12 answers, 5 from Türkiye's own official bodies, with a link to each figure.
97.9% of people aged 6 and over in Turkey were literate in 2025, up from 91.8% in 2008, according to TurkStat's National Education Statistics. The rate was 99.3% for men and 96.4% for women; the women's rate rose from 86.9% in 2008. The gap between the two was 2.9 percentage points.
50.5% of people aged 25 and over had completed upper secondary school or higher in 2025.
45.6% of people aged 25 to 34 in Turkey had a tertiary education qualification in 2025, up from 13.5% in 2008, according to TurkStat. The rate was 50.3% for women and 41.0% for men. For the population aged 25 and over, it was 26.1%.
Tertiary education includes associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. Using 2024 data, TurkStat compares Turkey's 44.9% with an OECD average of 48.7%. Universities are planned and supervised by the Council of Higher Education.
People aged 25 and over in Turkey had an average of 9.6 years of schooling in 2025, according to TurkStat. Men averaged 10.3 years and women 8.9. Ankara had the highest average, at 10.9 years, and Ağrı the lowest, at 7.6.
Mean years of schooling reflect the education of the whole adult population, including older people who left school early, so they rise slowly. Şırnak, Hakkari and Muş recorded the largest increases between 2016 and 2025.
Turkey's education spending was TRY 2.20 trillion in 2024, or 4.9% of GDP, up from 4.2% in 2023, according to TurkStat. Government spending on education was 4.0% of GDP. Spending per student was TRY 100,307, or US$3,053, and highest for tertiary students, at TRY 165,467.
The total includes government, household and private spending. Public institutions spent 33.4% of their education budget on tertiary education. Nominal growth of 94.6% in a year largely reflects inflation.
A child starting primary school in Turkey could expect to spend 16.8 years in education in 2025, according to TurkStat, down 2.4% from 2024. The figure was 17.2 years for girls and 16.3 years for boys. School life expectancy up to the end of upper secondary education was 11.9 years.
School life expectancy is based on current enrolment rates at each age, so it changes when enrolment changes. Using 2024 data, TurkStat compares Turkey's 17.2 years with an OECD average of 16.6. Schools are run by the Ministry of National Education.
The figures below use one definition for every country, so they can differ from national figures.
In 2017, net primary school enrolment in Türkiye was 87.9%, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. No year since 2005 has been lower. Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 95.7%, and Türkiye placed 40th highest of 45. Worldwide: 100th of 134.
118.4%: that is gross secondary school enrolment in Türkiye for 2023, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. It is the top of the series, which starts in 2005. Europe & Central Asia median: 102.3%; Türkiye is 7th highest of 48. World rank, highest first: 13th of 138.
105.9%: that is gross tertiary enrolment in Türkiye for 2023, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. The peak was 127.6% in 2022 and the low 33.2% in 2005. Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 75.9%, and Türkiye placed 4th highest of 49. World rank, highest first: 6th of 120.
According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, the adult literacy rate in Türkiye was 97.3% in 2021. It is the top of the series, which starts in 2005. Europe & Central Asia median: 99.8%; Türkiye is 6th highest of 6. World rank, highest first: 9th of 43.
The UNESCO Institute for Statistics puts government spending on education in Türkiye at 3.1% of GDP in 2022. That is the lowest since at least 2011. Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 4.5% of GDP, and Türkiye placed 37th highest of 45. World rank, highest first: 112th of 155.
According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, the number of primary pupils per teacher in Türkiye was 17 in 2017. It is 11th highest of 39 in Europe & Central Asia, where the median is 13. Worldwide: 73rd of 130.
According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, the primary completion rate in Türkiye was 90.6% in 2023. It is the bottom of the series, which starts in 2013. Europe & Central Asia median: 97.9%; Türkiye is 39th highest of 42. World rank, highest first: 93rd of 131.
Read on 14 October 2026. Definitions · Report an error