Educational Attainment Thematic Report 2023

This chapter looks at how educational attainment rates in Ireland compare across the EU-27 in 2022. It shows that Irelands attainment rates compare favourably to rates seen across the EU-27. For 20-24 year olds, Ireland has the second highest attainment level up to higher secondary and in the 30-34 year old cohort Ireland has the third highest third level attainment rate. It also shows the Ireland has one of the lowest levels for early school leavers across the EU-27.

Ireland second highest in the EU for 20-24 year olds with at least higher secondary education

Key findings for secondary level education attainment of 20-24 year olds across EU-27:

• In 2022, 84% of all 20–24 year olds in the EU-27 member states had attained at least a higher secondary level of education.
• Ireland had a rate of 95% of 20–24 year olds with at least higher secondary level of education, ranking the country second behind Croatia among EU member states. See Figure 4.1 and Table 4.1.

In 2022, Ireland had a higher rate of third level education in comparison to the EU-27 average across all age groupings

Key findings for tertiary level educational attainment olds across the EU-27 in 2022:

• In 2022 Ireland was well above the EU-27 average for third level attainment across all age groupings.
• In 2022 Ireland had a 20 percentage point difference in the 25-34, 35-44 and 45-54 age groups for tertiary level attainment over the EU-27 average.
• The 55-64 year old grouping had the smallest difference of 12 percentage points over the EU-27 average. See Table 4.2.

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

Key findings for tertiary level education attainment of 30-34 year olds across the EU-27 in 2022:

• In 2022, the latest available EU figures show that 43% of 30-34 year olds in the EU-27 had a third level qualification.
• Ireland has a third level attainment rate for 30–34 year olds of 62%, marginally behind Cyprus and Luxembourg on 63%.
• Across all countries in the EU-27, females have higher third level attainment levels for 30–34 year olds.
• The EU-27 average has a difference of 11 percentage points between the sexes, with 48% of females and 37% of males having a third level qualification.
• Ireland has the second lowest difference between the sexes at only 4 percentage points, with 64% of females having third level attainment and 60% of males in Ireland.
• Slovakia and Slovenia have the largest gap in the sexes, both have a 23 percentage point difference. See Figure 4.2 and Table 4.3.

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

Key findings for early school leavers aged 18-24 across the EU-27 in 2022:

• The latest available EU figures showed that in 2022, 10% of all 18-24 year olds in the EU-27 member states were classified as early school leavers (Early school leavers are persons aged 18 to 24 whose highest level of educational attainment is lower secondary or below and are not currently in education).
• The Irish rate for early school leavers of 18-24 year olds in 2022 was 4%.
• Croatia had the lowest rate of early school leavers at 2% and Romania the highest at 16%. See Figure 4.3 and Table 4.4.