Education in Norte, Portugal: official figures
The share of adults aged 25 to 64 with a degree-level (tertiary) education was 29.8% in 2025, against 32.7% for Portugal and 36.9% across the EU; 4th highest of 9 regions in Portugal.
What is the school dropout rate in Norte?
2.0% of basic-education pupils (grades 1 to 9) in Norte were held back or dropped out in the 2023/2024 school year, below the national figure of 3.9%; that is the lowest of 9 among Portugal’s regions.
Source: INE, Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (Statistics Portugal) · saved copyHow do secondary schools perform in Norte?
The secondary-school transition and completion rate in Norte stood at 93.8% in 2023/2024, the highest 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 Norte?
Norte had 435,609 pupils in basic and secondary education in 2023/2024 and 43,958 teachers in those levels, about 9.9 pupils per teacher (national: 10.2); 17.6% of pupils attended private schools (16.3% nationally).
Source: INE, Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (Statistics Portugal) · saved copyHow many young people in Norte leave school early?
The early school leaving rate was 5.0% in 2025 (18 to 24-year-olds with no upper secondary qualification who are not in education or training) (Portugal: 6.1%; EU: 9.1%); 2nd lowest of 7 regions in Portugal. In 2015 it was 14.4%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people in Norte are NEET?
In 2025, 7.2% of 15 to 29-year-olds were not in employment, education or training (Portugal: 8.0%; EU: 11.0%); 2nd lowest of 9 regions in Portugal. In 2015 it was 13.9%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Norte are in education or training?
15.7% of adults aged 25 to 64 had taken part in education or training in the previous four weeks in 2025 (Portugal: 16.9%; EU: 13.7%); 4th lowest of 9 regions in Portugal. In 2015 it was 8.2%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Norte have no qualifications?
In 2025, 41.1% of 25 to 64-year-olds had left education with at most a lower secondary education (Portugal: 35.7%; EU: 18.8%); 3rd highest of 9 regions in Portugal. In 2015 it was 61.6%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat education do adults in Norte have?
29.2% of adults aged 25 to 64 had an upper secondary or post-secondary (non-degree) education as their highest level in 2025 (Portugal: 31.6%; EU: 44.3%); 3rd lowest of 9 regions in Portugal. In 2015 it was 19.7%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many pupils and students are there in Norte?
Schools in Norte taught 190,944 primary pupils and 244,665 secondary pupils in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- In grades 7 to 9 (the third cycle) the retention and dropout rate in Norte reached 3.2% 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 Norte was 101.6% 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
- 40.9% of secondary pupils in Norte followed vocational or dual-certification courses in 2023/2024, above the national figure of 39.0%. Source: INE, Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (Statistics Portugal) · saved copy
- Schools in Norte had an average of 1.1 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 Norte awarded degrees to 84.7 graduates per 1,000 residents aged 20 to 29 in 2023/2024, below the national figure of 88.7 (3rd highest of 9 among Portugal’s regions). Source: INE, Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (Statistics Portugal) · saved copy
How Norte compares with other regions
Retention and dropout rate in basic education (%) (2023/2024)
Norte ranks 9 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Retention and dropout rate in basic education (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 8 | Centro (PT) | 3.0% |
| 9 | Norte | 2.0% |
Transition/completion rate in secondary education (%) (2023/2024)
Norte ranks 1 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Transition/completion rate in secondary education (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norte | 93.8% |
| 2 | Centro (PT) | 92.5% |
| 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% |
Pupils per teacher, basic and secondary education (2023/2024)
Norte ranks 5 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Pupils per teacher, basic and secondary education |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 8 | Região Autónoma dos Açores | 7.3 |
Higher-education graduates per 1,000 residents aged 20-29 (by location of institution) (2023/2024)
Norte ranks 3 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Higher-education graduates per 1,000 residents aged 20-29 (by location of institution) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grande Lisboa | 148.4 |
| 2 | Centro (PT) | 111.4 |
| 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 |
Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) (2025)
Norte ranks 6 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)
Norte ranks 8 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 8 | Norte | 7.2% |
| 9 | Centro (PT) | 6.2% |
Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks (2025)
Norte ranks 6 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)
Norte ranks 3 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Região Autónoma dos Açores | 56.7% |
| 2 | Região Autónoma da Madeira | 48.7% |
| 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% |
Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary (2025)
Norte ranks 7 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 8 | Região Autónoma da Madeira | 26.8% |
| 9 | Região Autónoma dos Açores | 25.3% |
More on Norte: 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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