This statistic illustrates the regional percentage of individuals aged 30 to 34 years with university education in Italy in 2018, by gender. According to data, the highest share of women aged 30 to 34 years with tertiary education was registered in the Northern region of Aosta Valley. Emilia-Romagna, in the North of Italy, was the region with the highest percentage of graduated men (30.4 percent).

In 2024, 32 percent of people in Italy aged between 25 and 34 had a higher education degree. Similarly, 28 percent of Italians aged 35 to 44 years obtained a tertiary education title. Figures have steadily increased since 2000, when only around 10 percent of the population between 25 and 50 years successfully completed university studies. Despite this remarkable improvement, Italy ranks among the worst European countries in terms of tertiary educational attainment. In 2024, more than 40 percent of Europeans aged from 25 to 34 held a degree, more than ten percentage points higher than in Italy. Overall, only 20 percent of Italians held a tertiary education, compared to 32 percent of the EU population.

In Italy, spending on tertiary education reached *** billion euros in 2023, compared to *** billion euros in 2022. Italy is one of the countries with the smallest share of the population holding a university degree in Europe.

Forecast: International Students in Tertiary Education in Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics, as a Share of All Students Enrolled in This Field in Italy 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

IT: Persistence to Grade 5: % of Cohort data was reported at 99.176 % in 2014. This records a decrease from the previous number of 99.418 % for 2013. IT: Persistence to Grade 5: % of Cohort data is updated yearly, averaging 99.418 % from Dec 1999 (Median) to 2014, with 13 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99.712 % in 2004 and a record low of 93.846 % in 1999. IT: Persistence to Grade 5: % of Cohort data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Italy – Table IT.World Bank: Education Statistics. Persistence to grade 5 (percentage of cohort reaching grade 5) is the share of children enrolled in the first grade of primary school who eventually reach grade 5. The estimate is based on the reconstructed cohort method.; ; United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics.; Weighted average;

IT: Educational Attainment: At Least Completed Primary: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data was reported at 95.269 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 95.004 % for 2014. IT: Educational Attainment: At Least Completed Primary: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data is updated yearly, averaging 93.260 % from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2015, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 95.269 % in 2015 and a record low of 69.031 % in 1971. IT: Educational Attainment: At Least Completed Primary: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Italy – Table IT.World Bank: Education Statistics. The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed primary education.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; ;

Italy IT: Educational Attainment: At Least Competed Short-Cycle Tertiary: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data was reported at 14.353 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 13.849 % for 2014. Italy IT: Educational Attainment: At Least Competed Short-Cycle Tertiary: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data is updated yearly, averaging 11.859 % from Dec 2001 (Median) to 2015, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 14.353 % in 2015 and a record low of 9.358 % in 2001. Italy IT: Educational Attainment: At Least Competed Short-Cycle Tertiary: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Italy – Table IT.World Bank: Education Statistics. The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed short-cycle tertiary education.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; ;

Forecast: Higher Education Researchers in Italy 2023 - 2027 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Italy IT: School Enrollment: Tertiary: Male: % Gross data was reported at 53.554 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 53.458 % for 2014. Italy IT: School Enrollment: Tertiary: Male: % Gross data is updated yearly, averaging 36.591 % from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2015, with 44 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 55.462 % in 2007 and a record low of 20.808 % in 1971. Italy IT: School Enrollment: Tertiary: Male: % Gross data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Italy – Table IT.World Bank: Education Statistics. Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Tertiary education, whether or not to an advanced research qualification, normally requires, as a minimum condition of admission, the successful completion of education at the secondary level.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from Arts and Humanities programmes, both sexes (%) in Italy was reported at 16.82 % in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Italy - Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from Humanities and Arts programmes, both sexes - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on April of 2025.

Italy IT: Higher Education Sector: Number of Researchers: Female data was reported at 34,895.000 Person in 2021. This records an increase from the previous number of 33,553.000 Person for 2020. Italy IT: Higher Education Sector: Number of Researchers: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 29,219.000 Person from Dec 1998 (Median) to 2021, with 24 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 34,895.000 Person in 2021 and a record low of 13,579.000 Person in 1998. Italy IT: Higher Education Sector: Number of Researchers: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Italy – Table IT.OECD.MSTI: Number of Researchers and Personnel on Research and Development: OECD Member: Annual.

For Italy, the population frame was improved in 2016 (the number of units increased by +18% compared to the 2015 frame) and for the first time, an imputation procedure was applied for handling non responses. In 2005 and 1997, new methods for estimating R&D in universities were introduced, resulting in breaks in series in the higher education sector.

Up until 1990, the total expenditure on R&D is overestimated by more than 10% as extramural R&D expenditures is included. From 1991, data on extramural R&D expenditure is available separately.

2010 GBARD data are calculated with a new set of coefficients especially affecting the data on non-oriented research programmes.

IT: Gross Intake Ratio in First Grade of Primary Education: % of Relevant Age Group data was reported at 99.387 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 99.625 % for 2014. IT: Gross Intake Ratio in First Grade of Primary Education: % of Relevant Age Group data is updated yearly, averaging 97.475 % from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2015, with 43 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 104.426 % in 2007 and a record low of 92.027 % in 1987. IT: Gross Intake Ratio in First Grade of Primary Education: % of Relevant Age Group data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Italy – Table IT.World Bank: Education Statistics. Gross intake ratio in first grade of primary education is the number of new entrants in the first grade of primary education regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the population of the official primary entrance age.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

IT: Government Expenditure per Student: Secondary: % of GDP per Capita data was reported at 22.856 % in 2014. This records a decrease from the previous number of 23.316 % for 2013. IT: Government Expenditure per Student: Secondary: % of GDP per Capita data is updated yearly, averaging 25.413 % from Dec 1998 (Median) to 2014, with 17 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 28.965 % in 2001 and a record low of 22.570 % in 2011. IT: Government Expenditure per Student: Secondary: % of GDP per Capita data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Italy – Table IT.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Government expenditure per student is the average general government expenditure (current, capital, and transfers) per student in the given level of education, expressed as a percentage of GDP per capita.; ; United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics.; Median;

IT: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Primary and Secondary School Enrollment: Gross data was reported at 0.983 Ratio in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.983 Ratio for 2014. IT: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Primary and Secondary School Enrollment: Gross data is updated yearly, averaging 0.988 Ratio from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2015, with 45 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.013 Ratio in 1994 and a record low of 0.915 Ratio in 1971. IT: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Primary and Secondary School Enrollment: Gross data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Italy – Table IT.World Bank: Education Statistics. Gender parity index for gross enrollment ratio in primary and secondary education is the ratio of girls to boys enrolled at primary and secondary levels in public and private schools.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 7 programmes, female (number) in Italy was reported at 420939 Persons in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Italy - Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 7 programmes, female - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on May of 2025.

Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes (number) in Italy was reported at 28338 Persons in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Italy - Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on April of 2025.

Forecast: Total Researchers Number in Higher Education in Italy 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Forecast: Women Researchers in the Higher Education Sector in Italy 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Italy - Unemployment rate: Tertiary education (levels 5-8) was 5.30% in December of 2020, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Italy - Unemployment rate: Tertiary education (levels 5-8) - last updated from the EUROSTAT on June of 2025. Historically, Italy - Unemployment rate: Tertiary education (levels 5-8) reached a record high of 7.90% in December of 2014 and a record low of 4.40% in December of 2007.

Italy IT: Higher Education Sector: Number of Researchers: Total data was reported at 83,067.000 Person in 2021. This records an increase from the previous number of 80,481.000 Person for 2020. Italy IT: Higher Education Sector: Number of Researchers: Total data is updated yearly, averaging 74,940.000 Person from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2021, with 25 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 83,067.000 Person in 2021 and a record low of 49,207.000 Person in 1998. Italy IT: Higher Education Sector: Number of Researchers: Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Italy – Table IT.OECD.MSTI: Number of Researchers and Personnel on Research and Development: OECD Member: Annual.

For Italy, the population frame was improved in 2016 (the number of units increased by +18% compared to the 2015 frame) and for the first time, an imputation procedure was applied for handling non responses. In 2005 and 1997, new methods for estimating R&D in universities were introduced, resulting in breaks in series in the higher education sector.

Up until 1990, the total expenditure on R&D is overestimated by more than 10% as extramural R&D expenditures is included. From 1991, data on extramural R&D expenditure is available separately.

2010 GBARD data are calculated with a new set of coefficients especially affecting the data on non-oriented research programmes.