Education in Leipzig, Germany: official figures
Leipzig's share of school leavers without even a lower secondary certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) was 6.7% in 2023, 11th highest of 22 large German cities and 174th lowest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 6.4%.
How many pupils get the Abitur in Leipzig?
Among 22 large German cities, Leipzig had the 3rd lowest share of school leavers with the Abitur or another university entrance qualification in 2023, at 30.6% (median of all 400 districts: 29.2%). In 2019 it was 32.7%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many children under three are in daycare in Leipzig?
Among 22 large German cities, Leipzig had the highest share of children under three in day care (Kita) in 2023, at 66.3% (median of all 400 districts: 35.5%). In 2019 it was 58.8%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many apprenticeship places are there in Leipzig?
Among 22 large German cities, Leipzig had the 6th highest number of company apprenticeship places offered per 100 applicants in 2024, at 108.1 (median of all 400 districts: 109.1). In 2019 it was 101.4.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many students are there in Leipzig?
Leipzig's number of university and college students per 1,000 residents was 0.0 in 2023, the lowest of 22 large German cities and 162nd lowest of 400 districts nationwide.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow far is the nearest primary school in Leipzig?
Among 22 large German cities, Leipzig had the longest average distance from home to the nearest primary school in 2023, at 1,369 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 Leipzig?
69% of children under 5 were in day care or school in 2025 (686 per 1,000).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many students are there in Leipzig?
40,864 students were enrolled in higher education in Leipzig in 2024, 67 for every 1,000 residents.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Leipzig have a degree?
Of adults aged 25 to 64 in Leipzig in 2024, 45% had a degree-level education, 46% an upper secondary education and 9% at most lower secondary schooling.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people leave school early in Leipzig?
5.6% of 18 to 24-year-olds had left education and training early in 2019.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- In the EU's 2023 survey of quality of life in European cities, 55% of residents of Leipzig were satisfied with schools and other educational facilities. Source: Eurostat · saved copy
How Leipzig compares with other cities in Germany
School leavers without a qualification (%) – large cities (2023)
Leipzig ranks 11 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Berlin | 8.1% |
| 9 | Bielefeld | 7.9% |
| 10 | Wuppertal | 6.9% |
| 11 | Leipzig | 6.7% |
| 12 | Stuttgart | 6.5% |
| 13 | Karlsruhe | 6.4% |
| 14 | Bochum | 6.4% |
School leavers with university entrance qualification (%) – large cities (2023)
Leipzig ranks 20 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | München | 34.8% |
| 17 | Dortmund | 34.2% |
| 18 | Bremen | 33.8% |
| 19 | Mannheim | 33.0% |
| 20 | Leipzig | 30.6% |
| 21 | Augsburg | 28.0% |
| 22 | Nürnberg | 26.5% |
Children under 3 in day care (%) – large cities (2023)
Leipzig ranks 1 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)
Leipzig ranks 6 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Karlsruhe | 113.0 |
| 4 | Dortmund | 112.0 |
| 5 | Augsburg | 110.5 |
| 6 | Leipzig | 108.1 |
| 7 | Duisburg | 108.0 |
| 8 | Bonn | 106.4 |
| 9 | Nürnberg | 106.1 |
Higher education students per 1,000 residents (2024)
Leipzig ranks 41 of 71, highest first.
| Rank | City | Higher education students per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 38 | München | 76 |
| 39 | Rostock | 69 |
| 40 | Heilbronn | 69 |
| 41 | Leipzig | 67 |
| 42 | Essen | 67 |
| 43 | Ulm | 66 |
| 44 | Hamburg | 65 |
Children 0-4 in day care per 1,000 (2025)
Leipzig ranks 7 of 66, highest first.
| Rank | City | Children 0-4 in day care per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Magdeburg | 712 |
| 5 | Dresden | 707 |
| 6 | Erfurt | 688 |
| 7 | Leipzig | 686 |
| 8 | Heidelberg | 667 |
| 9 | Berlin | 656 |
| 10 | Chemnitz | 651 |
More on Leipzig: 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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