Education in Central Macedonia, Greece: official figures
The share of adults aged 25 to 64 with a degree-level (tertiary) education was 36.4% in 2025, against 34.9% for Greece and 36.9% across the EU; 2nd highest of 13 regions in Greece.
How many people in Central Macedonia have a degree?
373,043 residents of Central Macedonia held a university-level degree in 2021, 208 per 1,000 residents; 81,558 of them had a master's or doctorate, including 13,527 doctorate holders.
Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) · saved copyAre graduates unemployed in Central Macedonia?
Unemployment among graduates in Central Macedonia was 12.3% at the 2021 census, compared with 16.5% for the whole labour force.
Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) · saved copyWhat is the illiteracy rate in Central Macedonia?
The 2021 census recorded 18,014 people in Central Macedonia who cannot read or write, 10.0 per 1,000 residents (Greece: 12.5).
Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) · saved copyHow many primary schools are there in Central Macedonia?
94,430 pupils were enrolled in 734 primary schools in Central Macedonia at the end of the 2023/24 school year, taught by 13,250 teachers.
Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) · saved copyWhat is the pupil-teacher ratio in Central Macedonia?
Primary schools in Central Macedonia had 7.1 pupils per teacher in 2023/24 (Greece: 7.2), 6th lowest of 13 among the regions.
Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) · saved copyHow many secondary schools are there in Central Macedonia?
Central Macedonia had 297 gymnasia (lower secondary schools) with 57,070 pupils and 6,574 teachers at the end of 2023/24, 8.7 pupils per teacher.
Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) · saved copyWhat is the school dropout rate in Central Macedonia?
449 gymnasium pupils in Central Macedonia dropped out during 2023/24, 0.78% of enrolments against 0.67% nationally, 5th highest of 13 among the regions.
Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) · saved copyHow many young people in Central Macedonia leave school early?
The early school leaving rate was 5.0% in 2017 (18 to 24-year-olds with no upper secondary qualification who are not in education or training) (Greece: 6.0%; EU: 10.5%); 2nd lowest of 9 regions in Greece. In 2012 it was 7.8%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people in Central Macedonia are NEET?
In 2025, 15.2% of 15 to 29-year-olds were not in employment, education or training, against 13.6% for Greece as a whole and 11.0% across the EU; 6th highest of 13 regions in Greece. In 2015 it was 23.9%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Central Macedonia are in education or training?
5.5% of adults aged 25 to 64 had taken part in education or training in the previous four weeks in 2025, against 5.2% for Greece as a whole and 13.7% across the EU; 2nd highest of 12 regions in Greece. In 2015 it was 2.8%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Central Macedonia have no qualifications?
In 2025, 17.1% of 25 to 64-year-olds had left education with at most a lower secondary education, against 18.0% for Greece as a whole and 18.8% across the EU; 2nd lowest of 13 regions in Greece. In 2015 it was 31.8%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat education do adults in Central Macedonia have?
46.5% of adults aged 25 to 64 had an upper secondary or post-secondary (non-degree) education as their highest level in 2025, against 47.1% for Greece as a whole and 44.3% across the EU; 4th lowest of 13 regions in Greece. In 2015 it was 39.1%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many pupils and students are there in Central Macedonia?
Schools in Central Macedonia taught 95,222 primary pupils and 123,410 secondary pupils in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- 8.4% of the labour force in Central Macedonia had at most a primary-school education in 2021 (9.2% nationally). Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) · saved copy
- 970 primary pupils in Central Macedonia stopped attending school without justification in 2023/24. Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) · saved copy
How Central Macedonia compares with other regions
Share of the labour force holding a degree, 2021 census (2021)
Central Macedonia ranks 2 of 13, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of the labour force holding a degree, 2021 census |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Attica | 41.1% |
| 2 | Central Macedonia | 34.6% |
| 3 | Thessalia | 32.9% |
| 4 | Ipeiros | 32.8% |
| 5 | Voreio Aigaio | 31.5% |
| 6 | Dytiki Makedonia | 31.0% |
| 7 | Crete | 29.8% |
Unemployment rate among graduates, 2021 census (2021)
Central Macedonia ranks 3 of 13, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Unemployment rate among graduates, 2021 census |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dytiki Makedonia | 14.8% |
| 2 | Dytiki Elláda | 13.0% |
| 3 | Central Macedonia | 12.3% |
| 4 | Thessalia | 12.1% |
| 5 | Anatoliki Makedonia, Thraki | 12.1% |
| 6 | Sterea Elláda | 11.8% |
| 7 | Peloponnisos | 11.5% |
Primary pupils per teacher, 2023/24 (2023/24)
Central Macedonia ranks 8 of 13, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Primary pupils per teacher, 2023/24 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Thessalia | 7.2 |
| 6 | Sterea Elláda | 7.2 |
| 7 | Dytiki Elláda | 7.2 |
| 8 | Central Macedonia | 7.1 |
| 9 | Ipeiros | 7.0 |
| 10 | Ionia Nisia | 7.0 |
| 11 | Crete | 6.4 |
Gymnasium dropout rate, 2023/24 (2023/24)
Central Macedonia ranks 5 of 13, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Gymnasium dropout rate, 2023/24 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Sterea Elláda | 1.09% |
| 3 | Anatoliki Makedonia, Thraki | 1.03% |
| 4 | Voreio Aigaio | 0.88% |
| 5 | Central Macedonia | 0.78% |
| 6 | Peloponnisos | 0.76% |
| 7 | Attica | 0.66% |
| 8 | Crete | 0.56% |
Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) (2017)
Central Macedonia ranks 8 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Dytiki Elláda | 12.1% |
| 4 | Notio Aigaio | 11.8% |
| 5 | Sterea Elláda | 11.4% |
| 6 | Crete | 9.5% |
| 7 | Peloponnisos | 8.3% |
| 8 | Central Macedonia | 5.0% |
| 9 | Attica | 2.8% |
Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training (2025)
Central Macedonia ranks 6 of 13, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Voreio Aigaio | 18.7% |
| 4 | Notio Aigaio | 16.3% |
| 5 | Anatoliki Makedonia, Thraki | 15.9% |
| 6 | Central Macedonia | 15.2% |
| 7 | Dytiki Makedonia | 15.0% |
| 8 | Peloponnisos | 14.6% |
| 9 | Thessalia | 14.3% |
Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks (2025)
Central Macedonia ranks 2 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Attica | 6.9% |
| 2 | Central Macedonia | 5.5% |
| 3 | Thessalia | 5.3% |
| 4 | Voreio Aigaio | 5.2% |
| 5 | Anatoliki Makedonia, Thraki | 4.6% |
| 6 | Dytiki Elláda | 4.2% |
| 7 | Dytiki Makedonia | 4.0% |
Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education (2025)
Central Macedonia ranks 12 of 13, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Crete | 24.0% |
| 8 | Ipeiros | 22.2% |
| 9 | Thessalia | 20.0% |
| 10 | Dytiki Makedonia | 19.1% |
| 11 | Voreio Aigaio | 18.1% |
| 12 | Central Macedonia | 17.1% |
| 13 | Attica | 9.7% |
Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary (2025)
Central Macedonia ranks 10 of 13, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Notio Aigaio | 48.6% |
| 8 | Dytiki Elláda | 48.3% |
| 9 | Crete | 47.5% |
| 10 | Central Macedonia | 46.5% |
| 11 | Attica | 45.6% |
| 12 | Anatoliki Makedonia, Thraki | 43.7% |
| 13 | Ipeiros | 42.4% |
More on Central Macedonia: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government and politics · Greece
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset edat_lfse_04: Adults (25-64) with a degree-level education, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6ff9f4bfff72…)
- Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT): 2021 Population-Housing Census tables SAM04 A01 (residents by sex, education and activity status, regional units), SAM04 B03 (same, municipalities), SAM05 A01 (conventional dwellings by occupancy, period of construction and building type), SAM05 A07 (occupied dwellings by floor space per person) and SAM05 B02 (occupied dwellings by tenure), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 86872ba6c2c0…)
- 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_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 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…)
- Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT): Primary schools (SED12 tables 01L, 04L, 13L, 14L) and lower secondary schools / gymnasia (SED21 tables 01L, 04AL, 08L, 09L) by region and prefecture, end of school year 2023/24, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ed8244b2e393…)
- 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…)
- 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…)
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