Education in Bremen, Germany: official figures
Bremen's share of school leavers without even a lower secondary certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) was 9.4% in 2023, 2nd highest of 22 large German cities and 86th highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 9.2%.
How many pupils get the Abitur in Bremen?
Bremen's share of school leavers with the Abitur or another university entrance qualification was 33.8% in 2023, 5th lowest of 22 large German cities and 138th highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 35.9%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many children under three are in daycare in Bremen?
Among 22 large German cities, Bremen had the 6th lowest share of children under three in day care (Kita) in 2023, at 32.5% (median of all 400 districts: 35.5%). In 2019 it was 30.0%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many apprenticeship places are there in Bremen?
Among 22 large German cities, Bremen had the 6th lowest number of company apprenticeship places offered per 100 applicants in 2024, at 99.4 (median of all 400 districts: 109.1). In 2019 it was 98.4.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many students are there in Bremen?
Bremen's number of university and college students per 1,000 residents was 59.5 in 2023, 5th lowest of 22 large German cities and 68th highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 61.0.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow far is the nearest primary school in Bremen?
Bremen's average distance from home to the nearest primary school was 522 metres in 2023, 8th longest of 22 large German cities and 35th 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 Bremen?
53% of children under 5 were in day care or school in 2025 (533 per 1,000).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many students are there in Bremen?
35,322 students were enrolled in higher education in Bremen in 2024, 60 for every 1,000 residents.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Bremen have a degree?
Of adults aged 25 to 64 in Bremen in 2024, 33% had a degree-level education, 43% an upper secondary education and 24% at most lower secondary schooling.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people leave school early in Bremen?
11.7% of 18 to 24-year-olds had left education and training early in 2019.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow Bremen compares with other cities in Germany
School leavers without a qualification (%) – large cities (2023)
Bremen ranks 2 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dortmund | 9.6% |
| 2 | Bremen | 9.4% |
| 3 | Mannheim | 8.7% |
| 4 | Nürnberg | 8.6% |
| 5 | Duisburg | 8.6% |
| 6 | Essen | 8.3% |
| 7 | Dresden | 8.1% |
School leavers with university entrance qualification (%) – large cities (2023)
Bremen ranks 18 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Bielefeld | 36.0% |
| 16 | München | 34.8% |
| 17 | Dortmund | 34.2% |
| 18 | Bremen | 33.8% |
| 19 | Mannheim | 33.0% |
| 20 | Leipzig | 30.6% |
| 21 | Augsburg | 28.0% |
Children under 3 in day care (%) – large cities (2023)
Bremen ranks 17 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Bielefeld | 33.2% |
| 15 | Bochum | 33.2% |
| 16 | Nürnberg | 33.0% |
| 17 | Bremen | 32.5% |
| 18 | Dortmund | 32.4% |
| 19 | Mannheim | 30.9% |
| 20 | Augsburg | 27.5% |
Apprenticeship places per 100 applicants – large cities (2024)
Bremen ranks 17 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Bielefeld | 102.1 |
| 15 | Hamburg | 101.7 |
| 16 | Wuppertal | 101.1 |
| 17 | Bremen | 99.4 |
| 18 | Düsseldorf | 98.3 |
| 19 | Essen | 97.5 |
| 20 | Mannheim | 97.4 |
Higher education students per 1,000 residents (2024)
Bremen ranks 49 of 71, highest first.
| Rank | City | Higher education students per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 46 | Dresden | 64 |
| 47 | Ingolstadt | 63 |
| 48 | Lübeck | 63 |
| 49 | Bremen | 60 |
| 50 | Wuppertal | 60 |
| 51 | Berlin | 55 |
| 52 | Nürnberg | 48 |
Children 0-4 in day care per 1,000 (2025)
Bremen ranks 43 of 66, highest first.
| Rank | City | Children 0-4 in day care per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | Kassel | 539 |
| 41 | Mainz | 537 |
| 42 | Regensburg | 535 |
| 43 | Bremen | 533 |
| 44 | Fürth | 532 |
| 45 | Solingen | 530 |
| 46 | Nürnberg | 525 |
More on Bremen: 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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