Poland
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Poland
Overview of the education system (EAG 2025)
  • In Poland, instructional time requirements are lighter than OECD norms, with 564 hours in primary and 762 in lower secondary, below OECD averages of 804 and 909 hours.
  • Primary teachers earn 15% less than tertiary-educated workers, close to the OECD average gap of 17% less, which may hinder recruitment in a tight labour market.
  • Education investment equals 4.1% of GDP, below the OECD average of 4.7%, constraining capacity to raise per-student spending amid fiscal pressures.
  • Early attrition is elevated, with 19% of first-time bachelor’s entrants dropping out after the first year, above the OECD average of 13%.
  • Gender gaps in completion are wide: 76% of women vs 57% of men finish within three years, a 19-point gap larger than the OECD average of 12 points.
  • The share of 25–34 year-olds without upper secondary fell from 6% to 5% (2019–2024), aligning with the OECD trend of 13% and showing sustained improvement.
    • | 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: Poland | Ministerstwo Edukacji Narodowej (Ministry of National Education, in Polish) | Ministerstwo Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyzszego (Ministry of Science and Higher Education, in Polish) | Glówny Urzad Statystyczny (Central Statistical Office) |

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    The following list displays indicators for which your selected country shows the highest and lowest values among countries. The list can be sorted by level of education or by age group. All rankings are calculated including available data from OECD and partner countries. Find out more about the methodology here.

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    Attainment

    The level of below upper secondary attainment among 25-34 year-olds is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (5 %, rank 35/39 , 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. (5.2 %, rank 39/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Poland has one of the lowest percentages of 25-64 year-olds whose highest education level is a short-cycle tertiary education degree. (0.1 %, rank 30/32 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The level of below upper secondary attainment among 55-64 year-olds is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (7.6 %, rank 35/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The level of upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education attainment among 55-64 year-olds is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (70.6 %, rank 3/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The level of short-cycle tertiary attainment among 55-64 year-olds is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.2 %, rank 28/32 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the share of 25-34 year-olds who attained a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (31.4 %, rank 2/36 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Attainment by gender

    Poland has one of the smallest shares of 25-64 year-old women whose highest education level is a short-cycle tertiary education degree. (0.2 %, rank 29/32 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 year-old men who attained below upper secondary education in Poland is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (6.4 %, rank 35/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 year-old women who attained below upper secondary education in Poland is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (3.6 %, rank 36/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-64 year-old men who attained below upper secondary education in Poland is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (5.8 %, rank 37/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-64 year-old women who attained below upper secondary education in Poland is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.5 %, rank 39/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of 55-64 year-old men who attained below upper secondary education in Poland is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (7.4 %, rank 35/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of 55-64 year-old women who attained below upper secondary education in Poland is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (7.8 %, rank 35/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Attainment by field of education

    The percentage of 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education who studied in the field of arts is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (1.1 %, rank 17/17 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The percentage of 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education who studied in the field of law is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (3.4 %, rank 13/17 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The percentage of 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education who studied in the field of health and welfare is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (8.1 %, rank 24/28 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Entrance

    The share of women among tertiary education new entrants is one of the largest compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (56.1 %, rank 5/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the average age of new entrants in doctoral programmes is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (27.9 Years, rank 39/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the percentage of new entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes younger than 25 is relatively low. (10.9 %, rank 35/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of women among the new entrants in master's programmes in Poland is relatively high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (67.7 %, rank 2/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the share of first-time entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (0.1 %, rank 28/28 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Entrance by field of education and gender

    The share of female who enter tertiary education in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (63.6 %, rank 1/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of female who enter tertiary education in the field of information and communication technologies (ICTs) is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (14.6 %, rank 33/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the share of female among new entrants in doctoral programmes enrolled in the field of education is relatively small. (56.1 %, rank 33/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the share of male among new entrants in doctoral programmes enrolled in the field of information and communication technologies is relatively small. (47.6 %, rank 33/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the share of women among new entrants in bachelor's programmes in the field of information and communication technologies is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (14.3 %, rank 35/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering master's or equivalent programmes in information and communication technologies in Poland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (14.8 %, rank 35/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering short cycle tertiary programmes in information and communication technologies in Poland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (0 %, rank 30/30 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the share of men among new entrants in bachelor's programmes in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (37.8 %, rank 38/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering master's or equivalent programmes in natural sciences, mathematics and statistics in Poland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (31.3 %, rank 38/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering master's or equivalent programmes in education in Poland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (13.8 %, rank 34/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering short-cycle tertiary programmes in education in Poland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (2.1 %, rank 21/23 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering short-cycle tertiary programmes in engineering, manufacturing and construction in Poland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (25 %, rank 32/32 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering short-cycle tertiary programmes in health and welfare in Poland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (10.6 %, rank 26/28 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering short-cycle tertiary programmes in Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in Poland is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (57.1 %, rank 32/32 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Participation in education

    The enrolment rate among 15-19 year-olds in Poland is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (95.7 %, rank 1/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Enrolment of 6–14-year-olds in primary education placed Poland among the lowest across countries. (43.3 %, rank 45/47 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of female students in upper secondary general programmes placed Poland among the largest across countries. (60.9 %, rank 3/47 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the share of female students in lower secondary general programmes was among the smallest internationally. (48.1 %, rank 43/47 , 2023) Download Indicator

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

    The average age of short-cycle tertiary students enrolled in vocational programmes is comparativele high. (4 %, rank 1/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of below-two year-olds in other registered ECEC services in Poland is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (11.4 %, rank 4/12 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate among students aged 15-19 in upper secondary programmes in Poland is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (84 %, rank 1/47 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate among students aged 15-19 in upper secondary vocational programmes in Poland is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (46.2 %, rank 4/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of two-year-olds in other registered ECEC services in Poland is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (26.8 %, rank 4/13 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of five-year-olds in ECEC in Poland is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (100 %, rank 1/42 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of female students enrolled in post-secondary non-tertiary programmes is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (71.6 %, rank 3/30 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Graduation

    In Poland, the percentage of first-time short-cycle tertiary graduates younger than 30 is relatively low. (13.5 %, rank 28/28 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of first-time short-cycle graduates is relatively low in Poland. (0.1 %, rank 27/28 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average age of short-cycle tertiary graduates in Poland is among the oldest. (39.8 Years, rank 1/25 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average age of master's or equivalent graduates in Poland is among the oldest. (30.6 Years, rank 2/22 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Graduation by gender

    The share of female graduates among post-secondary non-tertiary graduates from vocational programmes in Poland is relatively high. (77.5 %, rank 1/27 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the share of female first-time graduates in short-cycle tertiary programmes is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (92.2 %, rank 1/27 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of arts and humaties in Poland is relatively large. (17.4 %, rank 2/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the proportion of upper secondary vocational graduates in the field of health and welfare is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.1 %, rank 31/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the percentage of post-secondary non-tertiary vocational graduates in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is relatively low. (0.1 %, rank 25/25 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, 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 Poland, the share of short-cycle tertiary vocational graduates in the field of health and welfare is relatively high compared to other OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (5 %, rank 1/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

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

    In Poland, 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 Poland, 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

    In Poland, the proportion of female graduates from upper secondary vocational programmes in the field health and welfare is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries. (67.4 %, rank 33/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, 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. (65.4 %, rank 3/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of arts and humanities is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (72.8 %, rank 4/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of business, administration and law is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (65.2 %, rank 5/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (68.1 %, rank 4/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, 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. (39.7 %, rank 2/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Completion rates

    Male completion rates to Social sciences, journalism and information bachelor's programmes three years beyond the theoretical end were among the lowest across countries with available data. (53.2 %, rank 25/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, male completion rates in Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics bachelor's programmes three years after the theoretical duration were among the lowest across countries. (49.4 %, rank 25/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Fields of education

    The share of new entrants to tertiary education in STEM fields ranked among the smallest across countries with available data. (21.6 %, rank 31/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the share of new entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes in the field of arts and humanities is relatively small. (0 %, rank 31/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the share of new entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is relatively small. (1.9 %, rank 32/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of arts and humanities is relatively high, compared to other countries with available data. (15.5 %, rank 4/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of business, administration and law is relatively low, compared to other countries with available data. (3.6 %, rank 35/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is relatively high, compared to other countries with available data. (26.5 %, rank 3/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the share of new entrants in education bachelor's programmes is comparatively smallest, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (3.8 %, rank 35/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the proportion of new entrants in natural sciences, mathematics and statistics master's programmes is relatively low, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (3 %, rank 35/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, 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. (1.4 %, rank 35/37 , 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 Poland, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (3.3 %, rank 33/33 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, 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. (9 %, rank 36/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of new entrants in engineering, manufacturing and construction master's programmes is relatively low in Poland among countries with available data. (4.7 %, rank 37/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Student mobility

    In Poland, the share of international and foreign students enrolled in doctoral or equivalent programmes is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.3 %, rank 39/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the share of international or foreign students enrolled in doctoral or equivalent programmes among men is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (5.3 %, rank 36/40 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the share of international or foreign students enrolled in doctoral or equivalent programmes among women is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (3.4 %, rank 36/40 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Student mobility by field of education

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of social sciences, journalism and information among all international or foreign tertiary students in Poland is relatively high. (14.7 %, rank 5/37 , 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 Poland is relatively low. (2.2 %, rank 34/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of engineering, manunfacturing and construction among all international or foreign tertiary students in Poland is relatively low. (7.9 %, rank 34/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, 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. (18.6 %, rank 34/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Expenditure in education and national wealth

    In Poland, 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. (0.1 %, rank 2/32 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the private expenditure as a percentage of GDP from initial source of funds on primary to post-secondary non-tertiary level is high. (0.4 %, rank 5/30 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Who the teachers are

    The percentage of primary teachers younger than 30 is especially low. (4.6 %, rank 38/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of lower secondary teachers younger than 30 is especially low. (3.7 %, rank 34/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of upper secondary teachers younger than 30 is especially low. (3.9 %, rank 36/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of primary to upper secondary teachers younger than 30 is especially low. (4 %, rank 38/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the share of short-cycle tertiary teachers aged between 30 and 49 is relatively low, compared to other countries with data available. (39.2 %, rank 21/24 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the share of short-cycle tertiary teachers younger than 30 is relatively low, compared to other countries with data available. (0 %, rank 21/24 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of teachers under 30 in Poland is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.2 %, rank 31/33 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of teachers under 30 in upper secondary vocational education is especially low in Poland. (3.7 %, rank 27/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of teachers aged 50 or more in post secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low in Poland, compared to the other countries with available data. (39.8 %, rank 17/20 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of teachers aged between 30 and 49 in post secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high in Poland, compared to other countries with available data. (54.6 %, rank 5/20 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Teachers' salaries

    The ratio of lower secondary teachers' salaries to earnings of full-time, full-year workers with tertiary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.86 Ratio, rank 4/19 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of upper secondary teachers' salaries to earnings of full-time, full-year workers with tertiary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.9 Ratio, rank 2/20 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Teachers' salaries progression

    Salaries of lower secondary teachers with minimum training at the top of scale are especially low. (37668 USD Equivalent, rank 38/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Salaries of pre-primary teachers with minimum training at the top of scale are especially low. (37668 USD Equivalent, rank 31/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Ratio of student to teaching staff

    The ratio of students to teaching staff at the lower secondary level in government-dependent private institutions is especially low in Poland. (8.7 Ratio, rank 19/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the number of students per teacher in public institutions tertiary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (9.6 Ratio, rank 36/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the number of students per teacher in private institutions tertiary education is one of the highest among countries with available data. (34.4 Ratio, rank 3/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the number of students per teacher in private institutions short-cycle tertiary education is one of the highest among countries with available data. (55 Ratio, rank 1/18 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, 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. (9.6 Ratio, rank 31/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the number of students per teacher in private bachelor's, master's, doctoral or equivalent programmes is one of the highest among countries with available data. (34.3 Ratio, rank 3/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Organisation of the education system

    In Poland, the intended instruction time for lower secondary students (in hours per year) is one of the shortest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (826 Hours, rank 30/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The total compulsory instruction time for primary students in Poland is one of the shortest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2255 Hours, rank 40/42 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the total intended instruction time for primary students (in hours per year) is one of the shortest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2481 Hours, rank 32/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The total compulsory instruction time for primary and lower secondary student in Poland is among the shortest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (5304 Hours, rank 40/42 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Poland, total intended instruction time for primary and lower secondary students (in hours per year) is among the shortest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (5787 Hours, rank 32/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Poland, compulsory instruction time for primary students, in hours per year, is one of the shortest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (564 Hours, rank 39/42 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the intended instruction time for primary students, in hours per year, is one of the shortest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (620 Hours, rank 31/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Poland, compulsory instruction time for lower secondary students, in hours per year, is one of the shortest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (762 Hours, rank 39/42 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Classes are particularly small in lower secondary schools. (18 Students, rank 32/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Classes in in private primary institutions are comparatively small in Poland. (13 Students, rank 33/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

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

    In government-dependent private institutions at primary education level, the average class size is relatively small in Poland among OECD and other partner countries with available data. (12 Students, rank 20/20 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In independent private institutions at primary education level, the average class size is relatively smallest in Poland among OECD and other partner countries with available data. (13 Students, rank 18/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In government-dependent private institutions at lower secondary level, classes are one of the smallest in Poland among OECD and partner countries with available data. (12 Students, rank 20/20 , 2023) Download Indicator

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

    In Poland, classes in lower secondary education are comparatively small. (18 Students, rank 32/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Employment and educational attainment

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (92.3 %, rank 2/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (96.7 %, rank 4/29 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-olds with tertiary education is compartively high in Poland. (91.8 %, rank 5/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 35-44 year-olds without upper secondary education is comparatively low. (53 %, rank 36/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 45-54 year-olds without upper secondary education is comparatively low. (55.8 %, rank 36/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the employment rate of 25-34 year-olds with a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is relatively high in Poland. (98.9 %, rank 1/21 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the employment rate of 25-34 year-olds with a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is relatively high in Poland. (93.6 %, rank 2/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Employment by gender and educational attainment

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education is comparatively high. (91.6 %, rank 3/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-old men with tertiary education is comparatively high. (94.9 %, rank 3/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-old men with tertiary education is compartively high in Poland. (95.3 %, rank 2/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-old women with tertiary education is compartively high in Poland. (89.4 %, rank 5/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 55-64 year-old women with below upper secondary education is compartively low in Poland. (27.3 %, rank 35/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the employment rate among 25-34 year-old men with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively high (93.6 %, rank 4/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the share of employed 25-64 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (62.7 %, rank 32/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the employment rate of 25-34 year-old men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high in Poland. (90.3 %, rank 2/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Employment by field of education

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education who studied in the field of arts is high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (90.7 %, rank 1/16 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education who studied in the field of humanities (except languages), social sciences, journalism and information is high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (91.2 %, rank 2/28 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education who studied in the field of business, administration and law is high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (91.9 %, rank 1/28 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education who studied in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (91.5 %, rank 3/27 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education who studied in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (94 %, rank 1/28 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Unemployment and educational attainment

    The unemployment rate among 25-34 year-olds with tertiary education is comparatively low. (2.1 %, rank 38/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education is comparatively low. (1.3 %, rank 37/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the lowest of all OECD countries and partner economies for which data are available. (1.1 %, rank 34/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the unemployment rate of 25-34 year-old with a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is relatively low in Poland. (1.8 %, rank 33/33 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Unemployment by gender and educational attainment

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-old men with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (2.5 %, rank 33/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-old men with tertiary education is comparatively low. (1.1 %, rank 38/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-old women with tertiary education is comparatively low. (1.4 %, rank 38/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-34 year-old men with tertiary education is compartively low in Poland. (1.5 %, rank 35/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 25-34 year-old men with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is compartively low in Poland. (2.8 %, rank 35/36 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The unemployment rate among 55-64 year-old men with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is compartively low in Poland. (2.2 %, rank 31/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-old men with vocational upper secondary or a post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (2.5 %, rank 30/32 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Inactivity and educational attainment

    In Poland, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with below upper secondary education is one of the highest among countries with available data. (46.4 %, rank 2/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (22.6 %, rank 4/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Inactivity by gender and educational attainment

    In Poland, the inactivity rate 25-64 year-old women without an upper secondary education is relatively high compared to other countries with available data. (60 %, rank 4/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old men without an upper secondary education is relatively high compared to other countries with available data. (30.7 %, rank 5/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old men without an upper secondary education is relatively high compared to other countries with available data. (35.9 %, rank 2/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (6.2 %, rank 33/33 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (28.7 %, rank 5/33 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (34.8 %, rank 3/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old men with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (4.5 %, rank 32/36 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old men with tertiary education is relatively low. (4.1 %, rank 36/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Neither in education nor employed

    The share of youth who have been unemployed for less than 3 months and not in formal education or training among 18-24 year-olds in Poland is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (0.7 %, rank 27/29 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of women with tertiary education neither in employment nor in education and training (25-29 year-olds) in Poland is relatively low. (6.5 %, rank 31/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-29 year-olds neither in employment nor in education and training with tertiary education in Poland is relatively low. (5 %, rank 34/36 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Poland, the share of men neither employed nor in education among 15-29 year-olds is relatively low. (4.5 %, rank 30/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Among 25-29 year-old men in Poland, a small share of them are neither employed nor in education or training. (8 %, rank 34/37 , 2024) 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 | 
    
                            
    
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    • Although many countries have near universal upper secondary attainment among 25–34 year-olds, on average across the OECD 13% of younger adults still lack an upper secondary qualification.
    • NEET shares are now below pre-pandemic levels in about half of OECD and partner countries with trend data; in 8 of these 16 countries the decline exceeds 1 percentage point, while 17 countries exceed pre-pandemic benchmarks and 6 saw increases of more than 2 percentage points.
    • Employment rates rise steadily with higher tertiary attainment: short-cycle 83%, bachelor’s 86%, master’s 90%, and doctoral or equivalent 93% among 25–64 year-olds.
    • Earnings premiums also increase with qualification level: on average across the OECD, short-cycle graduates earn 17% more than those with upper secondary; the advantage is 39% for bachelor’s and 83% for master’s/doctoral graduates.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Attainment | Education policies: Labour market outcomes | 
    
                            
    
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    • Most children aged 3 to 5 are enrolled in early childhood education, with an average participation rate of 85% across the OECD. By contrast, only 29% of children under the age of 3 are enrolled.
    • Participation in early childhood education has grown over the past decade, with enrolment for children under age 3 increasing by 9 percentage points to 29%, and enrolment for ages 3 and above rising by 5 points to 85%.
    • The majority of students in vocational upper secondary education follow programmes that grant full access to tertiary education, with 76% of students enrolled in such programmes on average across the OECD.
    • Completion rates for bachelor’s programmes increase after the theoretical duration of programmes: on average, 44% of students graduate on time, compared to 69% three years after.
    • Students from Asia form the largest regional group of internationally mobile students in tertiary education, representing 58% of all foreign or international students across the OECD in 2023.
    • Only 43% of students complete a bachelor’s degree within the expected duration, though this rises to 59% with one additional year and 70% with three additional years on average across the OECD.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Access and Participation  | 
    
                            
    
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    • Governments spend on average USD 12 438 per student in primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education, and USD 15 102 per student in tertiary education including R&D.
    • Expenditure per student has risen in absolute terms since 2015, but its share in public budgets has declined, with government spending on education at almost 15% of total government expenditure on average in 2022.
    • Annual spending per student at primary and secondary levels varies widely across OECD countries, from under USD 3 000 in some systems to over USD 25 000 in the most highly funded ones.
    • Tertiary education continues to expand, placing pressure on public budgets. Private sources represent a larger share of total funding at the tertiary level than at any other level of education.
    • Spending per student differs markedly between public and private institutions, with expenditure in public tertiary institutions exceeding USD 33 000 in some countries, compared to less than USD 10 000 in others.
    
                            
    
                            
    
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    • Students in OECD countries receive an average of 7 604 hours of compulsory instruction during primary and lower secondary education, with total hours ranging widely across education systems.
    • Compulsory instruction time averages 804 hours per year for primary students and 909 hours for lower secondary students, a difference of about 105 hours annually.
    • The ratio of children to teachers in pre-primary education has fallen across most OECD countries, decreasing from an average of 15 children per teacher in 2013 to 13 in 2023.
    • Teachers’ statutory salaries increase with the level of education taught. On average, teachers with 15 years of experience earn USD 55 725 at pre-primary level and USD 63 925 at upper secondary level.
    • Teachers’ actual salaries are 83–91% of the earnings of similarly educated tertiary-educated workers, while school heads usually earn more than tertiary-educated workers on average across OECD countries.
    • The ratio of students to academic staff is lower in public than in private institutions, averaging about 14 students per staff member in public tertiary institutions compared to 18 in private ones.
    • Nearly half of OECD and partner countries operate non-selective admission systems for first degrees, providing broad access to tertiary education, while entrance exams and centralised systems are also common.
    • The salaries of academic staff in tertiary education vary by seniority. On average, junior staff earn about 62 000 USD, while senior staff earn about 108 000 USD.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Teachers | Education policies: Teachers | OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS)  | 
    
                            
    
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            Diagram of funding flows - Poland
            
    
            
    
        
    


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