Germany

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Germany
Overview of the education system (EAG 2026)
  • In Germany, the share of adults with tertiary attainment reaches 35.5% (OECD average : 42.7%), while the share of adults with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary attainment stands at 50.5% (OECD average : 39.9%) and 14.1% of 25-64 year-olds reached below upper secondary education (OECD average : 17.9%).
  • Some 92% of children aged 3 are enrolled in early childhood education (OECD average : 81.5%), while 95.6% of children aged 3 to 5 are enrolled in early childhood education (OECD average : 86%).
  • Vocational programmes are often more expensive than general programmes due to the need for specialised technical equipment. In Germany, public and private expenditure per student is 19238 equivalent USD in general upper secondary programmes and 27880 equivalent USD in vocational upper secondary programmes. This is higher than the OECD average of 13225 equivalent USD in general programmes and considerably higher than the OECD average of 16104 equivalent USD in vocational ones.
  • In Germany, 88.7% of young adults with a vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary qualification were employed, only 3.4% were unemployed. Across the OECD, 83.2% of young adults with a vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary qualification were employed and 6.4% were unemployed.
  • Government expenditure on educational institutions, before transfers, on primary to tertiary education equalled 3.7% of GDP in 2023 (OECD average : 4%), while private expenditure equalled 0.6% (OECD average : 0.6%).
  • Total expenditure on educational institutions per full-time equivalent student equalled 24738 equivalent USD for tertiary education in Germany (OECD average : 22402 equivalent USD), while it added up to 13163 equivalent USD for primary education (OECD average : 13552 equivalent USD).
  • The unemployment rate among tertiary-educated young adults stands at 4% in 2025 (OECD average : 5%), while it is equal to 12.3% for 25-34 year-olds without an upper secondary education (OECD average : 13.9%).
  • Some 10.6% of all 18-24 year-olds were not in employment, education or training (NEET) in 2025 (OECD average : 14.1%), while 12.5% of 25-29 year-olds were NEET (OECD average : 16.3%).
  • On-site work varies with the level of education, while 45.1% of tertiary-educated workers sometimes or usually work from home in Germany (OECD average : 42.5%), 15.8% of workers with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary attainment did so (OECD average : 17.7%).
  • In Germany, annual typical teaching hours were 691 hours in primary education (OECD average : 770 hours) and 642 hours in lower secondary education (OECD average : 710 hours).
  • Women represent 93.5% of pre-primary teaching staff in Germany (OECD average : 95.9%) and 66.4% in lower secondary education (OECD average : 68.2%).
  • In Germany, there are 81.4% of fully qualified teachers in primary and secondary schools (OECD average : 90.9%).
    • | Education at a Glance 2026 (EAG 2026): OECD Indicators | Country note | Annexes from Education at a Glance 2026 | OECD Handbook for Internationally Comparative Education Statistics 2018 | OECD Education Policy Outlook: Germany | Bundesministerium für ­Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt (Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space) | Kultusministerkonferenz (Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany, in German) | Statistisches Bundesamt (Federal Statistical Office) |

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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 upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary attainment among 25-64 year-olds is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (50.5 %, rank 9/41 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-64 year-olds who have attained a vocational upper secondary or post-secondary qualification is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (47.1 %, rank 6/33 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-64 year-olds who have attained a general upper secondary or post-secondary qualification is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (3.4 %, rank 36/37 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-34 year-olds who have attained a vocational degree at the upper secondary or post-secondary level is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (38.5 %, rank 6/33 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-34 year-olds who have attained a general degree at the upper secondary or post-secondary level is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (6.7 %, rank 34/37 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The level of short-cycle tertiary attainment among 25-34 year-olds is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.3 %, rank 28/30 , 2025) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of 25-34 year-olds who attained a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the largest among countries with available data. (1 %, rank 6/31 , 2025) Download Indicator

    Attainment by gender

    The proportion of 25-64 year-old men who have attained a general degree at the upper secondary or post-secondary level is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (3.8 %, rank 34/37 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-64 year-old women who have attained a general degree at the upper secondary or post-secondary level is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (3 %, rank 36/37 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-34 year-old women who have attained tertiary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (43.9 %, rank 32/41 , 2025) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the proportion of 25-34 year-old women who have attained a short cycle tertiary degree is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data (0.3 %, rank 28/30 , 2025) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the proportion of 25-34 year-old men who have attained a short cycle tertiary degree is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data (0.3 %, rank 29/30 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 year-old men with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in Germany is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (52.2 %, rank 30/33 , 2025) Download Indicator

    Entrance

    The share of women among tertiary education new entrants is one of the smallest compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (50.9 %, rank 33/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering bachelor's programmes in Germany is relatively small. (48.2 %, rank 40/41 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the average age of new entrants in master's programmes is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (24.3 Years, rank 35/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The proportion of women among the new entrants in master's programmes in Germany is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (53.1 %, rank 38/42 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of first-time entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (1.2 %, rank 26/28 , 2024) 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 Germany was among the smallest internationally. (31.6 %, rank 25/29 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of female new entrants in tertiary education in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary placed Germany among the smallest internationally. (42.1 %, rank 22/24 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In STEM fields, the share of female new entrants to tertiary education was especially small in Germany. (29.4 %, rank 19/24 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of female who enter tertiary education in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (22.4 %, rank 22/24 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of female among new entrants in doctoral programmes enrolled in the field of information and communication technologies is relatively small. (23.9 %, rank 22/27 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of female among new entrants in doctoral programmes enrolled in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction in Germany is relatively small. (25.8 %, rank 26/28 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of women among new entrants in bachelor's programmes in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (18.9 %, rank 28/29 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of women among new entrants in bachelor's programmes in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (25.3 %, rank 28/29 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering doctoral or equivalent programmes in Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in Germany is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (36.1 %, rank 25/28 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering short cycle tertiary programmes in health and welfare in Germany is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (57.1 %, rank 22/23 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering short cycle tertiary programmes in information and communication technologies in Germany is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (0 %, rank 23/24 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of female in short-cycle tertiary programmes in the field of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (24.4 %, rank 19/20 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Participation in education

    Enrolment in early childhood education (ISCED 0) among 3- to 5-year-olds placed Germany among the highest across countries. (95.6 %, rank 10/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the percentage of female students enrolled in upper secondary vocational programmes is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries. (35.6 %, rank 40/41 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of female students in post-secondary non-tertiary general programmes was one of the largest across participating countries. (46.7 %, rank 9/10 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the percentage of students enrolled in private institutions at all early childhood education level is comparatively high. (66.6 %, rank 6/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the percentage of students enrolled in private institutions at pre-primary level is comparatively high. (64.3 %, rank 6/42 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The average age of lower secondary students enrolled in vocational programmes in Germany is one of the lowest compared to other countries with available data. (17.4 %, rank 15/20 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of upper secondary students enrolled in programmes giving partial completion or insufficient for completion is relatively low compared to the other countries. (4.9 %, rank 12/17 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The average age of post-secondary non-tertiary students enrolled in vocational programmes in Germany is among the lowest. (23 %, rank 27/27 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of post-secondary non-tertiary students enrolled in programmes giving full level completion without access to tertiary education is relatively small compared to other OECD or partner contries. (42.9 %, rank 13/15 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate among students aged 15-19 in upper secondary programmes in Germany is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (42.5 %, rank 37/43 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The percentage of five-year-olds in ECEC in Germany is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (98.1 %, rank 9/44 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of female students enrolled in lower secondary vocational programmes is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (38 %, rank 18/20 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Graduation

    In Germany, the average age of post-secondary non-tertiary graduates from vocational programmes is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data (24.7 Years, rank 23/24 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the percentage of first-time short-cycle tertiary graduates younger than 30 is relatively low. (58.9 %, rank 23/28 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of first-time short-cycle graduates is relatively low in Germany. (1.5 %, rank 23/28 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of first-time graduates in vocational programmes at post-secondary non-tertiary level is comparatively small. (94.8 %, rank 21/23 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Graduation by gender

    The share of female graduates from upper secondary vocational programmes is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (39 %, rank 34/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Among OECD and partner countries with available data, Germany has one of the smallest shares of women graduates from tertiary programmes. (51.6 %, rank 31/32 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of female first-time graduates in short-cycle tertiary programmes is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (38.6 %, rank 22/27 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of female first-time bachelor's graduates is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (49.5 %, rank 31/32 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education

    The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of health and welfare is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (8.3 %, rank 36/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of arts and humaties in Germany is relatively small. (6.1 %, rank 35/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of sciences, journalism and information in Germany is relatively small. (5.1 %, rank 36/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of tertiary graduates in STEM fields in Germany was one of the highest compared to other participating countries. (35.8 %, rank 1/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the percentage of post-secondary non-tertiary vocational graduates in the field of services is relatively low. (5.9 %, rank 18/21 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education and gender

    The proportion of female tertiary graduates in health and welfare is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries. (11.7 %, rank 35/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of male tertiary graduates in the field of health and welfare is relatively low in Germany. (4.7 %, rank 36/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the percentage of female post-secondary non-tertiary graduates in the field of health and welfare is relatively small. (77.1 %, rank 14/19 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the percentage of female post-secondary non-tertiary graduates in the field of business, administration and law is relatively small. (59.6 %, rank 19/21 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the proportion of female graduates from upper secondary vocational programmes in the field of business, administration and law is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries. (52.5 %, rank 27/31 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the proportion of female graduates from upper secondary vocational programmes in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries. (9.3 %, rank 28/31 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the proportion of female graduates from upper secondary vocational programmes in the field of services is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries. (40.1 %, rank 28/30 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in all fields is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (51.4 %, rank 33/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, 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. (21.5 %, rank 32/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (41.3 %, rank 33/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Fields of education

    In Germany, the percentage of new entrants to tertiary education in the field of health and welfare is relatively low. (7.8 %, rank 26/27 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of new entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes in the field of arts and humanities is relatively small. (1.2 %, rank 23/28 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of new entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes in the field of business, administration and law is relatively small. (0 %, rank 27/28 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of new entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes in the field of information and communication technologies is relatively small. (0.6 %, rank 24/28 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of social sciences, journalism and information is relatively low, compared to other countries with available data. (5.6 %, rank 30/31 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of new entrants in arts and humanities bachelor's programmes is especially low, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (6.9 %, rank 28/32 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the proportion of new entrants in social sciences, journalism and information bachelor's programmes is slightly low, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (6.7 %, rank 29/32 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of new entrants in health and welfare bachelor's programmes is relatively low, compared to other countries with available data. (6.1 %, rank 30/32 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of new entrants in health and welfare master's programmes is relatively low, compared to other countries with available data. (7.8 %, rank 31/32 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Student mobility

    Germany has a small share of international students graduate from tertiary programmes compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (5.3 %, rank 21/30 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of worldwide foreign and international students is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (7.6 %, rank 5/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of international students entering short-cycle tertiary programmes is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 28/31 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the proportion of international graduates among first-time short-cycle tertiary first-time graduates is relatively low. (0 %, rank 22/27 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the proportion of international or foreign students enrolled in short-cycle tertiary programmes is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 29/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Student mobility by field of education

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of health and welfare among all international or foreign tertiary students in Germany is relatively low. (7.1 %, rank 33/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of students enrolled in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics among all international or foreign students is relatively high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (51.6 %, rank 1/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Adult participation in non-formal education

    Among unemployed adults aged 25-64, the share participating in non-formal education or training in Germany was among the lowest across countries with available data. (27 %, rank 21/30 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Among adults aged 25-64 outside the labour force, participation in non-formal education or training in Germany was among the highest across countries with available data. (21.3 %, rank 9/30 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Expenditure per student

    Annual expenditure per secondary student is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (18924 USD Equivalent, rank 8/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Annual expenditure per student on research and development in tertiary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (10788 USD Equivalent, rank 5/33 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Expenditure per student for ancillary services on primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education in Germany is comparatively low. (265 USD Equivalent, rank 27/32 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Expenditure per student for ancillary educational services on primary to tertiary education in Germany is comparatively low. (265 USD Equivalent, rank 29/33 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The total annual expenditure per full-time equivalent student on upper secondary general education is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (19238 USD Equivalent, rank 4/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The total annual expenditure per full-time equivalent student on upper secondary vocational education is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (27880 USD Equivalent, rank 2/30 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Expenditure in education and national wealth

    In Germany, expenditure on primary educational institutions as a percentage of GDP is comparatively low. (0.7 %, rank 35/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Germany, expenditure on secondary educational institutions as a percentage of GDP is comparatively high. (2.2 %, rank 6/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Government and private expenditure in education

    In Germany, total public expenditure on primary educational institutions as a percentage of total public expenditure is comparatively low. (1.5 %, rank 40/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of public expenditure on educational institutions, for tertiary education is comparatively large in Germany. (82.7 %, rank 8/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Who the teachers are

    The share of women among teaching staff in pre-primary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (93.5 %, rank 32/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of women among teaching staff in short-cycle tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (32.6 %, rank 23/24 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of women among teaching staff in tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (42 %, rank 32/41 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The percentage of upper secondary teachers younger than 30 is especially low. (4.4 %, rank 37/42 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The percentage of female teachers aged 50 or more in tertiary education is especially low in Germany. (33.5 %, rank 33/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of short-cycle tertiary teachers aged between 30 and 49 is relatively low, compared to other countries with data available. (41.3 %, rank 22/25 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of bachelor's, master's and doctoral level teachers older than 50 is relatively low, compared to other countries with data available. (29.7 %, rank 33/36 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of tertiary teachers older than 50 is relatively low, compared to other countries with data available. (29.9 %, rank 33/36 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of short-cycle tertiary female teachers younger than 30 is relatively low, compared to other countries with data available. (34.1 %, rank 21/23 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of short-cycle tertiary female teachers older than 50 is relatively low, compared to other countries with data available. (32.4 %, rank 23/24 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of bachelor's, master's and doctoral level female teachers older than 50 is relatively low, compared to other countries with data available. (33.5 %, rank 33/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of teachers' aides among contact staff in early childhood educational development is one of the lowest of OECD and partner countries with available data. (13 Ratio, rank 15/16 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of women among teaching staff in early childhood educational development is one of the lowest, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (93.9 %, rank 18/23 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of teachers' aides among contact staff in pre-primary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (14.5 Ratio, rank 16/21 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The percentage of teachers under 30 in Germany is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.9 %, rank 32/36 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of teachers under 30 in upper secondary vocational education is especially low in Germany. (3.3 %, rank 30/32 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of post secondary non-tertiary education teachers under 30 is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data (3.2 %, rank 20/22 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Teachers' salaries

    In Germany, average actual salaries for primary teachers aged 25-64 rank among the highest per hour of net teaching time across OECD and partner countries with available data. (99000 USD Equivalent, rank 1/34 , 2025) Download Indicator

    In Germany, average actual salaries for lower secondary teachers aged 25-64 rank among the highest per hour of net teaching time across OECD and partner countries with available data. (109039 USD Equivalent, rank 1/34 , 2025) Download Indicator

    In Germany, average actual salaries for upper secondary teachers aged 25-64 rank among the highest per hour of net teaching time across OECD and partner countries with available data. (114266 USD Equivalent, rank 1/34 , 2025) 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. (111804 USD Equivalent, rank 3/42 , 2025) 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. (115632 USD Equivalent, rank 2/42 , 2025) 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. (102407 USD Equivalent, rank 3/42 , 2025) Download Indicator

    Teachers' salaries progression

    The salary progression from the start to the top of the salary scale for a lower secondary school teacher is among the smallest across OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.3 Ratio, rank 34/43 , 2025) Download Indicator

    It takes lower secondary teachers less time to progress through the salary scale in Germany compared to other OECD and partner countries. (0 Years, rank 37/42 , 2025) Download Indicator

    Teacher shortages

    In Germany, the proportion of fully qualified teachers in primary and secondary schools is one of the smallest among OECD and participating countries. (81.4 %, rank 28/31 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The gap in job satisfaction between teachers and other similarly educated employed adults aged 16-65 is especially wide in favor of other employed adults in Germany. (-1.9 % points, rank 19/27 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Between 2015 and 2024, Germany reported an increase in the number of students enrolled in education. (115 Index, rank 3/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Between 2015 and 2024, Germany reported an increase in the number of full-time equivalent classroom teachers. (117 Index, rank 9/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Ratio of student to teaching staff

    The number of pupils per teacher in pre-primary schools is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (8.7 Ratio, rank 33/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the number of students per teacher in private institutions short-cycle tertiary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (11.5 Ratio, rank 14/18 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the ratio of children to teaching staff in early childhood educational development is one of the lowest compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.7 Ratio, rank 19/23 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany the ratio of children to contact staff in early childhood educational development is one of the lowest compared to the other OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.1 Ratio, rank 13/17 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Employment and educational attainment

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively high. (83.3 %, rank 6/41 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively high in Germany. (85.5 %, rank 4/40 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-olds with a vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (88.7 %, rank 4/32 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-olds with a general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (66.9 %, rank 29/36 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 35-44 year-olds with a general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (70.8 %, rank 33/36 , 2025) Download Indicator

    Employment by gender and educational attainment

    In Germany, 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. (75.9 %, rank 31/36 , 2025) Download Indicator

    Unemployment and educational attainment

    The unemployment rate among 25-34 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (3.9 %, rank 34/40 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (2.7 %, rank 27/33 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-34 year-olds with a vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is one of the lowest of all OECD countries and partner economies for which data are available. (3.4 %, rank 27/32 , 2025) Download Indicator

    Unemployment by gender and educational attainment

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-old women with upper secondary or a post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (2.5 %, rank 37/40 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-34 year-old women with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low in Germany. (3.4 %, rank 38/40 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or a post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (3 %, rank 30/31 , 2025) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of unemployed 25-64 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (2.3 %, rank 30/32 , 2025) Download Indicator

    Inactivity and educational attainment

    The inactivity rate of 25-34 years-old adults with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is low in Germany. (11.1 %, rank 32/40 , 2025) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with a short cycle tertiary education degree is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (8.3 %, rank 30/31 , 2025) Download Indicator

    Inactivity by gender and educational attainment

    In Germany, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (11.4 %, rank 29/31 , 2025) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (16 %, rank 29/32 , 2025) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (17 %, rank 35/40 , 2025) Download Indicator

    Earnings and educational attainment

    Earnings of foreign-born aged between 25 and 64 who work full- and part-time with a short cycle tertiary education are comparatively high. (129.9 %, rank 3/24 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Earnings of 25-64 year-old full- and part-time workers with a bachelor's or equivalent education are comparatively high. (147.7 %, rank 7/25 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Among workers with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in Germany, the proportion earning between 1.5 and 2 times the median is comparatively low. (6 Index, rank 26/30 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Earnings and skill level

    In Germany, the share of high earners aged 25-64 with low numeracy, literacy and adaptive problem-solving skills in the Adult Skills Survey was among the smallest across countries with available data. (9 %, rank 28/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings, gender and educational attainment

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (among 25-64 year-olds without an upper secondary education with income from employment) are one of the highest among countries with available data. (92.9 %, rank 1/29 , 2024) Download Indicator

    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 24/27 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, women's earnings as a percentage of men's earnings among 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education (full- and part-time workers) are among the lowest across countries with available data. (66.1 %, rank 28/30 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (25-64 year-olds with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education working full-time full-year) are one of the lowest among countries with available data. (76.2 %, rank 17/20 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Women's earnings as a percentage of men's earnings (25-34 year-olds with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education working full-time full-year) are one of the lowest among countries with available data. (76.1 %, rank 14/19 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (45-54 year-olds with tertiary education working full-time full-year) are one of the lowest among countries with available data. (67.1 %, rank 28/29 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Neither in education nor employed

    The share of unemployed youth neither in formal education nor training among 18-24 year-olds in Germany is one of the smallest among countries with available data. (10.6 %, rank 29/38 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The share of youth who have been unemployed for at least 3 months but less than a year and not in formal education or training among 18-24 year-olds in Germany is one of the smallest among countries with available data. (0.9 %, rank 23/28 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education neither in employment nor in education and training (25-29 year-olds) in Germany is relatively low (15 %, rank 21/26 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The share of men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education neither in employment nor in education and training (25-29 year-olds) in Germany is relatively low (8.4 %, rank 23/27 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The share of women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education neither in employment nor in education and training (25-29 year-olds) in Germany is relatively low (10.5 %, rank 27/28 , 2025) 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 Germany is relatively low (6.5 %, rank 25/30 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-29 year-olds neither in employment nor in education and training with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in Germany is relatively low. (8.4 %, rank 28/31 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The share of women with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education neither in employment nor in education and training (25-29 year-olds) in Germany is relatively low. (11.3 %, rank 34/36 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The share of men with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education neither in employment nor in education and training (25-29 year-olds) in Germany is relatively low. (6.9 %, rank 32/37 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-29 year-olds neither in employment nor in education and training with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary in Germany is relatively low. (8.9 %, rank 35/38 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The share of 18-29 year-olds with literacy proficiency at Level 3 or above in the Adult Skills Survey who were NEET was among the smallest in Germany compared with other countries with available data. (5.6 %, rank 24/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of youth neither employed nor in education or training among 25-29 year-olds in Germany is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (12.5 %, rank 31/38 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The proportion of youth neither employed nor in education or training among 15-29 year-olds in Germany is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (10 %, rank 31/39 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 18-24 year-olds who are neither employed nor in education or training is comparatively small in Germany. (10.6 %, rank 29/38 , 2025) Download Indicator

    The percentage of 18-24 year-old men neither employed nor in education or training is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (10.5 %, rank 30/38 , 2025) Download Indicator

    Social outcomes

    In Germany, the share of employed men aged 25-64 with tertiary education reporting high or very high flexibility in their main job was among the highest across countries with available data. (57.3 %, rank 5/30 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of employed women aged 25-64 with tertiary education reporting high or very high flexibility in their main job was among the highest across countries with available data. (45 %, rank 5/30 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of adults aged 25-64 with below upper secondary attainment who kept worrying about work when not working some or most of the time was among the smallest across countries with available data. (25.1 %, rank 20/26 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of adults aged 25-64 with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary attainment who kept worrying about work when not working some or most of the time was among the smallest across countries with available data. (36 %, rank 18/26 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Germany, the share of adults aged 25-64 with tertiary attainment who kept worrying about work when not working some or most of the time was among the smallest across countries with available data. (44 %, rank 19/26 , 2024) Download Indicator


    The data table will display up to six selected countries.
    General findings
    
                        
    
                            
    
                                
    • Educational attainment remains at an all-time high in 2025 as more people obtain advanced qualifications. Across the OECD, 43% of working-age adults have a tertiary qualification, while the share of adults with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary attainment is slightly lower at 39%.
    • On a similar note, the share of young adults without upper secondary attainment continues to decline across the OECD, standing at 12% in 2025. Therefore, while more young adults obtain a tertiary qualification, the share of individuals whose highest qualification is upper secondary with a vocational orientation is decreasing in almost all OECD countries. 
    • Regarding the share of young people being neither in employment nor in education or training, it stood at 14% as of 2025 across OECD countries. However, cross-country comparisons reveal a wide variety of trends, ranging from large falls in Croatia or Ireland to increases in Germany or Latvia.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | 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 86% across the OECD in 2024. Participation in early childhood education increases with age and tends to be higher in countries with stronger institutional support for participation.
    • 76.2% of students complete upper secondary programmes within the theoretical programme duration. This rises to 84.9% with two additional years on average across the OECD.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Access and Participation  | 
    
                            
    
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    • In 2023, OECD countries allocated an average of 9.8% of total government expenditure to education, equivalent to 4.2% of GDP.
    • Total expenditure on education tends to rise with the level of education. In primary education, expenditure per student was USD 13 552 in 2023 on average across the OECD. This amount rises to USD 14 923 in secondary education and to USD 22 402 in tertiary education.
    • 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. However, as a whole most investment in education comes from public sources. On average, across the OECD, government expenditure on primary to tertiary education corresponded to 4% of GDP in 2023, while private expenditure corresponded to 0.6%. Both of these figures are measured as initial source of funds, which implies that we are tracking the original provider.
    • Research and development represents around one-third of total expenditure across the OECD on tertiary educational institutions, underlining their dual role in both teaching and research. On average across the OECD, in 2023, USD 8 060 were invested annually into research and development for every student enrolled in tertiary education.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Finance and Funding | 
    
                            
    
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    • Compulsory teaching time averages 770 hours per year for primary students and 710 hours for lower secondary students (general programmes), a difference of about 60 hours annually.
    • The ratio of children to teachers in primary education has slightly fallen across most OECD countries, decreasing from an average of 15 children per teacher in 2015 to 14 in 2024.
    • Teachers’ statutory salaries increase with the level of education taught. On average, across OECD countries and economies, the salaries of teachers with the most prevalent qualifications with 15 years of experience range from USD 60 437 at pre-primary level to USD 68 928 at upper secondary level.
    • Teachers’ actual salaries at primary and general secondary levels of education are 87-95% of the average earnings of tertiary-educated workers across OECD countries. School heads' actual salaries are usually higher than those of tertiary-educated workers.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Teachers | Education policies: Learning environment | OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS)  | 
    
                            
    
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    • On average across OECD countries, 9.1% of teachers in primary and secondary education are non-fully qualified, with shares exceeding 18% in Chile, Denmark, Estonia and Germany.
    • Furthermore, the share of fully qualified teachers leaving the profession in primary and secondary schools stands at 6.4% of the total teaching workforce.
    • The ratio of children to teachers in primary education has slightly fallen across most OECD countries, decreasing from an average of 15 children per teacher in 2015 to 14 in 2024.
    • Regarding job satisfaction among teachers, participating countries show wide differences. Japan, Spain and Czechia reported that teachers tend to be much more satisfied with their jobs than other employed adults. On the other hand, teachers in Hungary, Chile or Latvia tend to be less satisfied with their jobs than other employed adults.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Teachers | Education policies: Teacher working conditions | Education policies: Teacher employment | 
    
                            
    
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            Diagram of funding flows - Germany
            
    
            
    
        
    


        
		
    
            
    
			Click on the coverpage to see the full OECD iLibrary version
			
    
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            Country Reviews for Germany
            
    
            
    
			
    
        
    
		
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
        
    
            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. 
			However, OECD averages from Education at a Glance coming from the OECD database are the averages for the indicator reference year appearing in the Education GPS and may differ from averages in the book where averages can include data from multiple reference years, based on countries' data availability.
			

    
			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 in the Northern Hemisphere.
			

    
	    *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 
		Sources Methodologies and Technical Notes 
		of EAG 2025 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.