Education in Catalonia, Spain: official figures
The share of adults aged 25 to 64 with a degree-level (tertiary) education was 46.9% in 2025, against 42.4% for Spain and 36.9% across the EU; 5th highest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain.
How much does Catalonia spend on education?
Education is allocated €8.00 billion in Catalonia's 2026 budget, or 17.4% of total spending (3rd lowest of 17; all communities 20.3%), a change of -1.4% on 2025.
Source: Ministerio de Hacienda · saved copyHow many school pupils are there in Catalonia?
Catalonia accounts for 16.9% of Spain's pupils in non-university general education in 2024-2025; its pupil numbers changed by +6.3% between 2014-2015 and 2024-2025, against +2.7% nationally (6th fastest growth of 19).
Source: Ministerio de Educación, Formación Profesional y Deportes · saved copyWhat percentage of children go to public school in Catalonia?
In 2023-2024, 64.7% of pupils in Catalonia attended public schools, 24.5% state-funded private (concertada) schools and 10.8% fully private schools; the public share ranks 3rd lowest of 19 (national 66.9%).
Source: Ministerio de Educación, Formación Profesional y Deportes · saved copyHow many students are in secondary school in Catalonia?
449,628 children were enrolled in primary education and 348,926 in compulsory secondary education (ESO) in Catalonia in 2024-2025.
Source: Ministerio de Educación, Formación Profesional y Deportes · saved copyHow many children attend nursery in Catalonia?
Early childhood education in Catalonia enrolled 255,915 children in 2024-2025, of whom 74,307 (29.0%) were in the 0-3 cycle (nursery) and 181,608 in the 3-6 cycle.
Source: Ministerio de Educación, Formación Profesional y Deportes · saved copyHow many students study vocational training (FP) in Catalonia?
Vocational training (FP) enrolled 228,053 students in Catalonia in 2024-2025 against 105,411 in Bachillerato, so FP makes up 68.4% of upper-secondary and vocational enrolment (2nd highest of 19; Spain 62.8%); 30.5% of FP students study at a distance.
Source: Ministerio de Educación, Formación Profesional y Deportes · saved copyHow many students are in Bachillerato in Catalonia?
Women make up 54.8% of Bachillerato students in Catalonia in 2024-2025, and 1,470 of the 105,411 students follow it by distance learning.
Source: Ministerio de Educación, Formación Profesional y Deportes · saved copyHow many young people in Catalonia leave school early?
The early school leaving rate was 13.5% in 2025 (18 to 24-year-olds with no upper secondary qualification who are not in education or training), against 12.8% for Spain as a whole and 9.1% across the EU; 9th lowest of 18 autonomous communities in Spain. In 2015 it was 18.9%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people in Catalonia are NEET?
In 2025, 10.6% of 15 to 29-year-olds were not in employment, education or training, against 11.5% for Spain as a whole and 11.0% across the EU; 6th lowest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain. In 2015 it was 18.4%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Catalonia are in education or training?
16.2% of adults aged 25 to 64 had taken part in education or training in the previous four weeks in 2025, against 15.8% for Spain as a whole and 13.7% across the EU; 7th highest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain. In 2015 it was 7.6%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in Catalonia have no qualifications?
31.3% of adults aged 25 to 64 had no qualification beyond lower secondary school in 2025, against 34.6% for Spain as a whole and 18.8% across the EU; 6th lowest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain. In 2015 it was 41.2%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat education do adults in Catalonia have?
21.8% of adults aged 25 to 64 had an upper secondary or post-secondary (non-degree) education as their highest level in 2025, against 23.0% for Spain as a whole and 44.3% across the EU; 6th lowest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain. In 2015 it was 21.2%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many pupils and students are there in Catalonia?
Schools in Catalonia taught 470,703 primary pupils and 604,786 secondary pupils in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow Catalonia compares with other autonomous communities
Education spending, share of the 2026 regional budget (2026)
Catalonia ranks 15 of 17, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Education spending, share of the 2026 regional budget |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Cantabria | 19.3% |
| 12 | Aragón | 18.8% |
| 13 | Balearic Islands | 18.7% |
| 14 | Galicia | 18.4% |
| 15 | Catalonia | 17.4% |
| 16 | Asturias | 17.0% |
| 17 | Navarre | 15.8% |
Pupils in public schools, 2023-2024 (non-university general education) (2023-2024)
Catalonia ranks 17 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Pupils in public schools, 2023-2024 (non-university general education) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Navarre | 66.9% |
| 14 | La Rioja | 66.9% |
| 15 | Castilla y León | 66.2% |
| 16 | Balearic Islands | 64.9% |
| 17 | Catalonia | 64.7% |
| 18 | Madrid | 54.0% |
| 19 | Basque Country | 51.8% |
Change in pupil numbers, 2014-2015 to 2024-2025 (2024-2025)
Catalonia ranks 6 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Change in pupil numbers, 2014-2015 to 2024-2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Navarre | +8.9% |
| 4 | Murcia | +8.8% |
| 5 | Valencian Community | +7.4% |
| 6 | Catalonia | +6.3% |
| 7 | La Rioja | +5.5% |
| 8 | Aragón | +4.0% |
| 9 | Ciudad de Melilla | +0.7% |
Vocational training (FP) as a share of FP plus Bachillerato enrolment, 2024-2025 (2024-2025)
Catalonia ranks 2 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Vocational training (FP) as a share of FP plus Bachillerato enrolment, 2024-2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Rioja | 68.5% |
| 2 | Catalonia | 68.4% |
| 3 | Ciudad de Ceuta | 66.4% |
| 4 | Valencian Community | 66.1% |
| 5 | Galicia | 64.6% |
| 6 | Cantabria | 63.5% |
| 7 | Aragón | 63.2% |
Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) (2025)
Catalonia ranks 10 of 18, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Andalusia | 14.5% |
| 8 | Valencian Community | 14.4% |
| 9 | Ciudad de Melilla | 14.2% |
| 10 | Catalonia | 13.5% |
| 11 | Aragón | 12.3% |
| 12 | Asturias | 10.6% |
| 13 | Galicia | 10.4% |
Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training (2025)
Catalonia ranks 14 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Castilla y León | 11.2% |
| 12 | Galicia | 11.1% |
| 13 | Aragón | 10.7% |
| 14 | Catalonia | 10.6% |
| 15 | La Rioja | 10.5% |
| 16 | Madrid | 10.4% |
| 17 | Navarre | 9.8% |
Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks (2025)
Catalonia ranks 7 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Madrid | 16.8% |
| 5 | Ciudad de Ceuta | 16.8% |
| 6 | Balearic Islands | 16.7% |
| 7 | Catalonia | 16.2% |
| 8 | Murcia | 15.8% |
| 9 | Cantabria | 15.8% |
| 10 | Asturias | 15.4% |
Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education (2025)
Catalonia ranks 14 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Aragón | 35.1% |
| 12 | Castilla y León | 33.2% |
| 13 | Galicia | 32.6% |
| 14 | Catalonia | 31.3% |
| 15 | Cantabria | 26.7% |
| 16 | Asturias | 26.1% |
| 17 | Madrid | 26.0% |
Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary (2025)
Catalonia ranks 14 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | La Rioja | 22.9% |
| 12 | Castilla-La Mancha | 22.7% |
| 13 | Valencian Community | 22.0% |
| 14 | Catalonia | 21.8% |
| 15 | Andalusia | 21.6% |
| 16 | Basque Country | 21.5% |
| 17 | Murcia | 20.7% |
More on Catalonia: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · Spain
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…)
- Ministerio de Educación, Formación Profesional y Deportes: Datos y cifras. Curso escolar 2025-2026, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a30e9c96a067…)
- Ministerio de Hacienda: Presupuestos Generales de las Comunidades Autónomas, año 2026 (resumen ejecutivo, published 31 March 2026), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 81db80f35219…)
- 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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