Education in İstanbul, Türkiye: official figures
The share of adults aged 25 to 64 with a degree-level (tertiary) education was 31.8% in 2025, against 26.8% for Türkiye and 36.9% across the EU; 2nd highest of 26 regions in Türkiye.
How many people have a university degree in the İstanbul region?
28.1% of residents aged 15 and over in the İstanbul region (TR10) had completed a university degree in 2025, 5.3 points above the national 22.9%, 2nd highest of 26 regions.
Source: Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) · saved copyWhat is the literacy rate in the İstanbul region?
182,449 people aged 15+ in the İstanbul region could not read or write in 2025, 1.49% of the age group (7th lowest of 26 regions; national 2.26%).
Source: Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) · saved copyHow many young people in İstanbul leave school early?
The early school leaving rate was 12.1% in 2025 (18 to 24-year-olds with no upper secondary qualification who are not in education or training), compared with 17.9% nationally and 9.1% in the EU; 7th lowest of 26 statistical regions in Türkiye. In 2015 it was 32.6%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many young people in İstanbul are NEET?
20.3% of young people aged 15 to 29 were neither in work nor in education or training (NEET) in 2025, compared with 26.3% nationally and 11.0% in the EU; 3rd lowest of 26 statistical regions in Türkiye. In 2015 it was 24.5%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in İstanbul are in education or training?
9.7% of adults aged 25 to 64 had taken part in education or training in the previous four weeks in 2025, compared with 7.5% nationally and 13.7% in the EU; 3rd highest of 26 statistical regions in Türkiye. In 2015 it was 6.8%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many adults in İstanbul have no qualifications?
44.4% of adults aged 25 to 64 had no qualification beyond lower secondary school in 2025, compared with 50.7% nationally and 18.8% in the EU; 2nd lowest of 26 statistical regions in Türkiye. In 2015 it was 60.4%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat education do adults in İstanbul have?
23.8% of adults aged 25 to 64 had an upper secondary or post-secondary (non-degree) education as their highest level in 2025, compared with 22.5% nationally and 44.3% in the EU; 6th highest of 26 statistical regions in Türkiye. In 2015 it was 18.7%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many pupils and students are there in İstanbul?
Schools in İstanbul taught 981,364 primary pupils and 2,027,559 secondary pupils in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- Among women aged 15+ in the İstanbul region, 28.6% had a university degree in 2025, against 27.6% of men. Source: Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) · saved copy
- 442,968 residents of the İstanbul region held a master's degree and 70,817 a doctorate in 2025, together 4.19% of the population aged 15+, 2nd highest of 26 regions. Source: Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) · saved copy
- Illiteracy in the İstanbul region falls mostly on women: 2.61% of women aged 15+ could not read or write in 2025, compared with 0.35% of men. Source: Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) · saved copy
- 3.4% of residents aged 15+ in the İstanbul region had not completed any school in 2025 (illiterate or literate without a diploma), against 5.3% nationally. Source: Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) · saved copy
- The share of university graduates among residents aged 15+ in the İstanbul region rose from 19.4% in 2015 to 28.1% in 2025. Source: Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) · saved copy
- Education services in the İstanbul region were priced at 138.8 on TÜİK's 2024 regional price index (Türkiye = 100), the most expensive of 26 regions. Source: Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) · saved copy
How İstanbul compares with other statistical regions
Share of residents aged 15+ with a completed university degree (%) (2025)
İstanbul ranks 2 of 26, highest first. Bachelor, master or doctorate; provinces summed to regions
| Rank | Region | Share of residents aged 15+ with a completed university degree (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ankara | 33.1% |
| 2 | İstanbul | 28.1% |
| 3 | İzmir | 26.7% |
| 4 | Antalya, Isparta, Burdur | 24.5% |
| 5 | Bursa, Eskişehir, Bilecik | 23.4% |
| 6 | Balıkesir, Çanakkale | 23.2% |
| 7 | Aydın, Denizli, Muğla | 23.1% |
Share of residents aged 15+ with a master's or doctorate (%) (2025)
İstanbul ranks 2 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of residents aged 15+ with a master's or doctorate (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ankara | 5.69% |
| 2 | İstanbul | 4.19% |
| 3 | İzmir | 3.49% |
| 4 | Erzurum, Erzincan, Bayburt | 2.95% |
| 5 | Antalya, Isparta, Burdur | 2.89% |
| 6 | Konya, Karaman | 2.88% |
| 7 | Malatya, Elazığ, Bingöl, Tunceli | 2.79% |
Share of residents aged 15+ who cannot read or write (%) (2025)
İstanbul ranks 20 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of residents aged 15+ who cannot read or write (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Konya, Karaman | 1.56% |
| 18 | Bursa, Eskişehir, Bilecik | 1.52% |
| 19 | Manisa, Afyonkarahisar, Kütahya, Uşak | 1.52% |
| 20 | İstanbul | 1.49% |
| 21 | Ankara | 1.32% |
| 22 | Tekirdağ, Edirne, Kırklareli | 1.24% |
| 23 | Balıkesir, Çanakkale | 1.17% |
Share of women aged 15+ who cannot read or write (%) (2025)
İstanbul ranks 20 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of women aged 15+ who cannot read or write (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Konya, Karaman | 2.73% |
| 18 | Bursa, Eskişehir, Bilecik | 2.65% |
| 19 | Manisa, Afyonkarahisar, Kütahya, Uşak | 2.63% |
| 20 | İstanbul | 2.61% |
| 21 | Ankara | 2.33% |
| 22 | Tekirdağ, Edirne, Kırklareli | 2.11% |
| 23 | Balıkesir, Çanakkale | 1.91% |
Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) (2025)
İstanbul ranks 20 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Early leavers from education and training (age 18-24) |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Kocaeli, Sakarya, Düzce, Bolu, Yalova | 13.8% |
| 18 | Antalya, Isparta, Burdur | 12.9% |
| 19 | Aydın, Denizli, Muğla | 12.2% |
| 20 | İstanbul | 12.1% |
| 21 | Balıkesir, Çanakkale | 11.6% |
| 22 | Kastamonu, Çankırı, Sinop | 10.2% |
| 23 | Samsun, Tokat, Çorum, Amasya | 9.6% |
Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training (2025)
İstanbul ranks 24 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Young people (15-29) not in employment, education or training |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Balıkesir, Çanakkale | 22.4% |
| 21 | İzmir | 22.0% |
| 22 | Kocaeli, Sakarya, Düzce, Bolu, Yalova | 21.7% |
| 23 | Kastamonu, Çankırı, Sinop | 21.4% |
| 24 | İstanbul | 20.3% |
| 25 | Ankara | 19.9% |
| 26 | Antalya, Isparta, Burdur | 18.8% |
Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks (2025)
İstanbul ranks 3 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) in education or training in the last 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kocaeli, Sakarya, Düzce, Bolu, Yalova | 10.5% |
| 2 | Ankara | 10.2% |
| 3 | İstanbul | 9.7% |
| 4 | Bursa, Eskişehir, Bilecik | 8.6% |
| 5 | Erzurum, Erzincan, Bayburt | 8.5% |
| 6 | İzmir | 8.4% |
| 7 | Antalya, Isparta, Burdur | 8.1% |
Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education (2025)
İstanbul ranks 25 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) with at most lower secondary education |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Aydın, Denizli, Muğla | 50.9% |
| 21 | Kocaeli, Sakarya, Düzce, Bolu, Yalova | 48.0% |
| 22 | Bursa, Eskişehir, Bilecik | 46.8% |
| 23 | Antalya, Isparta, Burdur | 45.8% |
| 24 | İzmir | 44.6% |
| 25 | İstanbul | 44.4% |
| 26 | Ankara | 35.7% |
Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary (2025)
İstanbul ranks 6 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adults (25-64) whose highest level is upper secondary |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Kocaeli, Sakarya, Düzce, Bolu, Yalova | 24.6% |
| 4 | Antalya, Isparta, Burdur | 24.6% |
| 5 | Tekirdağ, Edirne, Kırklareli | 24.2% |
| 6 | İstanbul | 23.8% |
| 7 | İzmir | 23.6% |
| 8 | Zonguldak, Karabük, Bartın | 23.3% |
| 9 | Adana, Mersin | 23.2% |
More on İstanbul: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · Türkiye
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 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…)
- 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…)
- Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK): Regional Purchasing Power Parity 2024: regional price level indices by main consumption expenditure group, 26 NUTS2 regions (Türkiye = 100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 61c00aeab8aa…)
- 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…)
- Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK): National Education Statistics: population by completed level of education, sex and province (dataflow DF_ULUSAL_EGITIM_ISTATISTIK_BED_NUFUS), 2008-2025, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d9b9d5df5912…)
- 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…)
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