Education in Sicily, Italy: official figures
The share of adults aged 25 to 64 with a degree-level (tertiary) education was 16.9% in 2025, against 22.3% for Italy and 36.9% across the EU; the lowest of 21 regions in Italy.
How many children go to nursery in Sicily?
Nursery places reached 30.2% of children aged 0 to 2 in Sicily in 2024, compared with 37.4% nationally: 3rd lowest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces, up from 24.3% in 2019.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow do students in Sicily do in INVALSI maths tests?
In the 2025 INVALSI tests, 62.0% of 13-year-olds in Sicily had inadequate maths skills, against 44.3% across Italy (the highest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces), up from 61.6% in 2021.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow good are reading skills of students in Sicily?
Reading results: 53.3% of third-year lower secondary pupils in Sicily scored below the adequate level in Italian in 2025 (Italy 41.4%); 2nd highest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces, up from 50.5% in 2021.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many students in Sicily go to university?
The transition rate to university in Sicily was 50.7% in 2023, against 52.4% for Italy: 3rd lowest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces, up from 43.8% in 2018.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many children attend pre-school in Sicily?
95.7% of four- and five-year-olds in Sicily attended pre-school or school in 2024 (Italy 95.0%), down from 98.1% in 2019.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many people in Sicily have digital skills?
34.5% of people aged 16 to 74 in Sicily had at least basic digital skills in 2023 (Italy 45.9%).
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many adults in Sicily take part in training?
7.2% of adults aged 25 to 64 in Sicily took part in education or training in the four weeks before the 2025 survey (Italy 10.8%), up from 4.5% in 2020.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many STEM graduates does Sicily produce?
Universities produced 14.4 new science, technology, engineering and maths graduates per 1,000 residents aged 20 to 29 of Sicily in 2022 (Italy 17.7), up from 11.3 in 2017.
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copyHow many young people in Sicily leave school early?
The early school leaving rate was 13.7% 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; the highest of 19 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 24.3%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people in Sicily are NEET?
In 2025, 22.8% of 15 to 29-year-olds were not in employment, education or training, compared with 13.3% nationally and 11.0% in the EU; the highest of 20 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 39.3%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Sicily are in education or training?
7.2% 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; the lowest of 21 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 4.7%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Sicily have no qualifications?
43.4% of adults aged 25 to 64 had no qualification beyond lower secondary school in 2025, compared with 33.0% nationally and 18.8% in the EU; the highest of 21 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 50.2%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat education do adults in Sicily have?
39.7% 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; 3rd lowest of 21 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 36.6%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many pupils and students are there in Sicily?
Schools in Sicily taught 218,269 primary pupils and 396,649 secondary pupils in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow Sicily compares with other regions
Children aged 0-2 enrolled in nursery (%) (2024)
Sicily ranks 19 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)
Sicily ranks 1 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Pupils (year 8) with inadequate maths skills (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sicily | 62.0% |
| 2 | Calabria | 59.5% |
| 3 | Sardinia | 57.9% |
| 4 | Campania | 56.8% |
| 5 | Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano/Bozen | 48.6% |
| 6 | Basilicata | 47.8% |
| 7 | Apulia | 47.7% |
Pupils (year 8) with inadequate reading skills (%) (2025)
Sicily ranks 2 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Pupils (year 8) with inadequate reading skills (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano/Bozen | 53.4% |
| 2 | Sicily | 53.3% |
| 3 | Calabria | 50.8% |
| 4 | Sardinia | 49.1% |
| 5 | Campania | 48.6% |
| 6 | Liguria | 44.0% |
| 7 | Apulia | 41.9% |
Adults aged 25-64 with at least upper secondary education (%) (2025)
Sicily ranks 21 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)
Sicily ranks 19 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Region | School leavers going on to university (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Piedmont | 55.1% |
| 16 | Veneto | 53.6% |
| 17 | Apulia | 53.6% |
| 18 | Sardinia | 51.7% |
| 19 | Sicily | 50.7% |
| 20 | Campania | 38.9% |
| 21 | Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano/Bozen | 20.7% |
Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) (2025)
Sicily ranks 1 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sicily | 13.7% |
| 2 | Sardinia | 13.6% |
| 3 | Tuscany | 9.8% |
| 4 | Campania | 9.7% |
| 5 | Liguria | 9.3% |
| 6 | Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano/Bozen | 9.0% |
| 7 | Apulia | 8.6% |
Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training (2025)
Sicily ranks 1 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)
Sicily ranks 21 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)
Sicily ranks 1 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)
Sicily ranks 19 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 Sicily: 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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