Education in Balıkesir, Türkiye: official figures
19.7% of residents aged 15 and over across the province that contains the city of Balıkesir held a university or college degree in 2024, 10th highest of 33 big-city provinces (national 19.6%); the share was 18.2% for women and 21.1% for men.
What is the literacy rate in Balıkesir?
17,680 residents of the province of Balıkesir aged 6 and over could not read or write in 2024, an illiteracy rate of 1.49% (9th lowest of 33 big-city provinces; Turkey 2.25%); the rate was 2.30% among women and 0.66% among men.
Source: Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu (TÜİK, Turkish Statistical Institute) · saved copyMore figures
- The graduate share across the province that contains the city of Balıkesir grew from 12.6% in 2014 to 19.7% in 2024, a rise of 7.0 percentage points. Source: Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu (TÜİK, Turkish Statistical Institute) · saved copy
- 26.5% of adults across the province that contains the city of Balıkesir had finished high school (lise) as their highest level in 2024. Source: Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu (TÜİK, Turkish Statistical Institute) · saved copy
- Illiteracy across the province that contains the city of Balıkesir fell from 2.79% in 2014 to 1.49% in 2024. Source: Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu (TÜİK, Turkish Statistical Institute) · saved copy
- 21,187 people across the province that contains the city of Balıkesir held a master’s degree and 3,012 a doctorate in 2024, 22.7 postgraduates per 1,000 adults (13th lowest of 33 big-city provinces). Source: Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu (TÜİK, Turkish Statistical Institute) · saved copy
How Balıkesir compares with other cities in Türkiye
Adults (15+) with a university degree (whole province) (2024)
Balıkesir ranks 10 of 33, highest first. Province-wide figures for the 33 cities with pages.
| Rank | City | Adults (15+) with a university degree (whole province) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Kocaeli | 21.4% |
| 8 | Trabzon | 20.3% |
| 9 | Bursa | 19.9% |
| 10 | Balıkesir | 19.7% |
| 11 | Mersin | 19.2% |
| 12 | Kayseri | 19.1% |
| 13 | Aydın | 18.8% |
Illiteracy rate, age 6 and over (whole province) (2024)
Balıkesir ranks 25 of 33, highest first. Province-wide figures for the 33 cities with pages.
| Rank | City | Illiteracy rate, age 6 and over (whole province) |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Manisa | 1.66% |
| 23 | Kocaeli | 1.53% |
| 24 | İstanbul | 1.52% |
| 25 | Balıkesir | 1.49% |
| 26 | Ankara | 1.43% |
| 27 | Aydın | 1.40% |
| 28 | Eskişehir | 1.35% |
Master’s and doctorate holders per 1,000 adults (whole province) (2024)
Balıkesir ranks 21 of 33, highest first. Province-wide figures for the 33 cities with pages.
| Rank | City | Master’s and doctorate holders per 1,000 adults (whole province) |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Aydın | 23.4 |
| 19 | Bursa | 23.3 |
| 20 | Denizli | 23.0 |
| 21 | Balıkesir | 22.7 |
| 22 | Mersin | 22.7 |
| 23 | Diyarbakir | 20.6 |
| 24 | Batman | 20.6 |
More on Balıkesir: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · all cities in Türkiye
Sources
- Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu (TÜİK, Turkish Statistical Institute): Bölgesel İstatistikler (Regional Statistics database): 114 indicators for the 81 provinces, 2014-2024 (CSV export), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 54a60ac62f7a…)
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