Education in Hamburg, Germany: official figures
The share of adults aged 25 to 64 with a degree-level (tertiary) education was 43.0% in 2025, against 35.4% for Germany and 36.9% across the EU; 2nd highest of 16 states in Germany.
How many pupils are there in Hamburg?
222,748 pupils attended general schools in Hamburg in the 2025/26 school year, 2.5% of all pupils in Germany.
Source: Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) · saved copyHow many children go to private school in Hamburg?
8.1% of pupils in Hamburg attended a private school in 2025/26, 7th lowest of 16 Länder (Germany: 9.1%).
Source: Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) · saved copyHow many teachers are there in Hamburg?
Hamburg had 19,680 full- and part-time teachers at general schools in 2025/26 (72% women), about 11.3 pupils per teacher against 11.8 nationally.
Source: Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) · saved copyHow many pupils leave school without qualifications in Hamburg?
1,310 young people left school in Hamburg in 2025 without even the first school-leaving certificate, 7.7% of their age group and 4th lowest of 16 Länder (Germany: 8.3%).
Source: Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) · saved copyWhat percentage of pupils get the Abitur in Hamburg?
9,555 young people in Hamburg gained the Abitur (general higher-education entrance qualification) in 2025 at general or vocational schools, 54.1% of the age group and the highest of 15 Länder (Germany: 33.9%).
Source: Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) · saved copyHow many children are in full-day childcare in Hamburg?
In 2024, 52.9% of children aged 3 to 5 and 28.5% of those under 3 in Hamburg were in full-day childcare (more than seven hours a day), compared with 47.0% and 20.0% nationally.
Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copyHow many young people in Hamburg leave school early?
The early school leaving rate was 9.6% in 2025 (18 to 24-year-olds with no upper secondary qualification who are not in education or training), compared with 13.1% nationally and 9.1% in the EU; the lowest of 14 states in Germany. In 2015 it was 13.2%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people in Hamburg are NEET?
In 2025, 9.7% of 15 to 29-year-olds were not in employment, education or training, compared with 9.5% nationally and 11.0% in the EU; 6th lowest of 16 states in Germany. In 2015 it was 8.7%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Hamburg are in education or training?
11.4% of adults aged 25 to 64 had taken part in education or training in the previous four weeks in 2025, compared with 9.3% nationally and 13.7% in the EU; 2nd highest of 16 states in Germany. In 2015 it was 9.6%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Hamburg have no qualifications?
In 2025, 14.7% of 25 to 64-year-olds had left education with at most a lower secondary education, compared with 14.2% nationally and 18.8% in the EU; 8th highest of 16 states in Germany. In 2015 it was 14.7%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat education do adults in Hamburg have?
42.3% of adults aged 25 to 64 had an upper secondary or post-secondary (non-degree) education as their highest level in 2025, compared with 50.4% nationally and 44.3% in the EU; 2nd lowest of 16 states in Germany. In 2015 it was 50.4%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many pupils and students are there in Hamburg?
Schools in Hamburg taught 75,721 primary pupils and 157,463 secondary pupils in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- 19.2% of pupils in Hamburg held a foreign nationality in 2025/26 (Germany: 16.3%). Source: Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) · saved copy
- 1.2% of pupils in Hamburg were repeating a school year in 2025/26 (1,968 pupils), 3rd lowest of 16 Länder. Source: Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) · saved copy
- 69.5% of 30- to 34-year-olds in Hamburg held an academic or higher vocational qualification in 2025 (Germany: 60.0%). Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren) · saved copy
How Hamburg compares with other states
School leavers without a first school-leaving certificate (% of age group) (2025)
Hamburg ranks 13 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | School leavers without a first school-leaving certificate (% of age group) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Saxony | 8.4% |
| 11 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 8.3% |
| 12 | Brandenburg | 8.0% |
| 13 | Hamburg | 7.7% |
| 14 | Baden-Württemberg | 6.9% |
| 15 | Bavaria | 6.6% |
| 16 | Hesse | 6.3% |
Abitur rate (% of age group) (2025)
Hamburg ranks 1 of 15, highest first. Bavaria left out: very few Abitur graduates in 2025
| Rank | Region | Abitur rate (% of age group) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hamburg | 54.1% |
| 2 | Berlin | 46.6% |
| 3 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 42.1% |
| 4 | Brandenburg | 40.8% |
| 5 | Schleswig-Holstein | 38.6% |
| 6 | Baden-Württemberg | 37.5% |
| 7 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 37.1% |
Pupils per teacher at general schools (headcount) (2025/26)
Hamburg ranks 12 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Pupils per teacher at general schools (headcount) |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Baden-Württemberg | 12.0 |
| 10 | Schleswig-Holstein | 11.9 |
| 11 | Hesse | 11.4 |
| 12 | Hamburg | 11.3 |
| 13 | Bremen | 11.0 |
| 14 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 10.8 |
| 15 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 10.6 |
Share of pupils at private schools (2025/26)
Hamburg ranks 10 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of pupils at private schools |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Baden-Württemberg | 10.3% |
| 8 | Thuringia | 9.8% |
| 9 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 8.3% |
| 10 | Hamburg | 8.1% |
| 11 | Saarland | 7.9% |
| 12 | Bremen | 7.9% |
| 13 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 7.8% |
Children aged 3 to 5 in full-day childcare (2024)
Hamburg ranks 10 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Children aged 3 to 5 in full-day childcare |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 55.9% |
| 8 | Berlin | 55.2% |
| 9 | Hesse | 54.3% |
| 10 | Hamburg | 52.9% |
| 11 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 49.2% |
| 12 | Schleswig-Holstein | 43.2% |
| 13 | Lower Saxony | 39.0% |
Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) (2025)
Hamburg ranks 14 of 14, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 13.8% |
| 9 | Thuringia | 13.6% |
| 10 | Hesse | 13.3% |
| 11 | Saxony | 12.2% |
| 12 | Baden-Württemberg | 11.1% |
| 13 | Bavaria | 10.1% |
| 14 | Hamburg | 9.6% |
Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training (2025)
Hamburg ranks 11 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Schleswig-Holstein | 10.1% |
| 9 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 10.0% |
| 10 | Lower Saxony | 9.8% |
| 11 | Hamburg | 9.7% |
| 12 | Hesse | 9.5% |
| 13 | Saxony | 9.1% |
| 14 | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 8.9% |
Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks (2025)
Hamburg ranks 2 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berlin | 11.9% |
| 2 | Hamburg | 11.4% |
| 3 | Bremen | 11.0% |
| 4 | Hesse | 10.1% |
| 5 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 9.9% |
| 6 | Baden-Württemberg | 9.4% |
| 7 | Lower Saxony | 9.3% |
Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education (2025)
Hamburg ranks 8 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Lower Saxony | 16.1% |
| 6 | Berlin | 15.1% |
| 7 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 15.0% |
| 8 | Hamburg | 14.7% |
| 9 | Schleswig-Holstein | 14.5% |
| 10 | Baden-Württemberg | 14.3% |
| 11 | Bavaria | 11.0% |
Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary (2025)
Hamburg ranks 15 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Bavaria | 50.4% |
| 11 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 49.6% |
| 12 | Hesse | 47.9% |
| 13 | Baden-Württemberg | 46.9% |
| 14 | Bremen | 44.4% |
| 15 | Hamburg | 42.3% |
| 16 | Berlin | 36.8% |
More on Hamburg: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · Germany
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset edat_lfse_04: Adults (25-64) with a degree-level education, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6ff9f4bfff72…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset trng_lfse_04: Participation rate of adults in education and training (last 4 weeks) by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 42ceced85786…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset edat_lfse_04: Population aged 25-64 by educational attainment level, sex and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 63810622cd71…)
- Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis): Statistischer Bericht: Allgemeinbildende Schulen, Schuljahr 2025/2026, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 eda75dad3048…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset edat_lfse_22: Young people neither in employment nor in education and training (NEET) by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1467a7225373…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset edat_lfse_16: Early leavers from education and training by sex and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c3cc66b98a4a…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset educ_uoe_enra11: Pupils and students enrolled by education level, sex and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 20b6224cca4f…)
- Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (Arbeitskreis Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren): Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren der Länder: Tabellenband mit kompletten Zeitreihen zu allen Indikatoren (October 2026 edition), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5f3f1b692389…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.