Iceland
Iceland
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Country reports and publications 
Iceland
Overview of the education system (EAG 2025)
| Education at a Glance 2025 | Country note | Annexes from Education at a Glance 2025 | OECD Handbook for Internationally Comparative Education Statistics 2018 | OECD Education Policy Outlook: Iceland | Mennta- og menningarmálaráðuneytið (Ministry of Education, Science and Culture) | Hagstofa Íslands (Statistics Iceland) |
Select first some countries to compare, choose the charts you wish to display and customise them.
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.
Show indicators for which your country ranks among the top or bottom:
Sort by:
Entrance
The share of women among tertiary education new entrants is one of the largest compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (59.2 %, rank 1/34 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of female students entering bachelor's programmes in Iceland is relatively large. (60.1 %, rank 2/41 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of female students entering doctoral or equivalent programmes in Iceland is one of the largest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (57.1 %, rank 3/41 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the percentage of new entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes younger than 25 is relatively low. (25.1 %, rank 32/35 , 2023) Download Indicator
The proportion of women among the new entrants in master's programmes in Iceland is relatively high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (69.1 %, rank 1/41 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of first-time entrants in master's programmes is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (1.4 %, rank 23/24 , 2023) Download Indicator
Entrance by field of education and gender
Female new entrants to master’s programmes in services placed Iceland among the smallest across participating countries. (36.8 %, rank 32/36 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of female who enter tertiary education in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (35 %, rank 3/37 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of female who enter tertiary education in the field of health and welfare is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (84 %, rank 1/37 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of female among new entrants in doctoral programmes enrolled in the field of education is relatively small. (58.8 %, rank 32/35 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of female among new entrants in doctoral programmes enrolled in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction in Iceland is relatively small. (26.3 %, rank 34/37 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of female among new entrants in doctoral programmes enrolled in the field of health and welfare is relatively small. (54.5 %, rank 31/35 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland,the share of male among new entrants in doctoral programmes enrolled in the field of natural sciences, mathematics ans statistics is relatively small. (41.5 %, rank 33/37 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of male among new entrants in doctoral programmes enrolled in the field of information and communication technologies is relatively small. (28.6 %, rank 34/35 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of female students entering short cycle tertiary programmes in education in Iceland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (45.9 %, rank 21/23 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of female students entering short cycle tertiary programmes in engineering, manufacturing and construction in Iceland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (0 %, rank 32/32 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of men among new entrants in bachelor's programmes in the field of health and welfare is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (14.2 %, rank 38/39 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of male students entering doctoral or equivalent programmes in Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in Iceland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (49.3 %, rank 36/36 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of male students entering master's or equivalent programmes in engineering, manufacturing and construction in Iceland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (52.8 %, rank 38/38 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of male students entering master's or equivalent programmes in health and welfare in Iceland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (16.9 %, rank 36/37 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of male students entering master's or equivalent programmes in Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in Iceland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (48.9 %, rank 37/37 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of male students entering short-cycle tertiary programmes in health and welfare in Iceland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (5.9 %, rank 28/28 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of female in short-cycle tertiary programmes in the field of business, administration and law is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (14.3 %, rank 31/31 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of female in short-cycle tertiary programmes in the field of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (21.7 %, rank 23/23 , 2023) Download Indicator
Participation in education
The percentage of students in independent private tertiary educational institutions is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 34/36 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the percentage of female students enrolled in upper secondary vocational programmes is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries. (33.7 %, rank 43/44 , 2023) Download Indicator
The enrolment rate of 15–19-year-olds in post-secondary non-tertiary general programmes was among the lowest across participating countries. (0 %, rank 8/10 , 2023) Download Indicator
Enrolment of 6–14-year-olds in primary education placed Iceland among the highest across countries. (74.9 %, rank 3/47 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of female students in post-secondary non-tertiary general programmes ranked among the smallest across participating countries. (48.1 %, rank 8/10 , 2023) Download Indicator
The average age of upper secondary students enrolled in vocational programmes in Iceland is relatively high compared to the other countries. (26.5 %, rank 5/44 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, 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. (0 %, rank 15/15 , 2023) Download Indicator
Students enrolled in programmes providing full completion and access to tertiary education among all students enrolled in post-secondary non-tertiary vocational programmes are proportionally more in Iceland than in the other countries. (100 %, rank 1/22 , 2023) Download Indicator
The average age of short-cycle tertiary students enrolled in vocational programmes is comparativele high. (4 %, rank 1/36 , 2022) Download Indicator
The percentage of two-year-olds in other registered ECEC services in Iceland is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.2 %, rank 12/13 , 2023) Download Indicator
The percentage of three-year-olds in other registered ECEC services in Iceland is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 9/9 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of female students enrolled in post-secondary non-tertiary programmes is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (28.7 %, rank 28/30 , 2023) Download Indicator
Graduation
The average age of graduates from general programmes at the upper secondary level in Iceland is comparatively high. (19.9 Years, rank 4/40 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the percentage of first-time short-cycle tertiary graduates younger than 30 is relatively low. (36.9 %, rank 26/28 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the percentage of first-time master's graduates younger than 35 is relatively low. (67.1 %, rank 29/33 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the percentage of first-time doctorate graduates younger than 35 is relatively low. (40 %, rank 31/33 , 2023) Download Indicator
The percentage of first-time master's graduates is relatively low in Iceland. (0.1 %, rank 23/24 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of first-time graduates in vocational programmes at post-secondary non-tertiary level is comparatively small. (72.2 %, rank 23/24 , 2023) Download Indicator
The average age of short-cycle tertiary graduates in Iceland is among the oldest. (35.9 Years, rank 2/25 , 2023) Download Indicator
Graduation by gender
The share of female graduates from upper secondary general programmes is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (47.4 %, rank 40/42 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of female graduates from upper secondary vocational programmes is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (32.3 %, rank 39/41 , 2023) Download Indicator
Among OECD and partner countries with available data, Iceland has one of the largest shares of women graduates from tertiary programmes. (63.4 %, rank 2/33 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of female graduates among post-secondary non-tertiary graduates from vocational programmes in Iceland is relatively low. (27.4 %, rank 26/27 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of female first-time graduates in short-cycle tertiary programmes is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (28.6 %, rank 26/27 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of female first-time bachelor's graduates is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (64.2 %, rank 2/33 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of female first-time master's graduates is relatively largest, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (100 %, rank 1/23 , 2023) Download Indicator
Graduation by field of education
The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (8.2 %, rank 42/44 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the proportion of upper secondary vocational graduates in the field of business, aministration and law is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.1 %, rank 34/34 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the proportion of upper secondary vocational graduates in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (62.3 %, rank 1/34 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of tertiary graduates in STEM fields placed Iceland among the smallest internationally. (17 %, rank 43/44 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the percentage of post-secondary non-tertiary vocational graduates in the field of health and welfare is relatively low. (0 %, rank 23/25 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary is relatively low. (0.7 %, rank 41/44 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the proportion of upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary vocational graduates in the field of business, administration and law is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 35/36 , 2022) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the proportion of upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary vocational graduates in the field of STEM is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (6 %, rank 1/36 , 2022) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of short-cycle tertiary vocational graduates in the field of STEM is relatively low compared to other OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (0 %, rank 34/37 , 2022) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of short-cycle tertiary vocational graduates in the field of services is relatively high compared to other OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (5 %, rank 2/37 , 2022) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the proportion of bachelor's, master's and doctoral or equivalent graduates in the field of health and welfare is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2 %, rank 2/45 , 2022) Download Indicator
Graduation by field of education and gender
In Iceland, the share of female tertiary graduates in the field of social sciences, journalism and information is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (17.5 %, rank 4/44 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of male tertiary graduates in the field of education is relatively high in Iceland. (10.9 %, rank 3/44 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the proportion of male tertiary graduates in the field of social sciences, journalism and information is relatively large. (13.2 %, rank 2/44 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the percentage of female post-secondary non-tertiary graduates in the field of business, administration and law is relatively small. (33 %, rank 26/26 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the proportion of female graduates from upper secondary vocational programmes in the field health and welfare is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries. (92.5 %, rank 2/34 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in all fields is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (68.9 %, rank 1/44 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of social sciences, journalism and information is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (74.6 %, rank 3/43 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (43.3 %, rank 1/41 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (42.7 %, rank 1/43 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of health and welfare is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (85.5 %, rank 2/43 , 2023) Download Indicator
Gap year
The share of female students who entered a bachelor's programme and took at least one gap year was among the highest across countries with available data. (71.2 %, rank 4/23 , 2020) Download Indicator
For all students who entered a bachelor's programme, the share who took at least one gap year ranked Iceland among the highest across countries with available data. (66.7 %, rank 5/23 , 2020) Download Indicator
Fields of education
In Iceland, the percentage of new entrants to tertiary education in the field of business, administration and law is relatively low. (17.9 %, rank 33/37 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the percentage of new entrants to tertiary education in the field of information and communication technologies (ICTs) is relatively low. (4.2 %, rank 34/36 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of new entrants to tertiary education in STEM fields ranked among the smallest across countries with available data. (21.1 %, rank 32/35 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of new entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is relatively small. (0.4 %, rank 33/34 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary is relatively low, compared to other countries with available data. (0.6 %, rank 34/37 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is relatively high. (26.6 %, rank 5/37 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the percentage of new entrants in business, administration and law bachelor's programmes is relatively low, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (16.6 %, rank 36/39 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of new entrants in Information and communication tecnologies master's programmes is one of the lowest, compared to other countries with available data. (1.3 %, rank 36/37 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of new entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics is comparatively low in Iceland, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (5.5 %, rank 32/33 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the proportion of new entrants in science, technology, engineering and mathematics master's programmes is especially low, compared to the other countries with other data. (13.7 %, rank 34/37 , 2023) Download Indicator
The percentage of new entrants in engineering, manufacturing and construction master's programmes is relatively low in Iceland among countries with available data. (5.2 %, rank 36/38 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of new entrants in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary master's programmes is especially low. (0.2 %, rank 38/38 , 2023) Download Indicator
Student mobility
The share of worldwide foreign and international students is one of the small among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 46/46 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of international and foreign students enrolled in doctoral or equivalent programmes is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (45.1 %, rank 3/43 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, international or foreign students from North America are most represented among all international or foreign students, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (16.6 %, rank 2/41 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, international or foreign students from Oceania are most represented among all international or foreign students, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.8 %, rank 3/41 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the proportion of new international entrants in master's long first degree (LFD) programmes is relatively low. (1 %, rank 19/22 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the proportion of international or foreign students enrolled in short-cycle tertiary programmes is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (23 %, rank 3/38 , 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 Iceland is relatively high. (36.5 %, rank 1/37 , 2023) Download Indicator
The percentage of students enrolled in the field of business, administration and law among all international or foreign tertiary students in Iceland is relatively low. (6.8 %, rank 37/37 , 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 Iceland is relatively high. (17 %, rank 1/37 , 2023) Download Indicator
The percentage of students enrolled in the field of health and welfare among all international or foreign tertiary students in Iceland is relatively low. (4.7 %, rank 35/37 , 2023) Download Indicator
Expenditure per student
Annual expenditure per pupil at the pre-primary level is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (24384 USD Equivalent, rank 3/30 , 2021) Download Indicator
Annual expenditure per primary student is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (19211 USD Equivalent, rank 4/40 , 2022) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the annual expenditure on educational institutions per full-time equivalent student in primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education, is relatively high. (18287 USD Equivalent, rank 5/40 , 2022) Download Indicator
Expenditure in education and national wealth
In Iceland, expenditure on primary educational institutions as a percentage of GDP is comparatively high. (2.2 %, rank 3/40 , 2022) Download Indicator
In Iceland, expenditure on post secondary non-tertiary educational institutions as a percentage of GDP is comparatively high. (0.1 %, rank 4/23 , 2022) Download Indicator
In Iceland, public and private expenditure on primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary educational institutions as a percentage of GDP is comparatively high. (4.3 %, rank 4/40 , 2022) Download Indicator
In Iceland, public expenditure on educational institutions as a percentage of GDP on primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education from final source of funds is relatively high. (4.1 %, rank 4/44 , 2022) Download Indicator
In Iceland, international expenditure on educational institutions as a percentage of GDP on primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education from final source of funds is relatively high. (0 %, rank 4/32 , 2022) Download Indicator
In Iceland, public expenditure on educational institutions as a percentage of GDP on primary to tertiary education from final source of funds is relatively high. (5.3 %, rank 3/44 , 2022) Download Indicator
In Iceland, private expenditure on educational institutions as a percentage of GDP on primary to tertiary education from final source of funds is relatively low. (0.2 %, rank 35/39 , 2022) Download Indicator
Government and private expenditure in education
The share of private expenditure on all levels below tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2.9 %, rank 35/39 , 2022) Download Indicator
The share of private expenditure on tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (6.6 %, rank 37/40 , 2022) Download Indicator
Iceland has one of the smallest shares of private expenditure on primary through tertiary educational institutions among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (3.8 %, rank 35/39 , 2022) Download Indicator
The share of public expenditure on educational institutions, for tertiary education is comparatively large in Iceland. (90 %, rank 5/42 , 2022) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of public expenditure on educational institutions, for primary to tertiary education is comparatively large. (95.4 %, rank 2/40 , 2022) Download Indicator
Nature of expenditure
In Iceland, the share of capital expenditure on primary through tertiary is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (5.1 %, rank 33/35 , 2022) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of current expenditure on primary through tertiary education is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (94.9 %, rank 3/35 , 2022) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of capital expenditure on post-secondary non-tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.5 %, rank 15/19 , 2022) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of capital expenditure on tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2.1 %, rank 35/36 , 2022) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of current expenditure on tertiary education is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (97.9 %, rank 2/36 , 2022) Download Indicator
Who the teachers are
The share of women among teaching staff in pre-primary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (91.3 %, rank 37/40 , 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. (81.5 %, rank 4/39 , 2023) Download Indicator
The share of women among teaching staff in tertiary education is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (55.6 %, rank 2/43 , 2023) Download Indicator
The percentage of upper secondary teachers younger than 30 is especially low. (4.1 %, rank 35/39 , 2023) Download Indicator
The percentage of female teachers younger than 30 in primary education is especially low in Iceland. (69.9 %, rank 35/39 , 2023) Download Indicator
Females under 30 represent a small proportion of teachers in upper secondary education in Iceland. (53.3 %, rank 35/38 , 2023) Download Indicator
The percentage of female teachers aged 50 or more in lower secondary education is especially high in Iceland. (84.3 %, rank 3/36 , 2023) Download Indicator
The percentage of female teachers aged 50 or more in tertiary education is especially high in Iceland. (52.5 %, rank 5/36 , 2023) Download Indicator
The percentage of teachers under 30 in early childhood educational development is especially high in Iceland. (36.3 %, rank 1/19 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the share of women among teaching staff in early childhood educational development is one of the lowest, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (91.3 %, rank 19/21 , 2023) Download Indicator
The percentage of teachers aged 50 or more in pre-primary education is especially low in Iceland (20.2 %, rank 31/34 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the percentage of teachers under 30 in pre-primary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (36.5 %, rank 3/34 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the percentage of teachers aged between 30 and 49 in pre-primary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (43.2 %, rank 30/34 , 2023) Download Indicator
The percentage of male teachers in pre-primary education is especially high in Iceland. (8.7 %, rank 4/40 , 2023) Download Indicator
Teachers' salaries
In Iceland, actual salaries of senior academic staff in bachelor's, master's and doctoral or equivalent programmes were among the lowest across countries. (82609 USD Equivalent, rank 13/17 , 2023) Download Indicator
Actual salaries for all academic staff in public institutions placed Iceland among the countries with the lowest values. (65699 USD Equivalent, rank 13/16 , 2023) Download Indicator
For other academic staff not on an academic career track, actual salaries in Iceland were among the lowest across countries with available data. (33735 USD Equivalent, rank 10/10 , 2023) Download Indicator
Teachers' salaries progression
The salary progression from the start to the top of the salary scale for a lower secondary school teacher is among the least rewarding among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.16 Ratio, rank 40/42 , 2023) Download Indicator
The ratio of pre-primary teachers' salaries at the top of scale to their starting salary is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.16 Ratio, rank 32/35 , 2023) Download Indicator
The ratio of primary teachers' salaries at the top of scale to their starting salary is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.16 Ratio, rank 41/42 , 2023) Download Indicator
The ratio of upper secondary teachers' salaries at the top of scale to their starting salary is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.27 Ratio, rank 38/42 , 2023) Download Indicator
In pre-primary education, the salary ratio of teachers with maximum qualifications at the top of the salary scale to those with minimum training and starting salaries is relatively low. (1.16 Ratio, rank 32/35 , 2023) Download Indicator
In primary education, the salary ratio of teachers with maximum qualifications at the top of the salary scale to those with minimum training and starting salaries is comparatively low. (1.16 Ratio, rank 41/42 , 2023) Download Indicator
In lower secondary education, the salary ratio of teachers with maximum qualifications at the top of the salary scale to those with minimum training and starting salaries is comparatively low. (1.16 Ratio, rank 40/42 , 2023) Download Indicator
In upper secondary education, the salary ratio of teachers with maximum qualifications at the top of the salary scale to those with minimum training and starting salaries is relatively low. (1.27 Ratio, rank 38/42 , 2023) Download Indicator
Ratio of student to teaching staff
The number of students per teacher in tertiary institutions is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (8.2 Ratio, rank 36/37 , 2023) Download Indicator
The number of pupils per teacher in pre-primary schools is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.4 Ratio, rank 37/38 , 2023) Download Indicator
The number of students per teacher in primary schools is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner countries with available data. (9.7 Ratio, rank 41/43 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the ratio of students to teaching staff in bachelor's and tertiary advanced research programmes is one of the lowest compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (8.2 Ratio, rank 32/33 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the ratio of children to contact staff in pre-primary education is one of the lowest compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.4 Ratio, rank 22/23 , 2023) Download Indicator
The ratio of students to teaching staff at the lower secondary level in private institutions is especially low in Iceland. (8.1 Ratio, rank 34/37 , 2023) Download Indicator
The ratio of students to teaching staff at the lower secondary level in government-dependent private institutions is especially low in Iceland. (8.1 Ratio, rank 20/21 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the number of students per teacher in public institutions tertiary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (7.5 Ratio, rank 38/39 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the number of students per teacher in private institutions tertiary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (12.1 Ratio, rank 30/34 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the number of students per teacher in government-dependent private institutions tertiary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (12.1 Ratio, rank 13/16 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the number of students per teacher in public bachelor's, master's, doctoral or equivalent programmes is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (7.5 Ratio, rank 33/34 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the number of students per teacher in private bachelor's, master's, doctoral or equivalent programmes is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (12.1 Ratio, rank 26/29 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the number of students per teacher in government-dependent private bachelor's, master's, doctoral or equivalent programmes is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (12.1 Ratio, rank 10/12 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland, the ratio of children to teaching staff in early childhood educational development is one of the lowest compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (2.7 Ratio, rank 21/21 , 2023) Download Indicator
In Iceland the ratio of children to contact staff in early childhood educational development is one of the lowest compared to the other OECD and partner countries with available data. (2.7 Ratio, rank 12/14 , 2023) Download Indicator
Organisation of the education system
The number of instruction days per year for lower secondary students is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (170 Days, rank 40/44 , 2023) 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. (170 Days, rank 41/44 , 2023) Download Indicator
In government-dependent private institutions at primary education level, the average class size is relatively small in Iceland among OECD and other partner countries with available data. (15 Students, rank 17/20 , 2023) Download Indicator
In government-dependent private institutions at lower secondary level, classes are one of the smallest in Iceland among OECD and partner countries with available data. (17 Students, rank 17/20 , 2023) 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.
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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.
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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.
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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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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.
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.