Education
This page presents thematic content regarding education in the Nordic Region. Several topics are covered on this page, such as expenses, graduates, educational attainment, PISA-results and studies abroad. The Education section in the Nordic Statistics database can be found here.
The menu in the top right corner allows for navigation on this page by browsing the sections listed under Areas. Links to the database and news section are also provided in the menu.
Missing values may occur if a group is too small to be reported for confidentiality reasons, or if data is pending.
Filter feature
Under some graphs on this page, there is a filter option. Use this function to filter on various background variables for the data at hand. The data visualized in the graph, including headlines, will be adjusted accordingly to your selection.
Expenses for education
Public expenditure on education
The graph shows the resources invested in education in the Nordic countries measured as a share of the Gross domestic product (GDP). Historically, the public expenditure on education in the Nordic countries has been above the average for the EU.
Source: Nordic statistics database, PUBS13
Financial support
Financial support covers statistics on grants and loans for full-time students in education. The figure displays the total financial support designated to students, measured in euro per month, by country and time.
Note that Greenland reports student loan per semester and not per month.
Source: Nordic statistics database, EDUC07
Expenditure on research and development
The graph shows the resources invested in research and development in the Nordic countries measured as a share of the Gross domestic product (GDP). Gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) includes expenditure on research and development by business enterprises, higher education institutions, as well as government and private non-profit organisations.
One can use the filter function to show the total annual expenditure as well as the amount by sector of performance.
Source: Nordic statistics database, REDE01
Graduates
Number of graduates
The graph shows the total number of graduates per 100,000 inhabitants by country over time. This initial view shows graduates from all levels combined in (ISCED 3-8). Using the filter function, one could select graduates for specific levels. One can also select sex and age groups.
Source: Nordic statistics database, EDUC03
Number of graduates by sex
The graph shows the number of men and women who have graduated at different levels during a given year. The numbers are expressed per 100,000 inhabitants in the total population of the country.
Using the filter function, one can also select year, age groups and educational level.
Source: Nordic statistics database, EDUC03
Early leavers from education and training
The graph shows the percentage of the population aged 18 to 24 having attained at most lower secondary education and not being involved in further education or training. One can use the filter function customize the graph by sex.
Source: Nordic statistics database, EDUC06
Early leavers from education and training by sex
The graph shows the percentage of men and women aged 18 to 24 having attained at most lower secondary education and not being involved in further education or training. One can use the filter function customize the graph by year.
Source: Nordic statistics database, EDUC06
Educational attainment
Level of education
The graph shows the distribution of the population aged 20-69 years by educational attainment in the Nordic region compared to the EU.
Using the filter function, one can select year, sex and age groups.
Source: Nordic statistics database, EDUC11
Tertiary education
The figure displays the percentage of the population (20-69 years) that have attained tertiary education (ISCED level 5-8), by country and time.
Using the filter function, one can select sex and different age groups.
Source: Nordic statistics database, EDUC11
Tertiary education by sex
The figure displays the percentage of men and women (20-69 years) that have attained tertiary education (ISCED level 5-8), by country and time. One can use the filter function to customize the graph by year and age groups.
Source: Nordic statistics database, EDUC11
Student performance
Literacy (PISA) contains results from the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment, which is an assessment of the educational system in different countries. It measures the performance of 15-year-olds in mathematics, science and reading.
Reading
The graph shows the PISA results in reading for the Nordic countries compared to the OECD average. One can use the filter function to customize the graph by sex.
Source: Nordic statistics database, PISA01
Mathematics
The graph shows the PISA results in mathematics for the Nordic countries compared to the OECD average. One can use the filter function to customize the graph by sex.
Source: Nordic statistics database, PISA01
Science
The graph shows the PISA results in science for the Nordic countries compared to the OECD average. One can use the filter function to customize the graph by sex.
Source: Nordic statistics database, PISA01
Studying abroad
Students abroad
The graphs shows the percent of students that are taking their their full education abroad, excluding exchange studies.
Source: Nordic statistics database, EDUC14
Distribution of study locations among those studying abroad
The graph shows the distribution of study locations for those taking their full education abroad, excluding exchange studies.
Source: Nordic statistics database, EDUC14