Education in Região Autónoma da Madeira, Portugal: official figures
The share of adults aged 25 to 64 with a degree-level (tertiary) education was 24.5% in 2025, against 32.7% for Portugal and 36.9% across the EU; 8th highest of 9 regions in Portugal.
What is the school dropout rate in Madeira?
The retention and dropout rate in basic education in Madeira was 3.1% in 2023/2024 (national: 3.9%), 3rd lowest of 9 among Portugal’s regions.
Source: INE, Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (Statistics Portugal) · saved copyHow do secondary schools perform in Madeira?
89.0% of secondary students in Madeira passed or completed their year in 2023/2024, below the national figure of 90.4% (5th highest of 9 among Portugal’s regions).
Source: INE, Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (Statistics Portugal) · saved copyHow many students are there in Madeira?
Madeira had 31,574 pupils in basic and secondary education in 2023/2024 and 4,837 teachers in those levels, about 6.5 pupils per teacher (national: 10.2); 17.8% of pupils attended private schools (16.3% nationally).
Source: INE, Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (Statistics Portugal) · saved copyHow many young people in Região Autónoma da Madeira are NEET?
In 2025, 10.7% of 15 to 29-year-olds were not in employment, education or training, against 8.0% for Portugal as a whole and 11.0% across the EU; 3rd highest of 9 regions in Portugal. In 2015 it was 21.0%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Região Autónoma da Madeira are in education or training?
13.6% of adults aged 25 to 64 had taken part in education or training in the previous four weeks in 2025, against 16.9% for Portugal as a whole and 13.7% across the EU; 2nd lowest of 9 regions in Portugal. In 2015 it was 8.2%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Região Autónoma da Madeira have no qualifications?
In 2025, 48.7% of 25 to 64-year-olds had left education with at most a lower secondary education, against 35.7% for Portugal as a whole and 18.8% across the EU; 2nd highest of 9 regions in Portugal. In 2015 it was 65.2%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat education do adults in Região Autónoma da Madeira have?
26.8% of adults aged 25 to 64 had an upper secondary or post-secondary (non-degree) education as their highest level in 2025, against 31.6% for Portugal as a whole and 44.3% across the EU; 2nd lowest of 9 regions in Portugal. In 2015 it was 17.5%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many pupils and students are there in Região Autónoma da Madeira?
Schools in Região Autónoma da Madeira taught 13,807 primary pupils and 17,767 secondary pupils in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- In grades 7 to 9 (the third cycle) the retention and dropout rate in Madeira reached 5.6% 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 Madeira was 102.8% 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
- 35.5% of secondary pupils in Madeira 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
- Higher-education institutions located in Madeira awarded degrees to 30.0 graduates per 1,000 residents aged 20 to 29 in 2023/2024, below the national figure of 88.7 (3rd lowest of 9 among Portugal’s regions). Source: INE, Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (Statistics Portugal) · saved copy
How Região Autónoma da Madeira compares with other regions
Retention and dropout rate in basic education (%) (2023/2024)
Região Autónoma da Madeira ranks 7 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)
Região Autónoma da Madeira ranks 5 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Transition/completion rate in secondary education (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 8 | Região Autónoma dos Açores | 86.3% |
Pupils per teacher, basic and secondary education (2023/2024)
Região Autónoma da Madeira ranks 9 of 9, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Pupils per teacher, basic and secondary education |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 9 | Região Autónoma da Madeira | 6.5 |
Higher-education graduates per 1,000 residents aged 20-29 (by location of institution) (2023/2024)
Região Autónoma da Madeira ranks 7 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 |
Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training (2025)
Região Autónoma da Madeira ranks 3 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)
Região Autónoma da Madeira ranks 8 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)
Região Autónoma da Madeira ranks 2 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)
Região Autónoma da Madeira ranks 8 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 Região Autónoma da Madeira: 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 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 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 educ_uoe_enra11: Pupils and students enrolled by education level, sex and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 20b6224cca4f…)
- 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…)
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