Education in Apulia, Italy: official figures
The share of adults aged 25 to 64 with a degree-level (tertiary) education was 18.5% in 2025, against 22.3% for Italy and 36.9% across the EU; 19th highest of 21 regions in Italy.
How many children go to nursery in Apulia?
30.5% of children under three in Apulia were enrolled in a nursery (asilo nido) in 2024 (Italy 37.4%), 4th lowest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces, up from 26.8% in 2019.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow do students in Apulia do in INVALSI maths tests?
47.7% of pupils in the third year of lower secondary school (age 13) in Apulia did not reach an adequate level in the 2025 national INVALSI maths tests (Italy 44.3%); 7th highest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces, down from 49.3% in 2021.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow good are reading skills of students in Apulia?
41.9% of 13-year-old pupils in Apulia fell short of adequate reading comprehension in the 2025 INVALSI tests (Italy 41.4%), 7th highest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces, down from 42.0% in 2021.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many students in Apulia go to university?
53.6% of students from Apulia who finished secondary school enrolled at university in the academic year starting 2023 (Italy 52.4%), 5th lowest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces, up from 48.3% in 2018.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many children attend pre-school in Apulia?
97.4% of four- and five-year-olds in Apulia attended pre-school or school in 2024 (Italy 95.0%), down from 99.4% in 2019.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many people in Apulia have digital skills?
38.9% of people aged 16 to 74 in Apulia had at least basic digital skills in 2023 (Italy 45.9%).
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many adults in Apulia take part in training?
8.2% of adults aged 25 to 64 in Apulia took part in education or training in the four weeks before the 2025 survey (Italy 10.8%), up from 5.4% in 2020.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many STEM graduates does Apulia produce?
Universities produced 16.8 new science, technology, engineering and maths graduates per 1,000 residents aged 20 to 29 of Apulia in 2022 (Italy 17.7), up from 13.6 in 2017.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many young people in Apulia leave school early?
The early school leaving rate was 8.6% in 2025 (18 to 24-year-olds with no upper secondary qualification who are not in education or training), compared with 8.2% nationally and 9.1% in the EU; 7th highest of 19 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 16.7%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people in Apulia are NEET?
In 2025, 19.0% of 15 to 29-year-olds were not in employment, education or training, compared with 13.3% nationally and 11.0% in the EU; 4th highest of 20 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 33.1%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Apulia are in education or training?
8.2% of adults aged 25 to 64 had taken part in education or training in the previous four weeks in 2025, compared with 10.8% nationally and 13.7% in the EU; 2nd lowest of 21 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 5.6%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Apulia have no qualifications?
In 2025, 42.6% of 25 to 64-year-olds had left education with at most a lower secondary education, compared with 33.0% nationally and 18.8% in the EU; 3rd highest of 21 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 51.6%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat education do adults in Apulia have?
38.9% of adults aged 25 to 64 had an upper secondary or post-secondary (non-degree) education as their highest level in 2025, compared with 44.7% nationally and 44.3% in the EU; 2nd lowest of 21 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 35.1%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many pupils and students are there in Apulia?
Schools in Apulia taught 165,048 primary pupils and 305,837 secondary pupils in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow Apulia compares with other regions
Children aged 0-2 enrolled in nursery (%) (2024)
Apulia ranks 18 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Children aged 0-2 enrolled in nursery (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Liguria | 33.2% |
| 16 | Basilicata | 31.5% |
| 17 | Calabria | 30.6% |
| 18 | Apulia | 30.5% |
| 19 | Sicily | 30.2% |
| 20 | Campania | 25.9% |
| 21 | Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano/Bozen | 22.3% |
Pupils (year 8) with inadequate maths skills (%) (2025)
Apulia ranks 7 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Pupils (year 8) with inadequate maths skills (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Campania | 56.8% |
| 5 | Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano/Bozen | 48.6% |
| 6 | Basilicata | 47.8% |
| 7 | Apulia | 47.7% |
| 8 | Molise | 45.3% |
| 9 | Liguria | 45.1% |
| 10 | Lazio | 44.9% |
Pupils (year 8) with inadequate reading skills (%) (2025)
Apulia ranks 7 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Pupils (year 8) with inadequate reading skills (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Sardinia | 49.1% |
| 5 | Campania | 48.6% |
| 6 | Liguria | 44.0% |
| 7 | Apulia | 41.9% |
| 8 | Basilicata | 41.7% |
| 9 | Piedmont | 39.6% |
| 10 | Emilia-Romagna | 39.6% |
Adults aged 25-64 with at least upper secondary education (%) (2025)
Apulia ranks 19 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults aged 25-64 with at least upper secondary education (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Basilicata | 66.7% |
| 16 | Valle d’Aosta/Vallée d’Aoste | 63.6% |
| 17 | Calabria | 61.0% |
| 18 | Campania | 58.8% |
| 19 | Apulia | 57.4% |
| 20 | Sardinia | 57.2% |
| 21 | Sicily | 56.6% |
School leavers going on to university (%) (2023)
Apulia ranks 17 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | School leavers going on to university (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Calabria | 55.2% |
| 15 | Piedmont | 55.1% |
| 16 | Veneto | 53.6% |
| 17 | Apulia | 53.6% |
| 18 | Sardinia | 51.7% |
| 19 | Sicily | 50.7% |
| 20 | Campania | 38.9% |
Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) (2025)
Apulia ranks 7 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Campania | 9.7% |
| 5 | Liguria | 9.3% |
| 6 | Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano/Bozen | 9.0% |
| 7 | Apulia | 8.6% |
| 8 | Marche | 7.7% |
| 9 | Basilicata | 7.7% |
| 10 | Veneto | 7.6% |
Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training (2025)
Apulia ranks 4 of 20, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sicily | 22.8% |
| 2 | Campania | 21.5% |
| 3 | Calabria | 20.9% |
| 4 | Apulia | 19.0% |
| 5 | Sardinia | 15.7% |
| 6 | Basilicata | 14.9% |
| 7 | Liguria | 14.0% |
Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks (2025)
Apulia ranks 20 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Piedmont | 10.0% |
| 16 | Valle d’Aosta/Vallée d’Aoste | 10.0% |
| 17 | Basilicata | 9.6% |
| 18 | Calabria | 9.2% |
| 19 | Campania | 8.6% |
| 20 | Apulia | 8.2% |
| 21 | Sicily | 7.2% |
Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education (2025)
Apulia ranks 3 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sicily | 43.4% |
| 2 | Sardinia | 42.8% |
| 3 | Apulia | 42.6% |
| 4 | Campania | 41.2% |
| 5 | Calabria | 39.0% |
| 6 | Valle d’Aosta/Vallée d’Aoste | 36.4% |
| 7 | Basilicata | 33.3% |
Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary (2025)
Apulia ranks 20 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Tuscany | 45.2% |
| 16 | Valle d’Aosta/Vallée d’Aoste | 42.6% |
| 17 | Calabria | 42.4% |
| 18 | Campania | 40.1% |
| 19 | Sicily | 39.7% |
| 20 | Apulia | 38.9% |
| 21 | Sardinia | 38.8% |
More on Apulia: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · Italy
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…)
- 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…)
- Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics): BES (equitable and sustainable well-being) indicators by region, interim update April 2026: indicatori_regione_sesso.xlsx, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 9003db40394e…)
- 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…)
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