Education in Lombardy, Italy: official figures
The share of adults aged 25 to 64 with a degree-level (tertiary) education was 23.6% in 2025, against 22.3% for Italy and 36.9% across the EU; 9th highest of 21 regions in Italy.
How many children go to nursery in Lombardy?
44.1% of children under three in Lombardy were enrolled in a nursery (asilo nido) in 2024 (Italy 37.4%), 3rd highest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces, up from 26.5% in 2019.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow do students in Lombardy do in INVALSI maths tests?
35.9% of pupils in the third year of lower secondary school (age 13) in Lombardy did not reach an adequate level in the 2025 national INVALSI maths tests (Italy 44.3%); 5th lowest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces, down from 36.6% in 2021.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow good are reading skills of students in Lombardy?
36.6% of 13-year-old pupils in Lombardy fell short of adequate reading comprehension in the 2025 INVALSI tests (Italy 41.4%), 6th lowest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces, up from 33.6% in 2021.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many students in Lombardy go to university?
55.3% of students from Lombardy who finished secondary school enrolled at university in the academic year starting 2023 (Italy 52.4%), 9th lowest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces, up from 54.5% in 2018.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many children attend pre-school in Lombardy?
93.6% of four- and five-year-olds in Lombardy attended pre-school or school in 2024 (Italy 95.0%), unchanged from 2019.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many people in Lombardy have digital skills?
53.4% of people aged 16 to 74 in Lombardy had at least basic digital skills in 2023 (Italy 45.9%).
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many adults in Lombardy take part in training?
11.8% of adults aged 25 to 64 in Lombardy took part in education or training in the four weeks before the 2025 survey (Italy 10.8%), up from 7.8% in 2020.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many STEM graduates does Lombardy produce?
Universities produced 16.7 new science, technology, engineering and maths graduates per 1,000 residents aged 20 to 29 of Lombardy in 2022 (Italy 17.7), up from 13.9 in 2017.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many young people in Lombardy leave school early?
6.6% of 18 to 24-year-olds had left education and training early, with at most lower secondary schooling, in 2025, against 8.2% for Italy as a whole and 9.1% across the EU; 7th lowest of 19 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 13.1%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people in Lombardy are NEET?
In 2025, 8.5% of 15 to 29-year-olds were not in employment, education or training, against 13.3% for Italy as a whole and 11.0% across the EU; 7th lowest of 20 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 18.6%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Lombardy are in education or training?
11.8% of adults aged 25 to 64 had taken part in education or training in the previous four weeks in 2025, against 10.8% for Italy as a whole and 13.7% across the EU; 7th highest of 21 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 8.1%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Lombardy have no qualifications?
30.2% of adults aged 25 to 64 had no qualification beyond lower secondary school in 2025, against 33.0% for Italy as a whole and 18.8% across the EU; 10th lowest of 21 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 36.9%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat education do adults in Lombardy have?
46.2% of adults aged 25 to 64 had an upper secondary or post-secondary (non-degree) education as their highest level in 2025, against 44.7% for Italy as a whole and 44.3% across the EU; 11th highest of 21 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 43.8%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many pupils and students are there in Lombardy?
Schools in Lombardy taught 457,134 primary pupils and 762,771 secondary pupils in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow Lombardy compares with other regions
Children aged 0-2 enrolled in nursery (%) (2024)
Lombardy ranks 3 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Children aged 0-2 enrolled in nursery (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emilia-Romagna | 48.0% |
| 2 | Marche | 47.7% |
| 3 | Lombardy | 44.1% |
| 4 | Tuscany | 43.3% |
| 5 | Lazio | 43.2% |
| 6 | Molise | 42.6% |
| 7 | Sardinia | 41.7% |
Pupils (year 8) with inadequate maths skills (%) (2025)
Lombardy ranks 17 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Pupils (year 8) with inadequate maths skills (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Tuscany | 39.0% |
| 15 | Valle d’Aosta/Vallée d’Aoste | 36.4% |
| 16 | Friuli-Venezia Giulia | 36.1% |
| 17 | Lombardy | 35.9% |
| 18 | Marche | 35.5% |
| 19 | Veneto | 34.5% |
| 20 | Umbria | 33.6% |
Pupils (year 8) with inadequate reading skills (%) (2025)
Lombardy ranks 16 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Pupils (year 8) with inadequate reading skills (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Molise | 38.6% |
| 14 | Abruzzo | 37.3% |
| 15 | Friuli-Venezia Giulia | 36.8% |
| 16 | Lombardy | 36.6% |
| 17 | Veneto | 36.1% |
| 18 | Provincia Autonoma di Trento | 35.6% |
| 19 | Marche | 35.1% |
Adults aged 25-64 with at least upper secondary education (%) (2025)
Lombardy ranks 10 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults aged 25-64 with at least upper secondary education (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Emilia-Romagna | 71.3% |
| 8 | Marche | 71.3% |
| 9 | Liguria | 70.1% |
| 10 | Lombardy | 69.8% |
| 11 | Molise | 69.4% |
| 12 | Veneto | 69.2% |
| 13 | Tuscany | 69.0% |
School leavers going on to university (%) (2023)
Lombardy ranks 13 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | School leavers going on to university (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Liguria | 56.1% |
| 11 | Tuscany | 56.0% |
| 12 | Emilia-Romagna | 55.6% |
| 13 | Lombardy | 55.3% |
| 14 | Calabria | 55.2% |
| 15 | Piedmont | 55.1% |
| 16 | Veneto | 53.6% |
Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) (2025)
Lombardy ranks 13 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Veneto | 7.6% |
| 11 | Piedmont | 7.2% |
| 12 | Lazio | 6.9% |
| 13 | Lombardy | 6.6% |
| 14 | Calabria | 6.5% |
| 15 | Emilia-Romagna | 6.0% |
| 16 | Friuli-Venezia Giulia | 5.5% |
Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training (2025)
Lombardy ranks 14 of 20, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Marche | 10.8% |
| 12 | Tuscany | 10.1% |
| 13 | Piedmont | 9.3% |
| 14 | Lombardy | 8.5% |
| 15 | Friuli-Venezia Giulia | 8.5% |
| 16 | Umbria | 8.4% |
| 17 | Veneto | 8.3% |
Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks (2025)
Lombardy ranks 7 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Umbria | 13.2% |
| 5 | Emilia-Romagna | 13.1% |
| 6 | Sardinia | 12.7% |
| 7 | Lombardy | 11.8% |
| 8 | Tuscany | 11.7% |
| 9 | Liguria | 11.4% |
| 10 | Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano/Bozen | 11.4% |
Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education (2025)
Lombardy ranks 12 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Tuscany | 31.0% |
| 10 | Veneto | 30.8% |
| 11 | Molise | 30.6% |
| 12 | Lombardy | 30.2% |
| 13 | Liguria | 29.9% |
| 14 | Emilia-Romagna | 28.7% |
| 15 | Marche | 28.7% |
Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary (2025)
Lombardy ranks 11 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Molise | 47.2% |
| 9 | Liguria | 46.6% |
| 10 | Marche | 46.4% |
| 11 | Lombardy | 46.2% |
| 12 | Basilicata | 46.2% |
| 13 | Lazio | 46.0% |
| 14 | Emilia-Romagna | 46.0% |
More on Lombardy: 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…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.