Education in Samsun, Türkiye: official figures
18.7% of residents aged 15 and over across the province that contains the city of Samsun held a university or college degree in 2024, 14th highest of 33 big-city provinces (national 19.6%); the share was 18.2% for women and 19.2% for men.
What is the literacy rate in Samsun?
23,648 residents of the province of Samsun aged 6 and over could not read or write in 2024, an illiteracy rate of 1.86% (16th highest of 33 big-city provinces; Turkey 2.25%); the rate was 2.96% among women and 0.72% among men.
Source: Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu (TÜİK, Turkish Statistical Institute) · saved copyMore figures
- The graduate share across the province that contains the city of Samsun grew from 11.7% in 2014 to 18.7% in 2024, a rise of 7.1 percentage points. Source: Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu (TÜİK, Turkish Statistical Institute) · saved copy
- 26.1% of adults across the province that contains the city of Samsun 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 Samsun fell from 3.05% in 2014 to 1.86% in 2024. Source: Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu (TÜİK, Turkish Statistical Institute) · saved copy
- 23,545 people across the province that contains the city of Samsun held a master’s degree and 3,982 a doctorate in 2024, 24.6 postgraduates per 1,000 adults (16th highest of 33 big-city provinces). Source: Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu (TÜİK, Turkish Statistical Institute) · saved copy
How Samsun compares with other cities in Türkiye
Adults (15+) with a university degree (whole province) (2024)
Samsun ranks 14 of 33, highest first. Province-wide figures for the 33 cities with pages.
| Rank | City | Adults (15+) with a university degree (whole province) |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Mersin | 19.2% |
| 12 | Kayseri | 19.1% |
| 13 | Aydın | 18.8% |
| 14 | Samsun | 18.7% |
| 15 | Denizli | 18.7% |
| 16 | Malatya | 18.7% |
| 17 | Elazığ | 18.3% |
Illiteracy rate, age 6 and over (whole province) (2024)
Samsun ranks 16 of 33, highest first. Province-wide figures for the 33 cities with pages.
| Rank | City | Illiteracy rate, age 6 and over (whole province) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Adana | 2.67% |
| 14 | Gaziantep | 2.49% |
| 15 | Kayseri | 1.91% |
| 16 | Samsun | 1.86% |
| 17 | Sakarya | 1.82% |
| 18 | Mersin | 1.76% |
| 19 | Bursa | 1.73% |
Master’s and doctorate holders per 1,000 adults (whole province) (2024)
Samsun ranks 16 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Malatya | 25.2 |
| 14 | Sivas | 25.2 |
| 15 | Adana | 24.7 |
| 16 | Samsun | 24.6 |
| 17 | Sakarya | 24.0 |
| 18 | Aydın | 23.4 |
| 19 | Bursa | 23.3 |
More on Samsun: 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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