In 2020, 84% of the EU population aged 20-24 years had at least an upper secondary level of education. This is an increase of 7 percentage points compared with 2002 (77%).
The 3 regions that recorded the highest share of young people aged 20-24 years with at least an upper secondary level of education were all Greek: Thessalia and Ipeiros (both 99%) followed closely by Dytiki Makedonia (98%).
The highest shares of women aged 20-24 years with at least an upper secondary level of education were recorded in Thessalia in Greece (100%), Jadranska Hrvatska in Croatia and Ipeiros in Greece (both 99%). Meanwhile, the highest shares of men were recorded in 3 Greek regions: Dytiki Makedonia and Ipeiros (both 99%) and Thessalia (98%).
Source: Regional yearbook 2021, chapter 3: Education and training at regional level (infographic 1)
In contrast, the lowest levels of upper secondary educational attainment were recorded in Ciudad Autónoma de Ceuta in Spain (50%), Região Autónoma dos Açores (62%) and Illes Balears in Spain (65%).
Source: Regional yearbook 2021, chapter 3: Education and training at regional level (map 4)
Would you like to know more about education and training in the different EU regions?
You can read more in the dedicated chapter of the Eurostat regional yearbook 2021 as well as in the corresponding maps in the Statistical Atlas.
For more information:
- In this article, the regional data are presented at NUTS 2 level. Regional data for Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro and North Macedonia: single regions at this level of detail.
- Germany and Montenegro: 2019 data. Mayotte in France and Åland in Finland: no data.
- Eurostat regional yearbook - 2021 edition, also available as a set of Statistics Explained articles
- Regions and cities, overview page on the Eurostat website
- Eurostat Statistical Atlas
- Eurostat Regions and cities illustrated
- Eurostat application “My Region” (web and mobile app)
- European Pillar of Social Rights indicators presented by region (NUTS level 2)
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