Education in Utrecht, Netherlands: official figures
The share of adults aged 25 to 64 with a degree-level (tertiary) education was 58.2% in 2025, against 46.1% for the Netherlands and 36.9% across the EU; the highest of 12 provinces in the Netherlands.
What percentage of people have a degree in Utrecht province?
42.2% of residents aged 15 to 74 in the province of Utrecht held a higher professional (hbo) or university degree in 2024, above the national figure of 33.3%; that is the highest among the 12 provinces, up from 38.6% in 2019.
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyWhat is the education level in Utrecht province?
22.3% of residents aged 15 to 74 in the province of Utrecht had no qualification above vmbo or mbo level 1 in 2024, the 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 Utrecht province?
The province of Utrecht was home to 46.9 higher-education students (hbo and university) per 1,000 residents in 2025, 2nd highest among the 12 provinces (Netherlands: 43.0).
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyHow many vocational students are there in Utrecht province?
There were 22.3 mbo (secondary vocational) students per 1,000 residents of the province of Utrecht 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 Utrecht province?
Secondary-school pupils living in the province of Utrecht numbered 56.0 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 Utrecht province?
The average resident of the province of Utrecht 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 Utrecht province?
The nearest havo or vwo school was an average 2.6 km away for people in the province of Utrecht in 2024, below the national figure of 3.4 km; that is 3rd shortest among the 12 provinces.
Source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) · saved copyHow many young people in Utrecht leave school early?
The early school leaving rate was 5.8% in 2025 (18 to 24-year-olds with no upper secondary qualification who are not in education or training) (the Netherlands: 7.4%; EU: 9.1%); 2nd lowest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2019 it was 6.4%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people in Utrecht are NEET?
4.0% 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%); the lowest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2019 it was 4.5%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Utrecht are in education or training?
28.3% 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%); the highest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2019 it was 22.9%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Utrecht have no qualifications?
In 2025, 12.9% of 25 to 64-year-olds had left education with at most a lower secondary education (the Netherlands: 18.4%; EU: 18.8%); the lowest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2019 it was 15.5%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat education do adults in Utrecht have?
28.9% 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%); the lowest of 12 provinces in Netherlands. In 2019 it was 31.9%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many pupils and students are there in Utrecht?
Schools in Utrecht taught 95,180 primary pupils and 129,230 secondary pupils in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow Utrecht compares with other provinces
Residents aged 15 to 74 with higher education (hbo or university) (%) (2024)
Utrecht ranks 1 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)
Utrecht ranks 12 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)
Utrecht ranks 2 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)
Utrecht ranks 10 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)
Utrecht ranks 11 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)
Utrecht ranks 12 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)
Utrecht ranks 1 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)
Utrecht ranks 12 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)
Utrecht ranks 12 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 Utrecht: 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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