Education in Bochum, Germany: official figures
Bochum's share of school leavers without even a lower secondary certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) was 6.4% in 2023, 9th lowest of 22 large German cities and 154th lowest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 7.8%.
How many pupils get the Abitur in Bochum?
Bochum's share of school leavers with the Abitur or another university entrance qualification was 37.2% in 2023, 11th highest of 22 large German cities and 85th highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 39.4%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many children under three are in daycare in Bochum?
Bochum's share of children under three in day care (Kita) was 33.2% in 2023, 8th lowest of 22 large German cities and 153rd lowest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 29.2%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many apprenticeship places are there in Bochum?
Bochum's number of company apprenticeship places offered per 100 applicants was 114.8 in 2024, the highest of 22 large German cities and 127th highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 100.9.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many students are there in Bochum?
Bochum's number of university and college students per 1,000 residents was 151.1 in 2023, 2nd highest of 22 large German cities and 15th highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 162.2.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow far is the nearest primary school in Bochum?
Among 22 large German cities, Bochum had the 4th longest average distance from home to the nearest primary school in 2023, at 566 metres (median of all 400 districts: 1,121 metres).
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many young children are in childcare in Bochum?
54% of children under 5 were in day care or school in 2025 (543 per 1,000).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many students are there in Bochum?
52,901 students were enrolled in higher education in Bochum in 2024, 148 for every 1,000 residents.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Bochum have a degree?
Of adults aged 25 to 64 in Bochum in 2024, 35% had a degree-level education, 46% an upper secondary education and 19% at most lower secondary schooling.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people leave school early in Bochum?
9.8% of 18 to 24-year-olds had left education and training early in 2019.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow Bochum compares with other cities in Germany
School leavers without a qualification (%) – large cities (2023)
Bochum ranks 14 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Leipzig | 6.7% |
| 12 | Stuttgart | 6.5% |
| 13 | Karlsruhe | 6.4% |
| 14 | Bochum | 6.4% |
| 15 | Hamburg | 6.4% |
| 16 | Frankfurt am Main | 6.3% |
| 17 | Münster | 5.8% |
School leavers with university entrance qualification (%) – large cities (2023)
Bochum ranks 11 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Dresden | 41.1% |
| 9 | Karlsruhe | 40.5% |
| 10 | Essen | 39.2% |
| 11 | Bochum | 37.2% |
| 12 | Wuppertal | 36.8% |
| 13 | Duisburg | 36.2% |
| 14 | Frankfurt am Main | 36.1% |
Children under 3 in day care (%) – large cities (2023)
Bochum ranks 15 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Düsseldorf | 38.7% |
| 13 | Essen | 33.4% |
| 14 | Bielefeld | 33.2% |
| 15 | Bochum | 33.2% |
| 16 | Nürnberg | 33.0% |
| 17 | Bremen | 32.5% |
| 18 | Dortmund | 32.4% |
Apprenticeship places per 100 applicants – large cities (2024)
Bochum ranks 1 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bochum | 114.8 |
| 2 | Stuttgart | 113.2 |
| 3 | Karlsruhe | 113.0 |
| 4 | Dortmund | 112.0 |
| 5 | Augsburg | 110.5 |
| 6 | Leipzig | 108.1 |
| 7 | Duisburg | 108.0 |
Higher education students per 1,000 residents (2024)
Bochum ranks 15 of 71, highest first.
| Rank | City | Higher education students per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Saarbrücken | 163 |
| 13 | Mainz | 162 |
| 14 | Potsdam | 159 |
| 15 | Bochum | 148 |
| 16 | Trier | 147 |
| 17 | Osnabrück | 146 |
| 18 | Siegen | 144 |
Children 0-4 in day care per 1,000 (2025)
Bochum ranks 39 of 66, highest first.
| Rank | City | Children 0-4 in day care per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | Essen | 550 |
| 37 | Dortmund | 546 |
| 38 | Bielefeld | 546 |
| 39 | Bochum | 543 |
| 40 | Kassel | 539 |
| 41 | Mainz | 537 |
| 42 | Regensburg | 535 |
More on Bochum: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · 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_ceduc: Urban Audit: education (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 af187c7040a4…)
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