Education in North Holland, Netherlands: official figures
The share of adults aged 25 to 64 with a degree-level (tertiary) education was 52.2% in 2025, against 46.1% for the Netherlands and 36.9% across the EU; 2nd highest of 12 provinces in the Netherlands.
What percentage of people have a degree in North Holland?
In 2024, 39.2% of people aged 15 to 74 in North Holland had completed hbo or university, 2nd highest among the 12 provinces, up from 36.1% in 2019.
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyWhat is the education level in North Holland?
The share of people aged 15 to 74 in North Holland whose highest education was primary school, vmbo or mbo-1 was 23.8% in 2024, below the national figure of 25.9%.
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyHow many students live in North Holland?
Students in hbo and university living in the province of North Holland numbered 41.5 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2025, below the national figure of 43.0.
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyHow many vocational students are there in North Holland?
There were 21.9 mbo (secondary vocational) students per 1,000 residents of North Holland in 2025, below the national figure of 25.9.
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyHow many secondary school pupils are there in North Holland?
Secondary-school pupils living in North Holland numbered 50.7 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 North Holland?
The average resident of the province of North Holland lived 0.7 km by road from the nearest primary school in 2025, below the national figure of 0.8 km.
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyHow far is the nearest secondary school in North Holland?
Residents of the province of North Holland lived on average 2.5 km by road from the nearest havo/vwo (pre-university track) secondary school in 2024, 2nd shortest among the 12 provinces and below the national figure of 3.4 km.
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyHow many young people in North Holland leave school early?
7.2% of 18 to 24-year-olds had left education and training early, with at most lower secondary schooling, in 2025 (the Netherlands: 7.4%; EU: 9.1%); 4th lowest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2015 it was 7.2%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people in North Holland are NEET?
4.9% of young people aged 15 to 29 were neither in work nor in education or training (NEET) in 2025 (the Netherlands: 5.3%; EU: 11.0%); 4th lowest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2015 it was 6.2%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in North Holland are in education or training?
27.4% of adults aged 25 to 64 had taken part in education or training in the previous four weeks in 2025 (the Netherlands: 25.9%; EU: 13.7%); 2nd highest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2015 it was 20.2%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in North Holland have no qualifications?
16.6% of adults aged 25 to 64 had no qualification beyond lower secondary school in 2025 (the Netherlands: 18.4%; EU: 18.8%); 3rd lowest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2015 it was 20.2%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat education do adults in North Holland have?
31.1% of adults aged 25 to 64 had an upper secondary or post-secondary (non-degree) education as their highest level in 2025 (the Netherlands: 35.5%; EU: 44.3%); 2nd lowest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2015 it was 38.2%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many pupils and students are there in North Holland?
Schools in North Holland taught 181,207 primary pupils and 256,002 secondary pupils in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow North Holland compares with other provinces
Residents aged 15 to 74 with higher education (hbo or university) (%) (2024)
North Holland ranks 2 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Residents aged 15 to 74 with higher education (hbo or university) (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utrecht | 42.2% |
| 2 | North Holland | 39.2% |
| 3 | South Holland | 33.3% |
| 4 | North Brabant | 32.2% |
| 5 | Gelderland | 32.1% |
| 6 | Groningen | 31.9% |
| 7 | Overijssel | 29.6% |
Residents aged 15 to 74 whose highest level is primary, vmbo or mbo-1 (%) (2024)
North Holland ranks 10 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)
North Holland ranks 4 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)
North Holland ranks 11 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Average road distance to a havo/vwo secondary school (km) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Flevoland | 3.8 km |
| 7 | Gelderland | 3.7 km |
| 8 | North Brabant | 3.5 km |
| 9 | Limburg (NL) | 3.4 km |
| 10 | Utrecht | 2.6 km |
| 11 | North Holland | 2.5 km |
| 12 | South Holland | 2.5 km |
Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) (2025)
North Holland ranks 9 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)
North Holland ranks 9 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 12 | Utrecht | 4.0% |
Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks (2025)
North Holland ranks 2 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)
North Holland ranks 10 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)
North Holland ranks 11 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Groningen | 38.6% |
| 7 | Flevoland | 38.5% |
| 8 | Gelderland | 37.6% |
| 9 | North Brabant | 35.3% |
| 10 | South Holland | 33.8% |
| 11 | North Holland | 31.1% |
| 12 | Utrecht | 28.9% |
More on North Holland: 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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