Education in Hamburg, Germany: official figures
Hamburg's share of school leavers without even a lower secondary certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) was 6.4% in 2023, 8th lowest of 22 large German cities and 150th lowest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 6.0%.
How many pupils get the Abitur in Hamburg?
Hamburg's share of school leavers with the Abitur or another university entrance qualification was 54.2% in 2023, the highest of 22 large German cities and 6th highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 53.9%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many children under three are in daycare in Hamburg?
Among 22 large German cities, Hamburg had the 3rd highest share of children under three in day care (Kita) in 2023, at 53.3% (median of all 400 districts: 35.5%). In 2019 it was 47.1%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many apprenticeship places are there in Hamburg?
Hamburg's number of company apprenticeship places offered per 100 applicants was 101.7 in 2024, 8th lowest of 22 large German cities and 58th lowest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 94.3.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many students are there in Hamburg?
Hamburg's number of university and college students per 1,000 residents was 64.4 in 2023, 9th lowest of 22 large German cities and 61st highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 59.7.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow far is the nearest primary school in Hamburg?
Hamburg's average distance from home to the nearest primary school was 507 metres in 2023, 11th longest of 22 large German cities and 23rd 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 Hamburg?
63% of children under 5 were in day care or school in 2025 (634 per 1,000).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many students are there in Hamburg?
121,178 students were enrolled in higher education in Hamburg in 2024, 65 for every 1,000 residents.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Hamburg have a degree?
Of adults aged 25 to 64 in Hamburg in 2024, 42% had a degree-level education, 42% an upper secondary education and 16% at most lower secondary schooling.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people leave school early in Hamburg?
10.6% of 18 to 24-year-olds had left education and training early in 2019.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- 62% of people in Hamburg were satisfied with schools and other educational facilities (EU quality of life in European cities survey, 2023). Source: Eurostat · saved copy
How Hamburg compares with other cities in Germany
School leavers without a qualification (%) – large cities (2023)
Hamburg ranks 15 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 18 | Köln | 5.8% |
School leavers with university entrance qualification (%) – large cities (2023)
Hamburg ranks 1 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)
Hamburg ranks 3 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)
Hamburg ranks 15 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Münster | 103.7 |
| 13 | Dresden | 103.6 |
| 14 | Bielefeld | 102.1 |
| 15 | Hamburg | 101.7 |
| 16 | Wuppertal | 101.1 |
| 17 | Bremen | 99.4 |
| 18 | Düsseldorf | 98.3 |
Higher education students per 1,000 residents (2024)
Hamburg ranks 44 of 71, highest first.
| Rank | City | Higher education students per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Leipzig | 67 |
| 42 | Essen | 67 |
| 43 | Ulm | 66 |
| 44 | Hamburg | 65 |
| 45 | Braunschweig | 65 |
| 46 | Dresden | 64 |
| 47 | Ingolstadt | 63 |
Children 0-4 in day care per 1,000 (2025)
Hamburg ranks 12 of 66, highest first.
| Rank | City | Children 0-4 in day care per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Berlin | 656 |
| 10 | Chemnitz | 651 |
| 11 | Freiburg im Breisgau | 647 |
| 12 | Hamburg | 634 |
| 13 | Münster | 622 |
| 14 | Düsseldorf | 610 |
| 15 | Bonn | 608 |
More on Hamburg: 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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