Educational Attainment Thematic Report 2022

Secondary level education attainment of 20-24 year olds

The latest available EU figures showed that, in 2021, 85% of all 20-24 year olds in the EU-27 member states had attained at least a higher secondary level of education. The corresponding figure for Ireland was 96%, ranking the country joint second with Greece among EU member states. See Figure 4.1 and Table 4.1.

Tertiary educational attainment of 30-34 year olds – Ireland second highest in the EU

The latest available EU figures (2021) show that 42% of 30-34 year olds in the EU-27 had a third level qualification. Ireland had the joint second highest third level educational attainment level at 62% along with Cyprus and marginally behind Luxembourg at 63%. See Figure 4.2.

Looking at the gender gap in third level attainment for 30-34 year olds in the EU-27, the latest figures show that for every country females have higher third level attainment levels. For the EU-27 average, the difference is 11 percentage points with 47% of females and 36% of males having a third level qualification.

Ireland has the fourth lowest difference between the sexes at only 6 percentage points, with 65% of females having third level attainment and 59% of males. Slovenia has the largest gap in the sexes at 25 percentage points, with females having a 63% third level attainment rate compared to males at 38% in Slovenia. See Table 4.2.

Early School Leavers– Ireland has one of the lowest rates in the EU

The latest available EU figures showed that in 2021, 10% of all 18-24 year olds in the EU-27 member states were classified as early school leavers. The Irish equivalent rate was 3% in the same period. This ranked the country joint 2nd lowest with Greece and Slovenia among EU member states. See Figure 4.3 and Table 4.3.