10 answers, 4 from Norway's own official bodies, with a link to each figure.
81.8% of pupils who started upper secondary education for the first time in autumn 2019 had completed it within five or six years, according to Statistics Norway. The rate was 0.2 percentage points lower than for the previous cohort. Among girls it was 85.6% and among boys 78.3%.
Completion means passing with a university and college admissions certificate or a vocational qualification. Students on vocational programmes, which include apprenticeships, are given six years and those on general programmes five. The cohort starting in 2019 had 65,293 pupils.
323,595 Norwegian students were in higher education in Norway and abroad in 2025, up from 314,277 in 2024, according to Statistics Norway. 196,658 were women and 126,937 men. 37.2% of people aged 19 to 24 were students.
The figures include Norwegian students taking full degrees abroad. They count students registered in autumn, so short courses and later enrolments may not be included. Women also outnumbered men in 2015, when there were 169,282 female and 113,833 male students.
38.3% of people aged 16 and over in Norway had higher education in 2025, up from 35.3% in 2020, according to Statistics Norway. Among women the share was 43.7%. 35.1% had upper secondary education as their highest level, 3.4% tertiary vocational education and 22.7% had not completed upper secondary school.
Many people counted below upper secondary level are young people still in school, since the statistics start at age 16. SSB notes that it has no information on the education of many immigrants and has estimated their level since 2014.
There were 621,961 pupils in 2,663 primary and lower secondary schools in Norway in 2025, according to Statistics Norway. 279 of the schools were private and 2,384 public. The number of schools has fallen 7.1% since 2015, while the number of private schools has risen 24.6%.
Primary and lower secondary school covers grades 1 to 10 and is compulsory. The next update is due on 17 December 2026.
The figures below use one definition for every country, so they can differ from national figures.
In 2017, net primary school enrolment in Norway was 99.9%, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. No year since 2005 has been higher. It is 1st highest of 45 in Europe & Central Asia, where the median is 95.7%. World rank, highest first: 1st of 134.
In 2024, gross secondary school enrolment in Norway was 116.3%, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Since 2005 it has ranged from 111.1% (2009) to 119.9% (2020). It is 6th highest of 34 in Europe & Central Asia, where the median is 101.1%. Of 100 countries with 2024 data, 10th highest.
According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, gross tertiary enrolment in Norway was 95.5% in 2024. The peak was 97.6% in 2022 and the low 71.1% in 2011. Europe & Central Asia median: 71.1%; Norway is 3rd highest of 34. Worldwide: 6th of 90.
5.4% of GDP: that is government spending on education in Norway for 2022, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. That is the lowest since at least 2005. Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 4.5% of GDP, and Norway placed 8th highest of 45. World rank, highest first: 31st of 155.
9: that is the number of primary pupils per teacher in Norway for 2017, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 13, and Norway placed 38th highest of 39. Of 130 countries with 2017 data, 129th highest.
In 2024, the primary completion rate in Norway was 98.7%, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. That is the lowest since at least 2005. Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 98.2%, and Norway placed 11th highest of 30. Of 104 countries with 2024 data, 31st highest.
Read on 14 October 2026. Definitions · Report an error