Education in Yugozapaden, Bulgaria: official figures
The share of adults aged 25 to 64 with a degree-level (tertiary) education was 44.5% in 2025, against 35.7% for Bulgaria and 36.9% across the EU; the highest of 6 regions in Bulgaria.
How many schools are there in the South-West region of Bulgaria?
The Yugozapaden (South-West) region had 603 educational institutions in the 2024/25 school year: 470 general education schools, 81 vocational gymnasiums and 24 universities or equivalent higher schools.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many pupils per teacher are there in the South-West region of Bulgaria?
Schools in Yugozapaden (South-West) taught 227,542 pupils with 21,417 teachers in 2024/25, 10.6 pupils per teacher against 10.3 nationally.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many university students are there in the South-West region of Bulgaria?
95,279 students were enrolled at colleges and universities in the Yugozapaden (South-West) region in 2024/25, 47 per 1,000 residents against 32 nationally.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many kindergartens are there in the South-West region of Bulgaria?
480 kindergartens in Yugozapaden (South-West) cared for 72,222 children with 5,961 kindergarten teachers in 2024/25 (12.1 children per teacher, national 12.1); 8,926 of the children attended kindergartens in villages.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many students graduate in the South-West region of Bulgaria?
In 2024, 14,774 students finished secondary education in Yugozapaden (South-West) (4,751 of them from vocational gymnasiums) and 21,620 graduated from higher education there.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many young people in Yugozapaden leave school early?
The early school leaving rate was 2.6% in 2025 (18 to 24-year-olds with no upper secondary qualification who are not in education or training) (Bulgaria: 8.6%; EU: 9.1%); the lowest of 6 statistical regions in Bulgaria. In 2015 it was 5.7%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people in Yugozapaden are NEET?
5.6% of young people aged 15 to 29 were neither in work nor in education or training (NEET) in 2025 (Bulgaria: 13.8%; EU: 11.0%); the lowest of 6 statistical regions in Bulgaria. In 2015 it was 12.8%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Yugozapaden are in education or training?
5.4% of adults aged 25 to 64 had taken part in education or training in the previous four weeks in 2025 (Bulgaria: 6.1%; EU: 13.7%); 3rd lowest of 6 statistical regions in Bulgaria. In 2015 it was 3.5%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Yugozapaden have no qualifications?
5.1% of adults aged 25 to 64 had no qualification beyond lower secondary school in 2025 (Bulgaria: 13.0%; EU: 18.8%); the lowest of 6 statistical regions in Bulgaria. In 2015 it was 9.1%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat education do adults in Yugozapaden have?
50.4% of adults aged 25 to 64 had an upper secondary or post-secondary (non-degree) education as their highest level in 2025 (Bulgaria: 51.3%; EU: 44.3%); 2nd lowest of 6 statistical regions in Bulgaria. In 2015 it was 52.3%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many pupils and students are there in Yugozapaden?
Schools in Yugozapaden taught 74,941 primary pupils and 153,767 secondary pupils in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- 48.3% of upper-secondary students in Yugozapaden (South-West) followed vocational programmes in 2024/25, the lowest of 6 statistical regions (national share 57.0%). Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Yugozapaden (South-West) had 323 creches with 12,327 places at the end of 2024, attended by 11,540 children. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
How Yugozapaden compares with other statistical regions
Pupils per school teacher (2024/25)
Yugozapaden ranks 2 of 6, highest first. General, special, art, sport and vocational schools
| Rank | Region | Pupils per school teacher |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yugoiztochen | 10.8 |
| 2 | Yugozapaden | 10.6 |
| 3 | Severoiztochen | 10.3 |
| 4 | Yuzhen tsentralen | 10.2 |
| 5 | Severozapaden | 9.6 |
| 6 | Severen tsentralen | 9.5 |
Upper-secondary students in vocational programmes (%) (2024/25)
Yugozapaden ranks 6 of 6, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Upper-secondary students in vocational programmes (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Severozapaden | 65.6% |
| 2 | Yugoiztochen | 63.6% |
| 3 | Severen tsentralen | 62.2% |
| 4 | Severoiztochen | 58.5% |
| 5 | Yuzhen tsentralen | 58.0% |
| 6 | Yugozapaden | 48.3% |
College and university students per 1,000 residents (2024/25)
Yugozapaden ranks 1 of 6, highest first. By location of the institution
| Rank | Region | College and university students per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yugozapaden | 47 |
| 2 | Severoiztochen | 35 |
| 3 | Severen tsentralen | 35 |
| 4 | Yuzhen tsentralen | 28 |
| 5 | Yugoiztochen | 15 |
| 6 | Severozapaden | 8 |
Kindergarten children per teacher (2024/25)
Yugozapaden ranks 3 of 6, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Kindergarten children per teacher |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yugoiztochen | 12.8 |
| 2 | Yuzhen tsentralen | 12.4 |
| 3 | Yugozapaden | 12.1 |
| 4 | Severoiztochen | 11.7 |
| 5 | Severozapaden | 11.5 |
| 6 | Severen tsentralen | 11.1 |
Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) (2025)
Yugozapaden ranks 6 of 6, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yugoiztochen | 18.9% |
| 2 | Severozapaden | 15.2% |
| 3 | Severen tsentralen | 11.1% |
| 4 | Yuzhen tsentralen | 10.9% |
| 5 | Severoiztochen | 10.1% |
| 6 | Yugozapaden | 2.6% |
Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training (2025)
Yugozapaden ranks 6 of 6, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Severozapaden | 25.3% |
| 2 | Yugoiztochen | 23.0% |
| 3 | Severen tsentralen | 18.8% |
| 4 | Yuzhen tsentralen | 16.4% |
| 5 | Severoiztochen | 13.8% |
| 6 | Yugozapaden | 5.6% |
Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks (2025)
Yugozapaden ranks 4 of 6, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Severoiztochen | 9.0% |
| 2 | Severozapaden | 7.3% |
| 3 | Yuzhen tsentralen | 6.8% |
| 4 | Yugozapaden | 5.4% |
| 5 | Severen tsentralen | 4.9% |
| 6 | Yugoiztochen | 4.3% |
Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education (2025)
Yugozapaden ranks 6 of 6, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yugoiztochen | 18.5% |
| 2 | Yuzhen tsentralen | 17.6% |
| 3 | Severoiztochen | 16.5% |
| 4 | Severozapaden | 14.7% |
| 5 | Severen tsentralen | 14.6% |
| 6 | Yugozapaden | 5.1% |
Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary (2025)
Yugozapaden ranks 5 of 6, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Severozapaden | 57.6% |
| 2 | Severen tsentralen | 54.3% |
| 3 | Yuzhen tsentralen | 53.1% |
| 4 | Yugoiztochen | 50.6% |
| 5 | Yugozapaden | 50.4% |
| 6 | Severoiztochen | 44.5% |
More on Yugozapaden: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government and politics · Bulgaria
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset edat_lfse_04: Adults (25-64) with a degree-level education, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6ff9f4bfff72…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset trng_lfse_04: Participation rate of adults in education and training (last 4 weeks) by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 42ceced85786…)
- National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI): Regions, districts and municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria 2024 (yearbook tables by statistical region, district and municipality), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 81cba27bb0cc…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset edat_lfse_04: Population aged 25-64 by educational attainment level, sex and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 63810622cd71…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset edat_lfse_22: Young people neither in employment nor in education and training (NEET) by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1467a7225373…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset edat_lfse_16: Early leavers from education and training by sex and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c3cc66b98a4a…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset educ_uoe_enra11: Pupils and students enrolled by education level, sex and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 20b6224cca4f…)
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