26.5 %, rank 5/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Inactivity by gender and educational attainment

    In United States, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (33.6 %, rank 8/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (20.3 %, rank 3/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (33.6 %, rank 10/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old men with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (14.4 %, rank 3/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old men with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (20.3 %, rank 2/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old women with tertiary education is relatively high. (14.1 %, rank 10/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with tertiary education is relatively high. (18.6 %, rank 8/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old men with tertiary education is relatively high. (7.9 %, rank 6/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In United States, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old men with tertiary education is relatively high. (10.7 %, rank 1/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings and educational attainment

    The proportional difference in earnings between 25-64 year-old adults with tertiary education and those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is quite high. (172 Index, rank 7/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Compared with other OECD and partner countries, the proportional difference in earnings between 25-64 year-old adults with a bachelor's or equivalent degree and those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is high. (165 Index, rank 3/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The gap in average earnings between 25-64 year-old women with a bachelor's or equivalent degree and those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (161 Index, rank 7/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the proportional difference in earnings between 25-64 year-old men with a bachelor's or equivalent degree and those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is high. (174 Index, rank 5/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Earnings of 25-64 year-old full and part-time workers with tertiary education are comparatively high. (176.8 %, rank 8/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the proportion of young 25-34 year-old adults with a bachelor's or equivalent attainment earnings is relatively high compared to OECD and other members with available data (159 Index, rank 3/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-64 year-old workers without an upper secondary education earning at or below half the overall median in United States is one of the highest among countries with available data. (42 Index, rank 6/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-64 year-old workers with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education earning at or below half the overall median in United States is one of the highest among countries with available data. (25 Index, rank 6/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the distribution of worker earning more than the median but at or below 1.5 times the median among those with below upper secondary education is comparatively low . (11 Index, rank 39/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United States, the distribution of worker earning more than the median but at or below 1.5 times the median among those with with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (19 Index, rank 40/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Earnings, gender and educational attainment

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (25-64 year-olds with income from employment) are one of the lowest among countries with available data. (79.4 %, rank 34/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (25-34 year-olds without an upper secondary education working full-time full-year) are one of the lowest among countries with available data. (73.7 %, rank 27/33 , 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 highest among countries with available data. (94.5 %, rank 1/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (45-54 year-olds with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education working full-time full-year) are one of the lowest among countries with available data. (70.1 %, rank 33/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (45-54 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education working full-time full-year) are one of the lowest among countries with available data. (72.5 %, rank 33/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Neither in education nor employed

    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 United States is relatively high. (15.8 %, rank 9/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of men who are inactive NEET (15-29 year-olds) in United States is relatively high. (7.9 %, rank 10/42 , 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.
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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 - United States

    Click on the coverpage to see the full OECD iLibrary version
    Key
    Country Reviews for United States

    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.