Education in South Holland, Netherlands: official figures
The share of adults aged 25 to 64 with a degree-level (tertiary) education was 47.3% in 2025, against 46.1% for the Netherlands and 36.9% across the EU; 3rd highest of 12 provinces in the Netherlands.
What percentage of people have a degree in South Holland?
33.3% of residents aged 15 to 74 in South Holland held a higher professional (hbo) or university degree in 2024, level with the national figure of 33.3%; that is 3rd highest among the 12 provinces, up from 30.4% in 2019.
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyWhat is the education level in South Holland?
27.2% of residents aged 15 to 74 in South Holland had no qualification above vmbo or mbo level 1 in 2024, 4th highest among the 12 provinces (above the national figure of 25.9%).
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyHow many students live in South Holland?
South Holland was home to 44.7 higher-education students (hbo and university) per 1,000 residents in 2025, 3rd highest among the 12 provinces (Netherlands: 43.0).
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyHow many vocational students are there in South Holland?
There were 25.5 mbo (secondary vocational) students per 1,000 residents of South 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 South Holland?
Secondary-school pupils living in South Holland numbered 52.4 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 South Holland?
The average resident of South 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 South Holland?
The nearest havo or vwo school was an average 2.5 km away for people in South Holland in 2024, below the national figure of 3.4 km; that is the shortest among the 12 provinces.
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyHow many young people in South Holland leave school early?
6.3% 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; 3rd lowest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2019 it was 8.2%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people in South Holland are NEET?
5.4% 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; 6th highest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2019 it was 6.5%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in South Holland are in education or training?
26.5% 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 highest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2019 it was 20.5%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in South Holland have no qualifications?
19.0% 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; 6th highest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2019 it was 21.0%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat education do adults in South Holland have?
33.8% 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; 3rd lowest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2019 it was 38.2%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many pupils and students are there in South Holland?
Schools in South Holland taught 252,195 primary pupils and 343,616 secondary pupils in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow South Holland compares with other provinces
Residents aged 15 to 74 with higher education (hbo or university) (%) (2024)
South Holland ranks 3 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)
South Holland ranks 4 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Residents aged 15 to 74 whose highest level is primary, vmbo or mbo-1 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zeeland | 28.8% |
| 2 | Limburg (NL) | 28.8% |
| 3 | Flevoland | 27.6% |
| 4 | South Holland | 27.2% |
| 5 | Drenthe | 26.8% |
| 6 | Friesland (NL) | 26.6% |
| 7 | North Brabant | 26.5% |
Resident hbo and university students per 1,000 residents (2025)
South Holland ranks 3 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)
South Holland ranks 12 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)
South Holland ranks 10 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)
South Holland ranks 6 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 9 | North Holland | 4.9% |
Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks (2025)
South Holland ranks 4 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)
South Holland ranks 6 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | North Brabant | 20.8% |
| 4 | Flevoland | 19.6% |
| 5 | Drenthe | 19.4% |
| 6 | South Holland | 19.0% |
| 7 | Gelderland | 18.3% |
| 8 | Overijssel | 17.9% |
| 9 | Friesland (NL) | 17.6% |
Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary (2025)
South Holland ranks 10 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 South 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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