Education in Overijssel, Netherlands: official figures
The share of adults aged 25 to 64 with a degree-level (tertiary) education was 41.9% in 2025, against 46.1% for the Netherlands and 36.9% across the EU; 7th highest of 12 provinces in the Netherlands.
What percentage of people have a degree in Overijssel?
In 2024, 29.6% of people aged 15 to 74 in the province of Overijssel had completed hbo or university, 6th lowest among the 12 provinces, up from 26.5% in 2019.
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyWhat is the education level in Overijssel?
The share of people aged 15 to 74 in the province of Overijssel whose highest education was primary school, vmbo or mbo-1 was 26.0% in 2024, above the national figure of 25.9%.
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyHow many students live in Overijssel?
Students in hbo and university living in Overijssel numbered 38.2 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 Overijssel?
There were 31.6 mbo (secondary vocational) students per 1,000 residents of the province of Overijssel 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 Overijssel?
Secondary-school pupils living in the province of Overijssel numbered 52.6 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 Overijssel?
The average resident of Overijssel lived 0.8 km by road from the nearest primary school in 2025, level with the national figure of 0.8 km.
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyHow far is the nearest secondary school in Overijssel?
Residents of Overijssel lived on average 4.1 km by road from the nearest havo/vwo (pre-university track) secondary school in 2024, 5th longest among the 12 provinces and above the national figure of 3.4 km.
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyHow many young people in Overijssel leave school early?
The early school leaving rate was 8.5% in 2025 (18 to 24-year-olds with no upper secondary qualification who are not in education or training), compared with 7.4% nationally and 9.1% in the EU; 6th highest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2015 it was 6.9%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people in Overijssel are NEET?
5.5% of young people aged 15 to 29 were neither in work nor in education or training (NEET) in 2025, compared with 5.3% nationally and 11.0% in the EU; 5th highest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2015 it was 5.6%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Overijssel are in education or training?
24.4% 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; 4th lowest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2015 it was 17.4%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Overijssel have no qualifications?
17.9% 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; 5th lowest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2015 it was 23.1%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat education do adults in Overijssel have?
40.2% 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; 5th highest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2015 it was 45.5%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many pupils and students are there in Overijssel?
Schools in Overijssel taught 78,248 primary pupils and 117,074 secondary pupils in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow Overijssel compares with other provinces
Residents aged 15 to 74 with higher education (hbo or university) (%) (2024)
Overijssel ranks 7 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Residents aged 15 to 74 with higher education (hbo or university) (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 10 | Drenthe | 26.9% |
Residents aged 15 to 74 whose highest level is primary, vmbo or mbo-1 (%) (2024)
Overijssel ranks 8 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Residents aged 15 to 74 whose highest level is primary, vmbo or mbo-1 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Drenthe | 26.8% |
| 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% |
Resident hbo and university students per 1,000 residents (2025)
Overijssel ranks 6 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Resident hbo and university students per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | South Holland | 44.7 |
| 4 | North Holland | 41.5 |
| 5 | Gelderland | 39.3 |
| 6 | Overijssel | 38.2 |
| 7 | North Brabant | 36.3 |
| 8 | Limburg (NL) | 35.5 |
| 9 | Friesland (NL) | 33.3 |
Average road distance to a havo/vwo secondary school (km) (2024)
Overijssel ranks 5 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Average road distance to a havo/vwo secondary school (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 |
| 8 | North Brabant | 3.5 km |
Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) (2025)
Overijssel ranks 6 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Limburg (NL) | 9.4% |
| 4 | Flevoland | 9.1% |
| 5 | Zeeland | 8.9% |
| 6 | Overijssel | 8.5% |
| 7 | North Brabant | 8.3% |
| 8 | Gelderland | 7.4% |
| 9 | North Holland | 7.2% |
Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training (2025)
Overijssel ranks 5 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Drenthe | 6.7% |
| 3 | Limburg (NL) | 6.3% |
| 4 | Flevoland | 5.6% |
| 5 | Overijssel | 5.5% |
| 6 | South Holland | 5.4% |
| 7 | Gelderland | 5.4% |
| 8 | Groningen | 5.2% |
Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks (2025)
Overijssel ranks 9 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Flevoland | 25.6% |
| 7 | North Brabant | 25.0% |
| 8 | Drenthe | 24.6% |
| 9 | Overijssel | 24.4% |
| 10 | Friesland (NL) | 24.1% |
| 11 | Zeeland | 23.2% |
| 12 | Limburg (NL) | 22.9% |
Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education (2025)
Overijssel ranks 8 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Drenthe | 19.4% |
| 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% |
Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary (2025)
Overijssel ranks 5 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Friesland (NL) | 43.8% |
| 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% |
More on Overijssel: 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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