Education in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany: official figures
The share of adults aged 25 to 64 with a degree-level (tertiary) education was 32.3% in 2025, against 35.4% for Germany and 36.9% across the EU; 10th highest of 16 states in Germany.
How many pupils are there in North Rhine-Westphalia?
2,030,670 pupils attended general schools in North Rhine-Westphalia in the 2025/26 school year, 22.6% of all pupils in Germany.
Source: Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) · saved copyHow many children go to private school in North Rhine-Westphalia?
8.3% of pupils in North Rhine-Westphalia attended a private school in 2025/26, 8th lowest of 16 Länder (Germany: 9.1%).
Source: Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) · saved copyHow many teachers are there in North Rhine-Westphalia?
North Rhine-Westphalia had 187,580 full- and part-time teachers at general schools in 2025/26 (74% women), about 10.8 pupils per teacher against 11.8 nationally.
Source: Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) · saved copyHow many pupils leave school without qualifications in North Rhine-Westphalia?
14,380 young people left school in North Rhine-Westphalia in 2025 without even the first school-leaving certificate, 8.3% of their age group and 6th lowest of 16 Länder (Germany: 8.3%).
Source: Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) · saved copyWhat percentage of pupils get the Abitur in North Rhine-Westphalia?
74,370 young people in North Rhine-Westphalia gained the Abitur (general higher-education entrance qualification) in 2025 at general or vocational schools, 42.1% of the age group and 3rd highest of 15 Länder (Germany: 33.9%).
Source: Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) · saved copyHow many children are in full-day childcare in North Rhine-Westphalia?
In 2024, 49.2% of children aged 3 to 5 and 16.8% of those under 3 in North Rhine-Westphalia 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 North Rhine-Westphalia leave school early?
14.5% of 18 to 24-year-olds had left education and training early, with at most lower secondary schooling, in 2025 (Germany: 13.1%; EU: 9.1%); 5th highest of 14 states in Germany. In 2015 it was 11.7%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people in North Rhine-Westphalia are NEET?
10.2% of young people aged 15 to 29 were neither in work nor in education or training (NEET) in 2025 (Germany: 9.5%; EU: 11.0%); 7th highest of 16 states in Germany. In 2015 it was 9.8%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in North Rhine-Westphalia are in education or training?
9.9% of adults aged 25 to 64 had taken part in education or training in the previous four weeks in 2025 (Germany: 9.3%; EU: 13.7%); 5th highest of 16 states in Germany. In 2015 it was 7.5%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in North Rhine-Westphalia have no qualifications?
In 2025, 18.0% of 25 to 64-year-olds had left education with at most a lower secondary education (Germany: 14.2%; EU: 18.8%); 2nd highest of 16 states in Germany. In 2015 it was 17.8%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat education do adults in North Rhine-Westphalia have?
49.6% of adults aged 25 to 64 had an upper secondary or post-secondary (non-degree) education as their highest level in 2025 (Germany: 50.4%; EU: 44.3%); 6th lowest of 16 states in Germany. In 2015 it was 57.5%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many pupils and students are there in North Rhine-Westphalia?
Schools in North Rhine-Westphalia taught 738,774 primary pupils and 1,561,240 secondary pupils in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- 17.9% of pupils in North Rhine-Westphalia held a foreign nationality in 2025/26 (Germany: 16.3%). Source: Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) · saved copy
- 1.9% of pupils in North Rhine-Westphalia were repeating a school year in 2025/26 (28,890 pupils), 7th lowest of 16 Länder. Source: Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) · saved copy
- 61.0% of 30- to 34-year-olds in North Rhine-Westphalia 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 North Rhine-Westphalia compares with other states
School leavers without a first school-leaving certificate (% of age group) (2025)
North Rhine-Westphalia ranks 11 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | School leavers without a first school-leaving certificate (% of age group) |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Schleswig-Holstein | 9.1% |
| 9 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 8.9% |
| 10 | Saxony | 8.4% |
| 11 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 8.3% |
| 12 | Brandenburg | 8.0% |
| 13 | Hamburg | 7.7% |
| 14 | Baden-Württemberg | 6.9% |
Abitur rate (% of age group) (2025)
North Rhine-Westphalia ranks 3 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)
North Rhine-Westphalia ranks 14 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Pupils per teacher at general schools (headcount) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 16 | Saarland | 10.4 |
Share of pupils at private schools (2025/26)
North Rhine-Westphalia ranks 9 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of pupils at private schools |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Berlin | 10.4% |
| 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% |
Children aged 3 to 5 in full-day childcare (2024)
North Rhine-Westphalia ranks 11 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Children aged 3 to 5 in full-day childcare |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 14 | Bremen | 36.7% |
Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) (2025)
North Rhine-Westphalia ranks 5 of 14, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Berlin | 15.7% |
| 3 | Saxony-Anhalt | 15.1% |
| 4 | Schleswig-Holstein | 14.7% |
| 5 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 14.5% |
| 6 | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 14.5% |
| 7 | Lower Saxony | 14.3% |
| 8 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 13.8% |
Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training (2025)
North Rhine-Westphalia ranks 7 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Brandenburg | 11.9% |
| 5 | Saxony-Anhalt | 10.9% |
| 6 | Thuringia | 10.6% |
| 7 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 10.2% |
| 8 | Schleswig-Holstein | 10.1% |
| 9 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 10.0% |
| 10 | Lower Saxony | 9.8% |
Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks (2025)
North Rhine-Westphalia ranks 5 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 8 | Saxony | 9.3% |
Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education (2025)
North Rhine-Westphalia ranks 2 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bremen | 23.3% |
| 2 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 18.0% |
| 3 | Saarland | 17.2% |
| 4 | Hesse | 16.4% |
| 5 | Lower Saxony | 16.1% |
| 6 | Berlin | 15.1% |
| 7 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 15.0% |
Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary (2025)
North Rhine-Westphalia ranks 11 of 16, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 51.7% |
| 9 | Lower Saxony | 50.9% |
| 10 | Bavaria | 50.4% |
| 11 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 49.6% |
| 12 | Hesse | 47.9% |
| 13 | Baden-Württemberg | 46.9% |
| 14 | Bremen | 44.4% |
More on North Rhine-Westphalia: 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…)
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