Bulgaria
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Bulgaria
Overview of the education system (EAG 2025)
  • The share of 25-34 year-olds without upper secondary attainment fell from 18% to 12% between 2019 and 2024, continuing the downward trend across OECD countries (average 13%).
  • Unemployment is higher than OECD averages: 17.8% among young adults without upper secondary, compared to 5.1% with upper secondary and 2.4% with tertiary attainment.
  • Master’s attainment reached 22% in 2024 among 25-34 year-olds, above the OECD average of 16% and up from 19% in 2019.
  • Wage gaps are wide: 29% between those with and without upper secondary, and 76% between upper secondary and tertiary graduates, both higher than OECD averages and reflecting greater income inequality.
  • Field distribution at bachelor’s level is diverse, with 24% of graduates in STEM, 21% in business, administration and law, and 21% in arts and humanities, social sciences, journalism and information.
  • In Bulgaria, public funding is dominant: 95.2% of primary to post-secondary education is publicly financed, compared to the OECD average of 90.1%. At pre-primary the share reaches 99%, while at tertiary it is 63.3%.
    • | Education at a Glance 2025 | Country note | Annexes from Education at a Glance 2025 | OECD Handbook for Internationally Comparative Education Statistics 2018 |

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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 a general upper secondary or post-secondary qualification is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (23.6 %, rank 5/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-64 year-olds who attained a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (0.5 %, rank 28/32 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Attainment by gender

    The share of 25-64 year-old men who attained a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the smallest among countries with available data. (0.4 %, rank 30/31 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-64 year-old women who attained a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the smallest among countries with available data. (0.5 %, rank 27/31 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Bulgaria has one of the smallest share of women among 25-34 year-olds with a vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education. (30.9 %, rank 33/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 year-old men with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in Bulgaria is one of the highest among countries with available data. (69.1 %, rank 3/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Entrance

    In Bulgaria, the proportion of first-time entrants into doctorate's or equivalent programmes before the age of 30 is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (25.3 %, rank 37/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of women among the new entrants in master's programmes in Bulgaria is relatively high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (63 %, rank 5/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Entrance by field of education and gender

    In agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary, the share of female new entrants to bachelor’s programmes in Bulgaria was among the smallest internationally. (31.6 %, rank 36/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the share of female new entrants to bachelor’s programmes in social sciences, journalism and information was among the smallest internationally. (59.5 %, rank 35/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of female new entrants in doctoral programmes in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary ranked among the smallest across countries. (46.4 %, rank 31/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Female new entrants to doctoral programmes in services ranked among the smallest across countries. (33.3 %, rank 25/28 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of female new entrants in tertiary education in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary placed Bulgaria among the smallest internationally. (41.4 %, rank 36/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of female among new entrants in doctoral programmes enrolled in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction in Bulgaria is relatively small. (26.9 %, rank 33/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering master's or equivalent programmes in health and welfare in Bulgaria is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (61.6 %, rank 35/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering master's or equivalent programmes in natural sciences, mathematics and statistics in Bulgaria is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (34 %, rank 35/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering master's or equivalent programmes in education in Bulgaria is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (12.9 %, rank 36/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Participation in education

    The enrolment rate of children under age 3 in pre-primary education (ISCED 02) placed Bulgaria among the highest across countries. (5 %, rank 3/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Enrolment of 6–14-year-olds in primary education placed Bulgaria among the lowest across countries. (40.9 %, rank 46/47 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of 6–14-year-olds in upper secondary programmes in Bulgaria was among the highest internationally. (10.8 %, rank 4/47 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of students enrolled in programmes providing full completion and access to tertiary education among all students enrolled in upper secondary vocational programmes is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (32.9 %, rank 38/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the percentage of students enrolled in private institutions at all early childhood education level is comparatively low. (2.8 %, rank 38/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the percentage of students enrolled in private institutions at pre-primary level is comparatively low. (2.8 %, rank 45/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average age of lower secondary students enrolled in vocational programmes in Bulgaria is one of the highest compared to other countries with available data. (45.2 %, rank 1/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the share of upper secondary students enrolled in programmes giving partial completion or insufficient for completion is relatively high compared to the other countries. (67.1 %, rank 1/17 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average age of post-secondary non-tertiary students enrolled in vocational programmes in Bulgaria is among the highest. (35.5 %, rank 4/28 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the share of post-secondary non-tertiary students enrolled in programmes giving full level completion without access to tertiary education is relatively large compared to other OECD or partner contries. (100 %, rank 1/15 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate among students aged 15-19 in upper secondary programmes in Bulgaria is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (71.2 %, rank 5/47 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of two-year-olds in other registered ECEC services in Bulgaria is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (43.3 %, rank 3/13 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of three-year-olds in other registered ECEC services in Bulgaria is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.4 %, rank 8/9 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of female students enrolled in lower secondary vocational programmes is one of the highest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (62.8 %, rank 2/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Graduation

    In Bulgaria, the average age of post-secondary non-tertiary graduates from vocational programmes is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data (36.2 Years, rank 4/24 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of business, administration and law in Bulgaria is relatively large. (15.7 %, rank 3/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics in Bulgaria is relatively small. (11.5 %, rank 41/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction in Bulgaria is relatively small. (9.1 %, rank 41/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the percentage of post-secondary non-tertiary vocational graduates in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is relatively low. (5.5 %, rank 22/25 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, 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. (5 %, rank 2/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the proportion of upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary vocational graduates in the field of health and welfare is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 32/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the proportion of bachelor's, master's and doctoral or equivalent graduates in the field of business, administration and law is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (3 %, rank 5/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the proportion of bachelor's, master's and doctoral or equivalent graduates in the field of services is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1 %, rank 1/44 , 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. (23.5 %, rank 4/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the percentage of female post-secondary non-tertiary graduates in the field of health and welfare is relatively small. (50.9 %, rank 23/24 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, 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. (0 %, rank 26/27 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the proportion of female graduates from upper secondary vocational programmes in the field health and welfare is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries. (61.4 %, rank 34/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of business, administration and law is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (67 %, rank 2/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (71.6 %, rank 2/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Fields of education

    In Bulgaria, new entrants to doctoral programmes in STEM were among the smallest across countries. (26.4 %, rank 35/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of business, administration and law is relatively high, compared to other countries with available data. (14.3 %, rank 5/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is relatively low. (8.4 %, rank 35/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of social sciences, journalism and information is relatively high, compared to other countries with available data. (18.2 %, rank 3/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the proportion of new entrants in natural sciences, mathematics and statistics master's programmes is relatively low, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (2.2 %, rank 37/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Student mobility

    In Bulgaria, international or foreign students from Latin America and the Caribbean are least represented among all international or foreign students, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.2 %, rank 40/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, international or foreign students from Europe are most represented among all international or foreign students, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (81 %, rank 5/40 , 2023) 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 Bulgaria is relatively low. (5.6 %, rank 34/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of social sciences, journalism and information among all international or foreign tertiary students in Bulgaria is relatively low. (5.6 %, rank 33/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of business, administration and law among all international or foreign tertiary students in Bulgaria is relatively low. (8.7 %, rank 36/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics among all international or foreign tertiary students in Bulgaria is relatively low. (1 %, rank 36/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of engineering, manunfacturing and construction among all international or foreign tertiary students in Bulgaria is relatively low. (5.8 %, rank 37/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the share of students enrolled in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics among all international or foreign students is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (10.9 %, rank 37/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Expenditure per student

    Annual expenditure per student on research and development in tertiary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (576 USD Equivalent, rank 32/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Expenditure per student for core educational services on primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education in Bulgaria is comparatively low. (7082 USD Equivalent, rank 26/29 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Expenditure per student for core educational services on tertiary education in Bulgaria is comparatively low. (9142 USD Equivalent, rank 25/28 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Expenditure per student for core educational services on primary to tertiary education in Bulgaria is comparatively low. (7522 USD Equivalent, rank 24/28 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Expenditure per student for ancillary services on tertiary education in Bulgaria is comparatively high. (2962 USD Equivalent, rank 1/28 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Expenditure per student on research and development for primary to tertiary education in Bulgaria is comparatively low. (123 USD Equivalent, rank 33/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    From 2012 to 2018, the average annual growth in total expenditure on primary to tertiary education in Bulgaria is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (9146 USD Equivalent, rank 36/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The total annual expenditure per full-time equivalent student on upper secondary vocational education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (7597 USD Equivalent, rank 26/29 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Expenditure in education and national wealth

    In Bulgaria, expenditure on primary through tertiary educational institutions as a percentage of GDP is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner economies. (3.3 %, rank 37/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, expenditure on primary educational institutions as a percentage of GDP is comparatively low. (0.7 %, rank 36/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, public and private expenditure on primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary educational institutions as a percentage of GDP is comparatively low. (2.3 %, rank 36/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, 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 4/32 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the public expenditure as a percentage of GDP from initial source of funds on primary to post-secondary non-tertiary level is small. (2.2 %, rank 27/31 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The public expenditure as a percentage of GDP from initial source of funds at primary to tertiary education is relatively low in Bulgaria. (2.8 %, rank 28/30 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Nature of expenditure

    In Bulgaria, the share of current expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (86.7 %, rank 17/20 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Who the teachers are

    The share of women among teaching staff in primary education is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (93.9 %, rank 5/43 , 2023) 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. (79 %, rank 5/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of women among teaching staff in upper secondary education is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (75.7 %, rank 3/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of women among teaching staff in post-secondary non-tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (34.8 %, rank 20/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of women among teaching staff is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (79.7 %, rank 4/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the percentage of teachers under 30 in pre-primary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (9.1 %, rank 30/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Teachers' salaries

    After 15 years of experience, a lower secondary teacher with minimum qualification can expect to have one of the lowest salaries among OECD and partner countries with available data. (30423 USD Equivalent, rank 37/40 , 2023) Download Indicator

    After 15 years of experience, an upper secondary teacher with minimum qualification can expect to have one of the lowest salaries among OECD and partner countries with available data. (30423 USD Equivalent, rank 37/40 , 2023) Download Indicator

    After 15 years of experience, a pre-primary teacher with minimum qualification can expect to have one of the lowest salaries among OECD and partner countries with available data. (30423 USD Equivalent, rank 30/33 , 2023) Download Indicator

    After 15 years of experience, a primary teacher with minimum qualification can expect to have one of the lowest salaries among OECD and partner countries with available data. (30423 USD Equivalent, rank 37/40 , 2023) Download Indicator

    After 15 years of experience, a lower secondary teacher with typical qualification can expect to have one of the lowest salaries among OECD and partner countries with available data. (30423 USD Equivalent, rank 38/40 , 2023) Download Indicator

    After 15 years of experience, an upper secondary teacher with typical qualification can expect to have one of the lowest salaries among OECD and partner countries with available data. (30423 USD Equivalent, rank 38/40 , 2023) Download Indicator

    After 15 years of experience, a pre-primary teacher with typical qualification can expect to have one of the lowest salaries among OECD and partner countries with available data. (30423 USD Equivalent, rank 31/33 , 2023) Download Indicator

    After 15 years of experience, a primary teacher with typical qualification can expect to have one of the lowest salaries among OECD and partner countries with available data. (30423 USD Equivalent, rank 38/40 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Teachers' salaries progression

    Salaries of lower secondary teachers with minimum training after 10 years of experience are especially low. (29288 USD Equivalent, rank 36/40 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Salaries of upper secondary teachers with minimum training after 10 years of experience are especially low. (29288 USD Equivalent, rank 36/40 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Ratio of student to teaching staff

    The number of students per teacher in primary schools is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner countries with available data. (10.2 Ratio, rank 39/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of students to teaching staff in post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low in Bulgaria. (1.8 Ratio, rank 21/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of students to teaching staff at the lower secondary level in private institutions is especially low in Bulgaria. (5.5 Ratio, rank 36/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of students to teaching staff at the lower secondary level in independent private institutions is especially low in Bulgaria. (5.5 Ratio, rank 24/24 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the number of students per teacher in private upper secondary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (7.5 Ratio, rank 37/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of students to teaching staff at the upper secondary level in independent private institutions is especially low in Bulgaria. (7.5 Ratio, rank 23/26 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the number of students per teacher in all private secondary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (6.5 Ratio, rank 36/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of students to teaching staff at the secondary level in independent private institutions is especially low in Bulgaria. (6.5 Ratio, rank 25/25 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Organisation of the education system

    The total compulsory instruction time for primary students in Bulgaria is one of the shortest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2028 Hours, rank 41/42 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the total intended instruction time for primary students (in hours per year) is one of the shortest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2353 Hours, rank 34/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The total compulsory instruction time for lower secondary students in Bulgaria is one of the shortest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2219 Hours, rank 38/42 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The total compulsory instruction time for primary and lower secondary student in Bulgaria is among the shortest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (4247 Hours, rank 42/42 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, total intended instruction time for primary and lower secondary students (in hours per year) is among the shortest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (4849 Hours, rank 34/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, compulsory instruction time for primary students, in hours per year, is one of the shortest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (507 Hours, rank 41/42 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the intended instruction time for primary students, in hours per year, is one of the shortest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (588 Hours, rank 33/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, compulsory instruction time for lower secondary students, in hours per year, is one of the shortest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (740 Hours, rank 40/42 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The number of instruction days per year for primary students is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (163 Days, rank 44/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Classes in in private primary institutions are comparatively small in Bulgaria. (14 Students, rank 31/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Classes in lower secondary private institutions are comparatively small in Bulgaria. (13 Students, rank 32/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In independent private institutions at primary education level, the average class size is relatively smallest in Bulgaria among OECD and other partner countries with available data. (14 Students, rank 17/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In independent private institutions at lower secondary level, classes are one of the smallest in Bulgaria among OECD and partner countries with available data. (13 Students, rank 17/20 , 2023) 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. (92 %, rank 5/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 45-54 year-olds without upper secondary education is comparatively low. (54.6 %, rank 37/39 , 2024) 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 Bulgaria. (93.4 %, rank 3/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Employment by gender and educational attainment

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education is comparatively high. (91.2 %, rank 5/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-old women with tertiary education is comparatively high. (90.2 %, rank 5/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Unemployment and educational attainment

    The unemployment rate among 55-64 year-olds with tertiary education is comparatively low. (1.2 %, rank 30/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education is comparatively low. (1.6 %, rank 35/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    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. (1.5 %, rank 30/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Among the unemployed population aged between 25 and 64 with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education, the share of those who have been unemployed for at least 3 months to less than 12 months is one of the smallest in Bulgaria, compared to other OECD countries. (24.2 %, rank 27/28 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Among the unemployed population aged between 25 and 64 with tertiary education, the share of those who have been unemployed for less than 3 months is one of the smallest in Bulgaria, compared to other OECD countries. (17.7 %, rank 26/29 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Among the unemployed population aged between 25 and 64 with tertiary education, the share of those who have been unemployed for at least 3 months to less than 12 months is one of the smallest in Bulgaria, compared to other OECD countries. (30.1 %, rank 25/29 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Among the unemployed population aged between 25 and 64 with tertiary education, the share of those who have been unemployed for at least 12 months is one of the largest in Bulgaria, compared to OECD countries. (52.2 %, rank 3/35 , 2024) 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 Bulgaria. (2.7 %, rank 32/35 , 2024) 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 Bulgaria. (2.2 %, rank 31/33 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Unemployment by gender and educational attainment

    The unemployment rate among 25-34 year-old men with tertiary education is compartively low in Bulgaria. (2.1 %, rank 33/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-34 year-old women with below upper secondary education is compartively high in Bulgaria. (26.4 %, rank 5/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 55-64 year-old men with tertiary education is compartively low in Bulgaria. (1.2 %, rank 31/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Inactivity and educational attainment

    The inactivity rate of 25-34 years-old adults with below upper secondary education is high in Bulgaria. (42.4 %, rank 5/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (2.8 %, rank 20/23 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Neither in education nor employed

    The share of youth who have been unemployed for at least one year and not in formal education or training among 18-24 year-olds in Bulgaria is one of the highest among countries with available data. (1.9 %, rank 5/31 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-29 year-olds neither in employment nor in education and training without an upper secondary in Bulgaria is relatively high. (52.9 %, rank 5/33 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of men with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education neither in employment nor in education and training (25-29 year-olds) in Bulgaria is relatively high (16.2 %, rank 4/27 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Bulgaria, the share of women neither employed nor in education among 15-29 year-olds is relatively low. (4.4 %, rank 28/32 , 2024) Download Indicator


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    General findings
    
                        
    
                            
    
                                
    • Tertiary attainment among young adults has reached 48% on average across the OECD, the highest level ever, but progress has slowed since 2021. Attainment remains unequal, with women generally outpacing men, and older generations showing lower rates.
    • Employment outcomes for tertiary-educated adults remain strong overall: 87% of them are employed compared to 60% of those without upper seconday. Tertiary education offers good protection against unemployment, but women and disadvantaged groups still face labour market gaps, and inactivity persists among some adults. Moreover, adults with tertiary education earn on average 54% more than those with only upper secondary education.
    • Gender pay gaps remain significant. Despite higher attainment, women with tertiary education consistently earn less than men, even when working full-time, and this gap persists across age groups (73% on average for women aged 25 to 64).
    • Fields of study strongly influence labour market outcomes. Graduates in engineering and in health and welfare fare particularly well, while women’s participation in STEM remains below parity (14% of graduates at tertiary level) despite being 58% of all tertiary graduates.
    • Internationalisation continues to expand in tertiary education. The share of international students has grown steadily, and OECD countries host a large proportion of the world’s mobile students, reinforcing their global role in higher education.
    • Sustaining tertiary education requires adequate investment. Spending per student is already at 21 021 USD and rising, and tertiary expenditure represents a notable share of GDP (1.4% on average in OECD), making efficiency and equity crucial for long-term sustainability.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Attainment | Education policies: Access and Participation  | Education policies: Finance and Funding | Education policies: Labour market outcomes | 
    
                            
    
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    • Although many countries have near universal upper secondary attainment among 25–34 year-olds, on average across the OECD 13% of younger adults still lack an upper secondary qualification.
    • NEET shares are now below pre-pandemic levels in about half of OECD and partner countries with trend data; in 8 of these 16 countries the decline exceeds 1 percentage point, while 17 countries exceed pre-pandemic benchmarks and 6 saw increases of more than 2 percentage points.
    • Employment rates rise steadily with higher tertiary attainment: short-cycle 83%, bachelor’s 86%, master’s 90%, and doctoral or equivalent 93% among 25–64 year-olds.
    • Earnings premiums also increase with qualification level: on average across the OECD, short-cycle graduates earn 17% more than those with upper secondary; the advantage is 39% for bachelor’s and 83% for master’s/doctoral graduates.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Attainment | Education policies: Labour market outcomes | 
    
                            
    
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    • Most children aged 3 to 5 are enrolled in early childhood education, with an average participation rate of 85% across the OECD. By contrast, only 29% of children under the age of 3 are enrolled.
    • Participation in early childhood education has grown over the past decade, with enrolment for children under age 3 increasing by 9 percentage points to 29%, and enrolment for ages 3 and above rising by 5 points to 85%.
    • The majority of students in vocational upper secondary education follow programmes that grant full access to tertiary education, with 76% of students enrolled in such programmes on average across the OECD.
    • Completion rates for bachelor’s programmes increase after the theoretical duration of programmes: on average, 44% of students graduate on time, compared to 69% three years after.
    • Students from Asia form the largest regional group of internationally mobile students in tertiary education, representing 58% of all foreign or international students across the OECD in 2023.
    • Only 43% of students complete a bachelor’s degree within the expected duration, though this rises to 59% with one additional year and 70% with three additional years on average across the OECD.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Access and Participation  | 
    
                            
    
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    • Governments spend on average USD 12 438 per student in primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education, and USD 15 102 per student in tertiary education including R&D.
    • Expenditure per student has risen in absolute terms since 2015, but its share in public budgets has declined, with government spending on education at almost 15% of total government expenditure on average in 2022.
    • Annual spending per student at primary and secondary levels varies widely across OECD countries, from under USD 3 000 in some systems to over USD 25 000 in the most highly funded ones.
    • Tertiary education continues to expand, placing pressure on public budgets. Private sources represent a larger share of total funding at the tertiary level than at any other level of education.
    • Spending per student differs markedly between public and private institutions, with expenditure in public tertiary institutions exceeding USD 33 000 in some countries, compared to less than USD 10 000 in others.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Finance and Funding | 
    
                            
    
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    • Students in OECD countries receive an average of 7 604 hours of compulsory instruction during primary and lower secondary education, with total hours ranging widely across education systems.
    • Compulsory instruction time averages 804 hours per year for primary students and 909 hours for lower secondary students, a difference of about 105 hours annually.
    • The ratio of children to teachers in pre-primary education has fallen across most OECD countries, decreasing from an average of 15 children per teacher in 2013 to 13 in 2023.
    • Teachers’ statutory salaries increase with the level of education taught. On average, teachers with 15 years of experience earn USD 55 725 at pre-primary level and USD 63 925 at upper secondary level.
    • Teachers’ actual salaries are 83–91% of the earnings of similarly educated tertiary-educated workers, while school heads usually earn more than tertiary-educated workers on average across OECD countries.
    • The ratio of students to academic staff is lower in public than in private institutions, averaging about 14 students per staff member in public tertiary institutions compared to 18 in private ones.
    • Nearly half of OECD and partner countries operate non-selective admission systems for first degrees, providing broad access to tertiary education, while entrance exams and centralised systems are also common.
    • The salaries of academic staff in tertiary education vary by seniority. On average, junior staff earn about 62 000 USD, while senior staff earn about 108 000 USD.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Teachers | Education policies: Teachers | OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS)  | 
    
                            
    
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            Diagram of funding flows - Bulgaria
            
    
            
    
        
    


        
		
    
            
    
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            Country Reviews for Bulgaria
            
    
            
    
			
    
        
    
		
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
        
    
            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: https://www.oecd.org/en/about/members-partners.html
            

    
			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: 2026 for school year 2025/2026.
			

    
	    *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 2024 for more details about the data collections.
            

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