Education in Groningen, Netherlands: official figures
The share of adults aged 25 to 64 with a degree-level (tertiary) education was 45.0% in 2025, against 46.1% for the Netherlands and 36.9% across the EU; 4th highest of 12 provinces in the Netherlands.
What percentage of people have a degree in Groningen province?
31.9% of residents aged 15 to 74 in the province of Groningen held a higher professional (hbo) or university degree in 2024, below the national figure of 33.3%; that is 6th highest among the 12 provinces, up from 29.5% in 2019.
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyWhat is the education level in Groningen province?
23.5% of residents aged 15 to 74 in the province of Groningen had no qualification above vmbo or mbo level 1 in 2024, 2nd lowest among the 12 provinces (below the national figure of 25.9%).
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyHow many students live in Groningen province?
The province of Groningen was home to 73.2 higher-education students (hbo and university) per 1,000 residents in 2025, the highest among the 12 provinces (Netherlands: 43.0).
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyHow many vocational students are there in Groningen province?
There were 28.3 mbo (secondary vocational) students per 1,000 residents of the province of Groningen in 2025, above the national figure of 25.9.
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyHow many secondary school pupils are there in Groningen province?
Secondary-school pupils living in the province of Groningen numbered 45.9 per 1,000 residents in 2025, against 51.0 nationally.
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyHow far is the nearest primary school in Groningen province?
The average resident of the province of Groningen lived 0.9 km by road from the nearest primary school in 2025, above the national figure of 0.8 km.
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyHow far is the nearest secondary school in Groningen province?
The nearest havo or vwo school was an average 4.6 km away for people in the province of Groningen in 2024, above the national figure of 3.4 km; that is 4th longest among the 12 provinces.
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyHow many young people in Groningen leave school early?
4.6% of 18 to 24-year-olds had left education and training early, with at most lower secondary schooling, in 2025, compared with 7.4% nationally and 9.1% in the EU; the lowest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2015 it was 5.8%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people in Groningen are NEET?
In 2025, 5.2% of 15 to 29-year-olds were not in employment, education or training, compared with 5.3% nationally and 11.0% in the EU; 5th lowest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2015 it was 7.4%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Groningen are in education or training?
26.8% of adults aged 25 to 64 had taken part in education or training in the previous four weeks in 2025, compared with 25.9% nationally and 13.7% in the EU; 3rd highest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2015 it was 20.3%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Groningen have no qualifications?
16.4% of adults aged 25 to 64 had no qualification beyond lower secondary school in 2025, compared with 18.4% nationally and 18.8% in the EU; 2nd lowest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2015 it was 24.4%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat education do adults in Groningen have?
38.6% of adults aged 25 to 64 had an upper secondary or post-secondary (non-degree) education as their highest level in 2025, compared with 35.5% nationally and 44.3% in the EU; 6th highest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2015 it was 41.9%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many pupils and students are there in Groningen?
Schools in Groningen taught 33,455 primary pupils and 53,534 secondary pupils in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow Groningen compares with other provinces
Residents aged 15 to 74 with higher education (hbo or university) (%) (2024)
Groningen ranks 6 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Residents aged 15 to 74 with higher education (hbo or university) (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | South Holland | 33.3% |
| 4 | North Brabant | 32.2% |
| 5 | Gelderland | 32.1% |
| 6 | Groningen | 31.9% |
| 7 | Overijssel | 29.6% |
| 8 | Limburg (NL) | 28.5% |
| 9 | Flevoland | 27.9% |
Residents aged 15 to 74 whose highest level is primary, vmbo or mbo-1 (%) (2024)
Groningen ranks 11 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Residents aged 15 to 74 whose highest level is primary, vmbo or mbo-1 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Friesland (NL) | 26.6% |
| 7 | North Brabant | 26.5% |
| 8 | Overijssel | 26.0% |
| 9 | Gelderland | 26.0% |
| 10 | North Holland | 23.8% |
| 11 | Groningen | 23.5% |
| 12 | Utrecht | 22.3% |
Resident hbo and university students per 1,000 residents (2025)
Groningen ranks 1 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Resident hbo and university students per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Groningen | 73.2 |
| 2 | Utrecht | 46.9 |
| 3 | South Holland | 44.7 |
| 4 | North Holland | 41.5 |
| 5 | Gelderland | 39.3 |
| 6 | Overijssel | 38.2 |
| 7 | North Brabant | 36.3 |
Average road distance to a havo/vwo secondary school (km) (2024)
Groningen ranks 4 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Average road distance to a havo/vwo secondary school (km) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drenthe | 6.3 km |
| 2 | Zeeland | 6.3 km |
| 3 | Friesland (NL) | 6.2 km |
| 4 | Groningen | 4.6 km |
| 5 | Overijssel | 4.1 km |
| 6 | Flevoland | 3.8 km |
| 7 | Gelderland | 3.7 km |
Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) (2025)
Groningen ranks 12 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Overijssel | 8.5% |
| 7 | North Brabant | 8.3% |
| 8 | Gelderland | 7.4% |
| 9 | North Holland | 7.2% |
| 10 | South Holland | 6.3% |
| 11 | Utrecht | 5.8% |
| 12 | Groningen | 4.6% |
Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training (2025)
Groningen ranks 8 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Overijssel | 5.5% |
| 6 | South Holland | 5.4% |
| 7 | Gelderland | 5.4% |
| 8 | Groningen | 5.2% |
| 9 | North Holland | 4.9% |
| 10 | North Brabant | 4.9% |
| 11 | Zeeland | 4.7% |
Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks (2025)
Groningen ranks 3 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utrecht | 28.3% |
| 2 | North Holland | 27.4% |
| 3 | Groningen | 26.8% |
| 4 | South Holland | 26.5% |
| 5 | Gelderland | 25.7% |
| 6 | Flevoland | 25.6% |
| 7 | North Brabant | 25.0% |
Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education (2025)
Groningen ranks 11 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | South Holland | 19.0% |
| 7 | Gelderland | 18.3% |
| 8 | Overijssel | 17.9% |
| 9 | Friesland (NL) | 17.6% |
| 10 | North Holland | 16.6% |
| 11 | Groningen | 16.4% |
| 12 | Utrecht | 12.9% |
Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary (2025)
Groningen ranks 6 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Zeeland | 43.4% |
| 4 | Limburg (NL) | 40.3% |
| 5 | Overijssel | 40.2% |
| 6 | Groningen | 38.6% |
| 7 | Flevoland | 38.5% |
| 8 | Gelderland | 37.6% |
| 9 | North Brabant | 35.3% |
More on Groningen: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · the Netherlands
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…)
- Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS): Regionale kerncijfers Nederland (table 70072ned): provinces, COROP areas and selected municipalities, 2014-2026, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d2b63aac3a26…)
- 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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