Korea
Explore the OECD's reports or draw from a wide variety of education indicators and data to construct your own, customised country reports, highlighting the facts, developments and outcomes of your choice.



Korea
Overview of the education system (EAG 2025)
  • Only 1% of 25-34 year-olds lack upper secondary education, the lowest share among OECD countries and far below the OECD average of 13%.
  • Tertiary attainment is the highest in the OECD at 71%, compared to 48% across the OECD. The employment rate for this group is 80% (below the OECD average of 87%), while unemployment is just 4%, showing many highly educated young adults are inactive.
  • Only 3% of young adults hold a master’s or doctoral degree, compared to 17% across the OECD. These graduates have an employment rate 7 percentage points higher and earn 33% more than those with a bachelor’s degree.
  • Government spending per student is USD 21,476 up to post-secondary non-tertiary, one of the highest in the OECD, but only USD 6,617 at tertiary level (vs OECD average of 15,102). Including private funds, the total is USD 14,695, below the OECD average of 21,444.
  • Instruction time is lower than OECD averages: 655 hours in primary (vs 804) and 842 in lower secondary (vs 909), leading many students to study extensively outside school.
  • In Korea, workers with tertiary education earn 31% more than those with only upper secondary, below the OECD average of 54% but still a meaningful benefit.
    • | Education at a Glance 2025 | Country note | Annexes from Education at a Glance 2025 | OECD Handbook for Internationally Comparative Education Statistics 2018 | Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) | Korean Educational Development Institute (KEDI) | OECD Education Policy Outlook: Korea |

    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:

    Attainment

    The level of below upper secondary attainment among 25-34 year-olds is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.4 %, rank 39/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The level of below upper secondary attainment among 25-64 year-olds is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (6.5 %, rank 35/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The level of tertiary attainment among 25-64 year-olds is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (56.2 %, rank 3/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The level of tertiary attainment among 25-34 year-olds is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (70.6 %, rank 1/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-64 year-olds who have attained a general upper secondary or post-secondary qualification is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (37.3 %, rank 2/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the percentage of 25-64 year-olds who attained a bachelor's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (35.8 %, rank 3/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-34 year-olds who have attained a general degree at the upper secondary or post-secondary level is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (28.1 %, rank 4/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The level of short-cycle tertiary attainment among 25-34 year-olds is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (19.6 %, rank 2/28 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of 25-34 year-olds who attained a bachelor's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (47.8 %, rank 2/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Attainment by gender

    The proportion of 25-64 year-old men who have attained a general degree at the tertiary level is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (57.4 %, rank 2/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-34 year-old men who have attained tertiary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (63.7 %, rank 1/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-34 year-old women who have attained tertiary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (78.2 %, rank 1/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of 25-64 year-old men who attained a bachelor's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the largest among countries with available data. (37.6 %, rank 1/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-64 year-old women who attained a bachelor's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the largest among countries with available data. (34 %, rank 5/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 year-old men who attained below upper secondary education in Korea is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.5 %, rank 39/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 year-old women who attained below upper secondary education in Korea is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.2 %, rank 39/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-64 year-old men who attained below upper secondary education in Korea is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (5.3 %, rank 39/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 year-old women who attained upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in Korea is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (20.6 %, rank 36/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the proportion of 25-34 year-old women who have attained a short cycle tertiary degree is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data (21.9 %, rank 2/26 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the proportion of 25-34 year-old men who have attained a short cycle tertiary degree is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data (17.6 %, rank 2/25 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in Korea is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (34.6 %, rank 37/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 year-old men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in Korea is one of the highest among countries with available data. (65.4 %, rank 1/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Entrance

    The share of female students entering bachelor's programmes in Korea is relatively small. (50.8 %, rank 38/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the average age of new entrants in bachelor's programmes is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (19.7 Years, rank 37/40 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Entrance by field of education and gender

    In Korea, the share of female new entrants to bachelor’s programmes in social sciences, journalism and information was among the smallest internationally. (58.5 %, rank 36/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of female new entrants in doctoral programmes in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary ranked among the smallest across countries. (42.7 %, rank 32/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of female new entrants in master’s programmes in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary was among the smallest in Korea compared to other countries. (48.4 %, rank 35/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of female new entrants to master’s programmes in business, administration and law was among the smallest across countries. (47.1 %, rank 35/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of female who enter tertiary education in the field of health and welfare is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (68 %, rank 35/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of female among new entrants in doctoral programmes enrolled in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction in Korea is relatively small. (24.3 %, rank 36/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of women among new entrants in bachelor's programmes in the field of education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (67.4 %, rank 35/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of women 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. (69 %, rank 38/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering doctoral or equivalent programmes in Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in Korea is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (30.9 %, rank 35/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering short cycle tertiary programmes in health and welfare in Korea is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (65.8 %, rank 27/28 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering short-cycle tertiary programmes in education in Korea is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (7.4 %, rank 19/23 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Participation in education

    The enrolment rate of children under age 3 in ECEC (ISCED 01) was one of the highest across participating countries. (68.9 %, rank 1/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of upper secondary students enrolled in vocational programmes is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (14.9 %, rank 40/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of three-year-olds in early childhood education in Korea is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (97.9 %, rank 4/42 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of students in public tertiary educational institutions is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (20.3 %, rank 42/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of students in independent private tertiary educational institutions is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (79.7 %, rank 1/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Enrolment of students aged 15–19 in lower secondary programmes placed Korea among the lowest internationally. (0.3 %, rank 44/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the enrolment rate of children under 3 is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (68.9 %, rank 1/40 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of students enrolled in programmes providing full completion and access to tertiary education among all students enrolled in upper secondary vocational programmes is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (100 %, rank 1/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the percentage of students enrolled in private institutions at all early childhood education level is comparatively high. (71.1 %, rank 5/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the percentage of students enrolled in private institutions at pre-primary level is comparatively high. (70.2 %, rank 5/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average age of upper secondary students enrolled in vocational programmes in Korea is relatively low compared to the other countries. (16 %, rank 42/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of below-two year-olds in early childhood education in Korea is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (54.7 %, rank 2/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate among students aged 15-19 in short-cycle tertiary programmes in Korea is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (7.2 %, rank 2/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Graduation

    The average age of graduates from vocational programmes at the upper secondary level in Korea is comparatively low. (18 Years, rank 35/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of first-time graduates in vocational programmes at upper secondary level is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (16.1 %, rank 32/36 , 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. (48 %, rank 39/42 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education

    The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of arts and humanities is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (15.1 %, rank 5/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of social sciences, journalism and information is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (5.6 %, rank 41/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of business, administration and law is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (13.9 %, rank 44/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (21.2 %, rank 2/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of sciences, journalism and information in Korea is relatively small. (6.2 %, rank 42/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics in Korea is relatively small. (12.1 %, rank 40/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of tertiary graduates in STEM fields placed Korea among the largest internationally. (30.9 %, rank 2/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the proportion of upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary vocational graduates in the field of STEM is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (5 %, rank 2/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

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

    In Korea, the proportion of bachelor's, master's and doctoral or equivalent graduates in the field of arts and humanities is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2 %, rank 1/45 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the proportion of bachelor's, master's and doctoral or equivalent graduates in the field of STEM is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (3 %, rank 2/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Korea, 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

    In Korea, the proportion of bachelor's, master's and doctoral or equivalent graduates in the field of services is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1 %, rank 1/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education and gender

    The proportion of female tertiary graduates in the humanities and arts is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries. (19.2 %, rank 4/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of female tertiary graduates in social sciences, business and law is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries. (14 %, rank 44/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of female tertiary graduates in the field of social sciences, journalism and information is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (6.8 %, rank 41/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the proportion of male tertiary graduates in the field of arts and humanities is relatively large. (10.8 %, rank 5/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the proportion of male tertiary graduates in the field of social sciences, journalism and information is relatively small. (4.2 %, rank 42/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of male tertiary graduates in the field of business, administration and law is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (13.7 %, rank 44/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, 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. (51.7 %, rank 40/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (27.6 %, rank 37/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, 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. (22.5 %, rank 39/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Fields of education

    In Korea, the percentage of new entrants to tertiary education in the field of social sciences, journalism and information is relatively low. (5.7 %, rank 34/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the percentage of new entrants to tertiary education in the field of business, administration and law is relatively low. (12.3 %, rank 37/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, 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. (6.6 %, rank 35/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, 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. (12 %, rank 39/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Student mobility

    The percentage of international students entering bachelor's programmes is relatively low. (2.2 %, rank 32/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, international or foreign students from Asia are most represented among all international or foreign students, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (94.4 %, rank 1/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, international or foreign students from Europe are least represented among all international or foreign students, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (2 %, rank 38/40 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Student mobility by field of education

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of arts and humanities among all international or foreign tertiary students in Korea is relatively high. (22.7 %, rank 2/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of health and welfare among all international or foreign tertiary students in Korea is relatively low. (3.4 %, rank 36/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of international and foreign students among all students in the field of Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2.1 %, rank 37/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of international and foreign students among all students in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2.1 %, rank 36/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of international and foreign students among all students in the field of health and welfare is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.1 %, rank 36/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of students enrolled in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics among all international or foreign students is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (16.6 %, rank 35/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of students enrolled in the field of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary among all international or foreign tertiary students is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (0.5 %, rank 35/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Expenditure per student

    Annual expenditure per student from primary to tertiary level is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (19805 USD Equivalent, rank 4/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Annual expenditure per primary student is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (19749 USD Equivalent, rank 3/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Annual expenditure per secondary student is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (25267 USD Equivalent, rank 2/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Expenditure per student for core educational services on primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education in Korea is comparatively high. (21245 USD Equivalent, rank 2/29 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the annual expenditure on educational institutions per full-time equivalent student in primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education, is relatively high. (22486 USD Equivalent, rank 2/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Annual expenditure per full-time equivalent student in primary to tertiary education is one the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (18564 USD Equivalent, rank 3/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Expenditure in education and national wealth

    In Korea, expenditure on secondary educational institutions as a percentage of GDP is comparatively high. (2.3 %, rank 3/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Korea, public and private expenditure on primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary educational institutions as a percentage of GDP is comparatively high. (4.2 %, rank 5/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Korea, 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 %, rank 5/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Government and private expenditure in education

    In Korea, total public expenditure on primary through tertiary educational institutions as a percentage of total public expenditure is comparatively high. (13.3 %, rank 5/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Korea, total public expenditure on primary educational institutions as a percentage of total public expenditure is comparatively high. (4.8 %, rank 5/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Korea, total public expenditure on secondary educational institutions as a percentage of total public expenditure is comparatively high. (6.1 %, rank 1/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Nature of expenditure

    In Korea, the share of current expenditure on primary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (82.1 %, rank 35/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of capital expenditure on all levels below tertiary education is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (17.3 %, rank 2/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of current expenditure on all levels below tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (82.7 %, rank 34/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of capital expenditure on primary through tertiary is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (15.1 %, rank 2/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of current expenditure on primary through tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (84.9 %, rank 34/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of current expenditure on secondary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (83.2 %, rank 32/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Who the teachers are

    The share of women among teaching staff in tertiary education (bachelor's, master's, doctorate or equivalent education) is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (35.4 %, rank 35/37 , 2023) 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. (37.6 %, rank 41/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of primary to upper secondary teachers aged between 30 and 49 is especially high. (64.2 %, rank 4/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of primary teachers older than 50 is especially low. (17.4 %, rank 36/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of upper secondary teachers older than 50 is especially low. (25.2 %, rank 35/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of primary to upper secondary teachers older than 50 is especially low. (21.6 %, rank 36/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of female teachers younger than 30 in tertiary education is relatively large. (64.6 %, rank 1/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of female teachers aged 50 or more in upper secondary education is especially low in Korea. (43.8 %, rank 35/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of female teachers aged 50 or more in tertiary education is especially low in Korea. (28.6 %, rank 35/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of tertiary teachers aged between 30 and 49 is relatively low, compared to other countries with data available. (45.2 %, rank 30/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of tertiary teachers older than 50 is relatively high, compared to other countries with data available. (53.9 %, rank 3/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of bachelor's, master's and doctoral level teachers younger than 30 is relatively low, compared to other countries with data available. (0.8 %, rank 33/33 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of tertiary teachers younger than 30 is relatively low, compared to other countries with data available. (0.9 %, rank 34/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, 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. (26.2 %, rank 34/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of women among teaching staff in early childhood educational development is one of the highest, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (99.8 %, rank 1/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of teachers aged 50 or more in pre-primary education is especially low in Korea (9.3 %, rank 34/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the percentage of teachers under 30 in pre-primary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (40.2 %, rank 2/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the percentage of upper secondary general education teachers aged between 30 and 49 is relatively high, compared to the other countries with available data. (64.3 %, rank 3/33 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of upper secondary vocational education teachers aged 50 or more is relatively low, compared to the other countries with available data. (28.9 %, rank 27/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of teachers under 30 in upper secondary vocational education is especially high in Korea. (13.7 %, rank 1/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the percentage of teachers aged between 30 and 49 in upper secondary vocational education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (57.5 %, rank 5/31 , 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 most rewarding among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2.77 Ratio, rank 1/42 , 2023) Download Indicator

    It takes lower secondary teachers longer to progress through the salary scale in Korea compared to other OECD and partner countries. (37 Years, rank 4/35 , 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 high. (2.83 Ratio, rank 1/42 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Ratio of student to teaching staff

    The ratio of students to teaching staff at the vocational upper secondary level is especially low in Korea. (7.8 Ratio, rank 28/30 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Korea, 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. (4.9 Ratio, rank 17/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Organisation of the education system

    In Korea, the intended instruction time for primary students, in hours per year, is one of the shortest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (655 Hours, rank 30/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Classes in in private primary institutions are comparatively large in Korea. (27 Students, rank 3/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Employment and educational attainment

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a bachelor's or equivalent tertiary education degree is low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (79.9 %, rank 33/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is compartively low in Korea. (69.4 %, rank 33/37 , 2024) 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. (73.8 %, rank 33/36 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 45-54 year-olds with a general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (75.9 %, rank 32/36 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 35-44 year-olds with tertiary education is comparatively low. (81.4 %, rank 38/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 45-54 year-olds with tertiary education is comparatively low. (83.2 %, rank 37/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 35-44 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (73.8 %, rank 35/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 45-54 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (75.9 %, rank 34/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 35-44 year-olds with a short-cycle tertiary education is comparatively low. (78.5 %, rank 23/26 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 45-54 year-olds with a short-cycle tertiary education is comparatively low. (80.5 %, rank 23/27 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Employment by gender and educational attainment

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education is comparatively low. (80.2 %, rank 36/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-old women with tertiary education is comparatively low. (71.4 %, rank 38/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-old men with tertiary education is compartively low in Korea. (82.2 %, rank 37/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-old men with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is compartively low in Korea. (73.1 %, rank 35/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-old women with below upper secondary education is compartively high in Korea. (60.3 %, rank 3/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 55-64 year-old women with below upper secondary education is compartively high in Korea. (56.4 %, rank 3/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Unemployment and educational attainment

    The unemployment rate among 25-34 year-olds with below upper secondary education is comparatively low. (4.6 %, rank 35/36 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-olds without upper secondary education is comparatively low. (3.1 %, rank 35/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the lowest of all OECD countries and partner economies for which data are available. (1.4 %, rank 32/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (2.7 %, rank 33/36 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Unemployment by gender and educational attainment

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-old women without upper secondary education is comparatively low. (2.3 %, rank 34/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-old women with upper secondary or a post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (2.4 %, rank 34/36 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-34 year-old men with below upper secondary education is compartively low in Korea. (5.8 %, rank 32/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-34 year-old women with below upper secondary education is compartively low in Korea. (2.8 %, rank 34/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 55-64 year-old women with below upper secondary education is compartively low in Korea. (2.3 %, rank 30/32 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 55-64 year-old women with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is compartively low in Korea. (2 %, rank 31/33 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of unemployed 25-64 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (2.4 %, rank 31/33 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the unemployment rate of 25-34 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low in Korea. (3.9 %, rank 30/33 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Inactivity and educational attainment

    The inactivity rate of 25-34 years-old adults with tertiary education is high in Korea. (16.8 %, rank 5/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-olds with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (27.4 %, rank 5/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with a bachelor's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (18.1 %, rank 1/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-olds with a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (10.1 %, rank 5/33 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (11.8 %, rank 2/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-olds with a short cycle tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (17.7 %, rank 5/23 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education is one of the highest among countries with available data. (17.9 %, rank 2/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is one of the highest among countries with available data. (25.5 %, rank 3/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (25.5 %, rank 5/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Inactivity by gender and educational attainment

    In Korea, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old men without an upper secondary education is relatively high compared to other countries with available data. (31.3 %, rank 4/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (35.3 %, rank 5/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (23.3 %, rank 4/33 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old women with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (35.3 %, rank 3/36 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (35.3 %, rank 5/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old men with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (23.3 %, rank 3/36 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with tertiary education is relatively high. (26.7 %, rank 2/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old men with tertiary education is relatively high. (13.9 %, rank 3/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old men with tertiary education is relatively high. (9.8 %, rank 3/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Earnings and educational attainment

    The proportional difference in earnings between 25-64 year-old adults with tertiary education and those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is quite low. (131 Index, rank 25/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of 25-64 year-olds with below secondary education compared to those of adults with an upper secondary education are relatively low in Korea. (35.8 %, rank 32/32 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Korea, the share of worker earning more than twice the median among those with a short-cycle tertiary education degree is comparatively low. (5.4 %, rank 17/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of 25-34 year-olds working full-time and full-year with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education compared to those of adults without an upper secondary education are relatively low in Korea. (92 Index, rank 21/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of 25-64 year-olds working full-time and full-year with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education compared to those of adults without an upper secondary education are relatively low in Korea. (118 Index, rank 18/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of 45-54 year-olds working full-time and full-year with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education compared to those of adults without an upper secondary education are relatively low in Korea. (115 Index, rank 18/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of 25-34 year-olds working full-time and full-year with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education compared to those of adults without an upper secondary education are relatively low in Korea. (91 Index, rank 21/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of 45-54 year-olds working full-time and full-year with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education compared to those of adults without an upper secondary education are relatively low in Korea. (115 Index, rank 17/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of 25-34 year-olds working full-time and full-year with tertiary education compared to those of adults without an upper secondary education are relatively low in Korea. (105 Index, rank 29/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of 25-34 year-olds working full-time and full-year with bachelor's or equivalent attainment compared to those of adults without an upper secondary education are relatively low in Korea. (106 Index, rank 23/23 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings, gender and educational attainment

    The difference in earnings between 25-64 year-old men with tertiary education and those with upper secondary education is quite low. (131 Index, rank 27/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The difference in earnings between 25-64 year-old women with tertiary education and those with upper secondary education is quite low. (130 Index, rank 26/29 , 2023) 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. (74.1 %, rank 29/29 , 2023) 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. (73.8 %, rank 18/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (45-54 year-olds with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education working full-time full-year) are one of the lowest among countries with available data. (70.1 %, rank 20/20 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (25-64 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. (73.9 %, rank 19/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (45-54 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. (69.7 %, rank 20/20 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (45-54 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education working full-time full-year) are one of the lowest among countries with available data. (70.2 %, rank 28/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings by field of education

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of tertiary-educated adults in Korea who studied in the field of arts and humanities, social sciences, journalism and information are low, when compared to earnings of adults with an upper secondary education. (88.9 %, rank 12/14 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of tertiary-educated adults in Korea who studied in the field of education, are high, when compared to earnings of adults with an upper secondary education. (92.2 %, rank 3/14 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of tertiary-educated adults in Korea who studied in the field of health and welfare, are low, when compared to earnings of adults with an upper secondary education. (89.1 %, rank 12/14 , 2023) Download Indicator


    The data table will display up to six selected countries.
    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 | 
    
                            
    
                                Visualisations
    
                            

                            
    
                                Click the arrow sign next to the title:
                                    arrows
                                    to display other variables
                                    
                                
    
                                
                                    
                                
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                Click the arrow sign next to the title:
                                    arrows
                                    to display other variables
                                
    
                                
                                    
                                
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                Click the arrow sign next to the title:
                                    arrows
                                    to display other variables
                                
    
                                
                                    
                                
    
                            
    
                    
            

    
                        
    
                            
    
                                
    • Although many countries have near universal upper secondary attainment among 25–34 year-olds, on average across the OECD 13% of younger adults still lack an upper secondary qualification.
    • NEET shares are now below pre-pandemic levels in about half of OECD and partner countries with trend data; in 8 of these 16 countries the decline exceeds 1 percentage point, while 17 countries exceed pre-pandemic benchmarks and 6 saw increases of more than 2 percentage points.
    • Employment rates rise steadily with higher tertiary attainment: short-cycle 83%, bachelor’s 86%, master’s 90%, and doctoral or equivalent 93% among 25–64 year-olds.
    • Earnings premiums also increase with qualification level: on average across the OECD, short-cycle graduates earn 17% more than those with upper secondary; the advantage is 39% for bachelor’s and 83% for master’s/doctoral graduates.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Attainment | Education policies: Labour market outcomes | 
    
                            
    
                                Visualisations
    
                            

                            
    
                                Click the arrow sign next to the title:
                                    arrows
                                    to display other variables
                                    
                                
    
                                
                                    
                                
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                Click the arrow sign next to the title:
                                    arrows
                                    to display other variables
                                
    
                                
                                    
                                
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                Click the arrow sign next to the title:
                                    arrows
                                    to display other variables
                                
    
                                
                                    
                                
    
                            
    
                    
            

    
                        
    
                            
    
                                
    • Most children aged 3 to 5 are enrolled in early childhood education, with an average participation rate of 85% across the OECD. By contrast, only 29% of children under the age of 3 are enrolled.
    • Participation in early childhood education has grown over the past decade, with enrolment for children under age 3 increasing by 9 percentage points to 29%, and enrolment for ages 3 and above rising by 5 points to 85%.
    • The majority of students in vocational upper secondary education follow programmes that grant full access to tertiary education, with 76% of students enrolled in such programmes on average across the OECD.
    • Completion rates for bachelor’s programmes increase after the theoretical duration of programmes: on average, 44% of students graduate on time, compared to 69% three years after.
    • Students from Asia form the largest regional group of internationally mobile students in tertiary education, representing 58% of all foreign or international students across the OECD in 2023.
    • Only 43% of students complete a bachelor’s degree within the expected duration, though this rises to 59% with one additional year and 70% with three additional years on average across the OECD.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Access and Participation  | 
    
                            
    
                                Visualisations
    
                            

                            
    
                                Click the arrow sign next to the title:
                                    arrows
                                    to display other variables
                                    
                                
    
                                
                                    
                                
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                Click the arrow sign next to the title:
                                    arrows
                                    to display other variables
                                
    
                                
                                    
                                
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                Click the arrow sign next to the title:
                                    arrows
                                    to display other variables
                                
    
                                
                                    
                                
    
                            
    
                    
            

    
                        
    
                            
    
                                
    • Governments spend on average USD 12 438 per student in primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education, and USD 15 102 per student in tertiary education including R&D.
    • Expenditure per student has risen in absolute terms since 2015, but its share in public budgets has declined, with government spending on education at almost 15% of total government expenditure on average in 2022.
    • Annual spending per student at primary and secondary levels varies widely across OECD countries, from under USD 3 000 in some systems to over USD 25 000 in the most highly funded ones.
    • Tertiary education continues to expand, placing pressure on public budgets. Private sources represent a larger share of total funding at the tertiary level than at any other level of education.
    • Spending per student differs markedly between public and private institutions, with expenditure in public tertiary institutions exceeding USD 33 000 in some countries, compared to less than USD 10 000 in others.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Finance and Funding | 
    
                            
    
                                Visualisations
    
                            

                            
    
                                Click the arrow sign next to the title:
                                    arrows
                                    to display other variables
                                    
                                
    
                                
                                    
                                
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                Click the arrow sign next to the title:
                                    arrows
                                    to display other variables
                                
    
                                
                                    
                                
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                Click the arrow sign next to the title:
                                    arrows
                                    to display other variables
                                
    
                                
                                    
                                
    
                            
    
                    
            

    
                        
    
                            
    
                                
    • 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)  | 
    
                            
    
                                Visualisations
    
                            

                            
    
                                Click the arrow sign next to the title:
                                    arrows
                                    to display other variables
                                    
                                
    
                                
                                    
                                
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                Click the arrow sign next to the title:
                                    arrows
                                    to display other variables
                                
    
                                
                                    
                                
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                Click the arrow sign next to the title:
                                    arrows
                                    to display other variables
                                
    
                                
                                    
                                
    
                            
    
                    
            
                
    
            
    
        
    
        
    
            
        
    
        
    
            
        
    

        
        
		
        
		
    
			
    
				Key
            
    
            Diagram of funding flows - Korea
            
    
            
    
        
    


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