Education in Karlsruhe, Germany: official figures
Karlsruhe's share of school leavers without even a lower secondary certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) was 6.4% in 2023, 10th lowest of 22 large German cities and 155th lowest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 5.9%.
How many pupils get the Abitur in Karlsruhe?
Among 22 large German cities, Karlsruhe had the 9th highest share of school leavers with the Abitur or another university entrance qualification in 2023, at 40.5% (median of all 400 districts: 29.2%). In 2019 it was 41.5%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many children under three are in daycare in Karlsruhe?
Among 22 large German cities, Karlsruhe had the 7th highest share of children under three in day care (Kita) in 2023, at 42.7% (median of all 400 districts: 35.5%). In 2019 it was 39.0%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many apprenticeship places are there in Karlsruhe?
Karlsruhe's number of company apprenticeship places offered per 100 applicants was 113.0 in 2024, 3rd highest of 22 large German cities and 138th highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 108.7.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many students are there in Karlsruhe?
Karlsruhe's number of university and college students per 1,000 residents was 122.2 in 2023, 3rd highest of 22 large German cities and 26th highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 128.4.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow far is the nearest primary school in Karlsruhe?
Among 22 large German cities, Karlsruhe had the 4th shortest average distance from home to the nearest primary school in 2023, at 464 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 Karlsruhe?
59% of children under 5 were in day care or school in 2025 (593 per 1,000).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many students are there in Karlsruhe?
37,262 students were enrolled in higher education in Karlsruhe in 2024, 121 for every 1,000 residents.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Karlsruhe have a degree?
Of adults aged 25 to 64 in Karlsruhe in 2024, 50% had a degree-level education, 36% an upper secondary education and 15% at most lower secondary schooling.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people leave school early in Karlsruhe?
2.6% of 18 to 24-year-olds had left education and training early in 2019.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow Karlsruhe compares with other cities in Germany
School leavers without a qualification (%) – large cities (2023)
Karlsruhe ranks 13 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Wuppertal | 6.9% |
| 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% |
School leavers with university entrance qualification (%) – large cities (2023)
Karlsruhe ranks 9 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Stuttgart | 41.7% |
| 7 | Köln | 41.6% |
| 8 | Dresden | 41.1% |
| 9 | Karlsruhe | 40.5% |
| 10 | Essen | 39.2% |
| 11 | Bochum | 37.2% |
| 12 | Wuppertal | 36.8% |
Children under 3 in day care (%) – large cities (2023)
Karlsruhe ranks 7 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Berlin | 51.6% |
| 5 | Frankfurt am Main | 45.0% |
| 6 | Münster | 43.2% |
| 7 | Karlsruhe | 42.7% |
| 8 | Stuttgart | 42.0% |
| 9 | München | 41.3% |
| 10 | Bonn | 40.5% |
Apprenticeship places per 100 applicants – large cities (2024)
Karlsruhe ranks 3 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)
Karlsruhe ranks 23 of 71, highest first.
| Rank | City | Higher education students per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Freiburg im Breisgau | 140 |
| 21 | Koblenz | 140 |
| 22 | Kiel | 135 |
| 23 | Karlsruhe | 121 |
| 24 | Paderborn | 120 |
| 25 | Bonn | 114 |
| 26 | Hildesheim | 113 |
Children 0-4 in day care per 1,000 (2025)
Karlsruhe ranks 20 of 66, highest first.
| Rank | City | Children 0-4 in day care per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Köln | 605 |
| 18 | Lübeck | 602 |
| 19 | Würzburg | 594 |
| 20 | Karlsruhe | 593 |
| 21 | Aachen | 592 |
| 22 | Stuttgart | 592 |
| 23 | Trier | 592 |
More on Karlsruhe: 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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