Education in Algarve, Portugal: official figures
The share of adults aged 25 to 64 with a degree-level (tertiary) education was 28.8% in 2025, against 32.7% for Portugal and 36.9% across the EU; 5th highest of 9 regions in Portugal.
What is the school dropout rate in The Algarve?
6.2% of basic-education pupils (grades 1 to 9) in the Algarve were held back or dropped out in the 2023/2024 school year, above the national figure of 3.9%; that is 2nd highest of 9 among Portugal’s regions.
Source: INE, Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (Statistics Portugal) · saved copyHow do secondary schools perform in The Algarve?
The secondary-school transition and completion rate in the Algarve stood at 84.8% in 2023/2024, the lowest of 9 among Portugal’s regions; nationally it was 90.4%.
Source: INE, Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (Statistics Portugal) · saved copyHow many students are there in The Algarve?
The Algarve had 66,246 pupils in basic and secondary education in 2023/2024 and 6,640 teachers in those levels, about 10.0 pupils per teacher (national: 10.2); 5.5% of pupils attended private schools (16.3% nationally).
Source: INE, Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (Statistics Portugal) · saved copyHow many young people in Algarve leave school early?
13.2% of 18 to 24-year-olds had left education and training early, with at most lower secondary schooling, in 2025, compared with 6.1% nationally and 9.1% in the EU; 2nd highest of 7 regions in Portugal. In 2015 it was 15.8%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people in Algarve are NEET?
10.8% of young people aged 15 to 29 were neither in work nor in education or training (NEET) in 2025, compared with 8.0% nationally and 11.0% in the EU; 2nd highest of 9 regions in Portugal. In 2015 it was 15.3%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Algarve are in education or training?
15.6% of adults aged 25 to 64 had taken part in education or training in the previous four weeks in 2025, compared with 16.9% nationally and 13.7% in the EU; 3rd lowest of 9 regions in Portugal. In 2015 it was 7.9%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Algarve have no qualifications?
36.1% of adults aged 25 to 64 had no qualification beyond lower secondary school in 2025, compared with 35.7% nationally and 18.8% in the EU; 4th lowest of 9 regions in Portugal. In 2015 it was 55.2%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat education do adults in Algarve have?
35.1% of adults aged 25 to 64 had an upper secondary or post-secondary (non-degree) education as their highest level in 2025, compared with 31.6% nationally and 44.3% in the EU; 3rd highest of 9 regions in Portugal. In 2015 it was 25.1%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many pupils and students are there in Algarve?
Schools in Algarve taught 31,592 primary pupils and 34,654 secondary pupils in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- In grades 7 to 9 (the third cycle) the retention and dropout rate in the Algarve reached 10.2% in 2023/2024, against 6.2% across Portugal. Source: INE, Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (Statistics Portugal) · saved copy
- The gross pre-school enrolment rate in the Algarve was 102.7% in 2023/2024 (Portugal: 100.6%); rates can exceed 100% when children enrol outside their home area. Source: INE, Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (Statistics Portugal) · saved copy
- 36.8% of secondary pupils in the Algarve followed vocational or dual-certification courses in 2023/2024, below the national figure of 39.0%. Source: INE, Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (Statistics Portugal) · saved copy
- Schools in the Algarve had an average of 1.2 enrolled pupils per computer in 2023/2024, compared with 1.2 in mainland Portugal. Source: INE, Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (Statistics Portugal) · saved copy
- Higher-education institutions located in the Algarve awarded degrees to 48.9 graduates per 1,000 residents aged 20 to 29 in 2023/2024, below the national figure of 88.7 (4th lowest of 9 among Portugal’s regions). Source: INE, Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (Statistics Portugal) · saved copy
How Algarve compares with other regions
Retention and dropout rate in basic education (%) (2023/2024)
Algarve ranks 2 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Retention and dropout rate in basic education (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Região Autónoma dos Açores | 6.3% |
| 2 | Algarve | 6.2% |
| 3 | Península de Setúbal | 5.7% |
| 4 | Alentejo | 5.6% |
| 5 | Grande Lisboa | 5.0% |
| 6 | Oeste e Vale do Tejo | 4.6% |
| 7 | Região Autónoma da Madeira | 3.1% |
Transition/completion rate in secondary education (%) (2023/2024)
Algarve ranks 9 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Transition/completion rate in secondary education (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Alentejo | 90.9% |
| 4 | Oeste e Vale do Tejo | 89.7% |
| 5 | Região Autónoma da Madeira | 89.0% |
| 6 | Grande Lisboa | 87.1% |
| 7 | Península de Setúbal | 86.5% |
| 8 | Região Autónoma dos Açores | 86.3% |
| 9 | Algarve | 84.8% |
Pupils per teacher, basic and secondary education (2023/2024)
Algarve ranks 4 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Pupils per teacher, basic and secondary education |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Península de Setúbal | 11.9 |
| 2 | Grande Lisboa | 11.6 |
| 3 | Oeste e Vale do Tejo | 10.8 |
| 4 | Algarve | 10.0 |
| 5 | Norte | 9.9 |
| 6 | Centro (PT) | 9.9 |
| 7 | Alentejo | 9.2 |
Higher-education graduates per 1,000 residents aged 20-29 (by location of institution) (2023/2024)
Algarve ranks 6 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Higher-education graduates per 1,000 residents aged 20-29 (by location of institution) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Norte | 84.7 |
| 4 | Alentejo | 53.9 |
| 5 | Península de Setúbal | 49.0 |
| 6 | Algarve | 48.9 |
| 7 | Região Autónoma da Madeira | 30.0 |
| 8 | Oeste e Vale do Tejo | 26.7 |
| 9 | Região Autónoma dos Açores | 21.7 |
Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) (2025)
Algarve ranks 2 of 7, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Região Autónoma dos Açores | 21.1% |
| 2 | Algarve | 13.2% |
| 3 | Oeste e Vale do Tejo | 5.9% |
| 4 | Península de Setúbal | 5.9% |
| 5 | Grande Lisboa | 5.3% |
| 6 | Norte | 5.0% |
| 7 | Centro (PT) | 4.0% |
Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training (2025)
Algarve ranks 2 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Região Autónoma dos Açores | 12.4% |
| 2 | Algarve | 10.8% |
| 3 | Região Autónoma da Madeira | 10.7% |
| 4 | Península de Setúbal | 10.0% |
| 5 | Alentejo | 9.8% |
| 6 | Grande Lisboa | 8.0% |
| 7 | Oeste e Vale do Tejo | 7.9% |
Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks (2025)
Algarve ranks 7 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Península de Setúbal | 17.0% |
| 4 | Alentejo | 16.8% |
| 5 | Oeste e Vale do Tejo | 16.0% |
| 6 | Norte | 15.7% |
| 7 | Algarve | 15.6% |
| 8 | Região Autónoma da Madeira | 13.6% |
| 9 | Região Autónoma dos Açores | 10.6% |
Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education (2025)
Algarve ranks 6 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Norte | 41.1% |
| 4 | Oeste e Vale do Tejo | 37.4% |
| 5 | Alentejo | 37.3% |
| 6 | Algarve | 36.1% |
| 7 | Centro (PT) | 34.3% |
| 8 | Península de Setúbal | 30.2% |
| 9 | Grande Lisboa | 24.5% |
Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary (2025)
Algarve ranks 3 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alentejo | 36.5% |
| 2 | Península de Setúbal | 35.5% |
| 3 | Algarve | 35.1% |
| 4 | Oeste e Vale do Tejo | 34.1% |
| 5 | Centro (PT) | 32.4% |
| 6 | Grande Lisboa | 32.3% |
| 7 | Norte | 29.2% |
More on Algarve: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · Portugal
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset edat_lfse_04: Adults (25-64) with a degree-level education, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6ff9f4bfff72…)
- INE, Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (Statistics Portugal): Anuarios Estatisticos Regionais 2024 (Regional Statistical Yearbooks, 2025 release): all subchapter tables in XLSX by municipality, NUTS 3 and NUTS 2, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 36f716bda712…)
- 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…)
- 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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