Education in Berlin, Germany: official figures
Among 22 large German cities, Berlin had the 8th highest share of school leavers without even a lower secondary certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) in 2023, at 8.1% (median of all 400 districts: 7.0%). In 2019 it was 8.9%.
How many pupils get the Abitur in Berlin?
Among 22 large German cities, Berlin had the 4th highest share of school leavers with the Abitur or another university entrance qualification in 2023, at 44.4% (median of all 400 districts: 29.2%).
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many children under three are in daycare in Berlin?
Among 22 large German cities, Berlin had the 4th highest share of children under three in day care (Kita) in 2023, at 51.6% (median of all 400 districts: 35.5%). In 2019 it was 44.5%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many apprenticeship places are there in Berlin?
Berlin's number of company apprenticeship places offered per 100 applicants was 87.2 in 2024, the lowest of 22 large German cities and the lowest of 400 districts nationwide.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many students are there in Berlin?
Among 22 large German cities, Berlin had the 4th lowest number of university and college students per 1,000 residents in 2023, at 54.7 (median of all 400 districts: 3.8). In 2019 it was 53.4.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow far is the nearest primary school in Berlin?
Berlin's average distance from home to the nearest primary school was 459 metres in 2023, 2nd shortest of 22 large German cities and 6th shortest of 400 districts nationwide.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many young children are in childcare in Berlin?
66% of children under 5 were in day care or school in 2025 (656 per 1,000).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many students are there in Berlin?
200,852 students were enrolled in higher education in Berlin in 2024, 55 for every 1,000 residents.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Berlin have a degree?
Of adults aged 25 to 64 in Berlin in 2024, 46% had a degree-level education, 38% an upper secondary education and 17% at most lower secondary schooling.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people leave school early in Berlin?
7.7% of 18 to 24-year-olds had left education and training early in 2019.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- 53% of people in Berlin were satisfied with schools and other educational facilities (EU quality of life in European cities survey, 2023). Source: Eurostat · saved copy
How Berlin compares with other cities in Germany
School leavers without a qualification (%) – large cities (2023)
Berlin ranks 8 of 22, highest first. INKAR indicator: Anteil der Schulabgänger ohne Hauptschulabschluss an den Schulabgängern in %; kreisfreie Städte with city pages
| Rank | City | School leavers without a qualification (%) – large cities |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Duisburg | 8.6% |
| 6 | Essen | 8.3% |
| 7 | Dresden | 8.1% |
| 8 | Berlin | 8.1% |
| 9 | Bielefeld | 7.9% |
| 10 | Wuppertal | 6.9% |
| 11 | Leipzig | 6.7% |
School leavers with university entrance qualification (%) – large cities (2023)
Berlin ranks 4 of 22, highest first. INKAR indicator: Anteil der Schulabgänger mit Hochschulreife an den Schulabgängern in %; kreisfreie Städte with city pages
| Rank | City | School leavers with university entrance qualification (%) – large cities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hamburg | 54.2% |
| 2 | Bonn | 51.0% |
| 3 | Münster | 50.0% |
| 4 | Berlin | 44.4% |
| 5 | Düsseldorf | 44.1% |
| 6 | Stuttgart | 41.7% |
| 7 | Köln | 41.6% |
Children under 3 in day care (%) – large cities (2023)
Berlin ranks 4 of 22, highest first. INKAR indicator: Anteil der Kinder unter 3 Jahren in Kindertageseinrichtungen an den Kinder der entsprechenden Altersgruppe; kreisfreie Städte with city pages
| Rank | City | Children under 3 in day care (%) – large cities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leipzig | 66.3% |
| 2 | Dresden | 62.6% |
| 3 | Hamburg | 53.3% |
| 4 | Berlin | 51.6% |
| 5 | Frankfurt am Main | 45.0% |
| 6 | Münster | 43.2% |
| 7 | Karlsruhe | 42.7% |
Apprenticeship places per 100 applicants – large cities (2024)
Berlin ranks 22 of 22, highest first. INKAR indicator: Gesamtangebot an betrieblichen Ausbildungsplätzen je 100 Nachfrager; kreisfreie Städte with city pages
| Rank | City | Apprenticeship places per 100 applicants – large cities |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Wuppertal | 101.1 |
| 17 | Bremen | 99.4 |
| 18 | Düsseldorf | 98.3 |
| 19 | Essen | 97.5 |
| 20 | Mannheim | 97.4 |
| 21 | Köln | 91.1 |
| 22 | Berlin | 87.2 |
Higher education students per 1,000 residents (2024)
Berlin ranks 51 of 71, highest first.
| Rank | City | Higher education students per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 48 | Lübeck | 63 |
| 49 | Bremen | 60 |
| 50 | Wuppertal | 60 |
| 51 | Berlin | 55 |
| 52 | Nürnberg | 48 |
| 53 | Wiesbaden | 48 |
| 54 | Reutlingen | 44 |
Children 0-4 in day care per 1,000 (2025)
Berlin ranks 9 of 66, highest first.
| Rank | City | Children 0-4 in day care per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Erfurt | 688 |
| 7 | Leipzig | 686 |
| 8 | Heidelberg | 667 |
| 9 | Berlin | 656 |
| 10 | Chemnitz | 651 |
| 11 | Freiburg im Breisgau | 647 |
| 12 | Hamburg | 634 |
More on Berlin: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · all cities in Germany
Sources
- Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung: INKAR – Indikatoren und Karten zur Raum- und Stadtentwicklung: 43 district (Kreise) indicators, 2012-2024 (table service extract), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0c743f54caf6…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_percep: Quality of life in European cities survey 2023: perception (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 81bd3e277f3e…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_ceduc: Urban Audit: education (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 af187c7040a4…)
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