Educational attainment is at an all-time high, with around half
(48%) of young adults in OECD countries now completing tertiary
education, up from just 27% in 2000. These graduates tend to
enjoy higher earnings, more stable employment and better health,
according to a new OECD report.
Education at a Glance
2025 provides comparable national statistics
measuring the state of education worldwide. It shows that,
despite overall growth in tertiary attainment, family background
continues to strongly influence who pursues higher education.
Just 26% of young adults from less-educated families held a
tertiary qualification, versus 70% from highly educated
households, in 2023. Financial barriers and limited academic and
social support often hold back disadvantaged students.
Low tertiary completion rates also undermine the return on public
investment, deepen skills shortages and limit access to
opportunities. Across 32 OECD and partner countries, only 43% of
bachelor's students graduate on time, rising to just 70% within
three additional years, with relatively lower rates among men
(63% compared to 75% for women).
“High-quality tertiary education equips learners with the skills
needed to seize opportunities in evolving labour markets, while
enabling our societies to navigate structural transformations
from population ageing, artificial intelligence, digitalisation,
and the green transition,” OECD Secretary-General Mathias
Cormann said. “Aligning education with labour market
needs will be key, as persistent skills mismatches impose real
costs on wages and productivity and affect individual
well-being.”
Low completion rates are often rooted in a mismatch between
students' expectations and programme content, inadequate academic
preparation, and insufficient support systems. Strengthening
academic preparation and career guidance in secondary education,
as well as designing tertiary programmes with clearly defined
course sequences and support measures for those at risk of
falling behind, would help.
Tertiary education systems should maintain rigorous standards
even as they expand access. They also need to provide tailored
support for students with different prior education and career
expectations.
The report underlines how essential highly qualified teachers are
for high-performing education systems at all levels, and how
teacher shortages make it harder to recruit and retain
well-trained educators.
High teacher turnover complicates recruitment. In most countries
where data is available, 1% to 3% of teachers retire annually. In
Denmark, Estonia and England, nearly 10% of teachers resign
annually, requiring significant, continuous recruitment efforts.
By contrast, fewer than 1% of teachers in France, Greece and
Ireland resign each year, which creates greater staffing
stability but also limits the renewal of the teaching workforce.
Attracting second-career teachers can help alleviate shortages
while introducing broader skill sets into the profession. Sixteen
out of 28 countries and economies with available data offer
dedicated alternative pathways for individuals changing careers.
Complementary measures to improve working conditions and provide
opportunities for career progression could further support
teacher recruitment and retention.
Education at a Glance 2025 analyses the education
systems of the OECD's 38 member countries, as well as of
Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, India, Indonesia,
Peru, Romania, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.
