EU higher education rates rise significantly among young adults

The proportion of young people aged 25 to 34 with higher education in the European Union has risen significantly over the last two decades. According to Eurostat data, the rate grew from 27.2% in 2005 to approximately 44.8% last year, bringing the EU close to its 2030 strategic goal of 45%.

Women lead this educational trend, with 50.5% of women in this age group holding university degrees compared to 39.3% of men. Geographic disparities remain evident: over 55% of educated young people live in cities, while the rate drops to 32.9% in rural areas.

Among EU member states, Malta, Luxembourg, and Ireland have seen substantial growth or maintain high rates. In Croatia, the share of highly educated young people rose from 18% in 2005 to 42% recently. In the broader region, Slovenia leads with 43%, followed by Croatia, while Romania reports the lowest rate at 23%.