Challenges in tertiary completion Only two-thirds of bachelor’s students graduate within three years of the end of the programme duration
39%
After three additional years, the average completion rate increases to
68%
PROGRAMME DURATION
3 YEARS LATER
In all countries with data, women have higher completion rates than men in bachelor’s programmes.
of full-time bachelor’s students graduate within the programme duration
START
21% leave 12% of full-time bachelor’s
students leave before the beginning of their second year
by the end of the programme duration
Three years later, the share of students who have left without graduating increases to
23%
44% female entrants
33% male entrants
graduate within the theoretical programme duration
Benefits of tertiary educational attainment Higher education provides protection from unemployment during economic crises 2008 financial crisis
Wages of tertiary-educated adults increase with each level of further education.
Short-cycle tertiary workers earn
COVID-19 pandemic
20%
15%
unemployment rate
more
10%
5%
Unemployment increased strongly in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic
Workers with below upper-secondary qualification
Tertiary educated workers between 25-34 years old were less effected
2008
2016
more
Tertiary educated 25-64 year-olds have an employment rate that is 10 percentage points higher than those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education.
0% 2000
44%
Earnings for workers with upper-secondary attainment
Upper-secondary/ post-secondary non-tertiary Tertiary qualification
Workers with bachelor’s or equivalent earn
2021
Workers with master’s, doctoral or equivalent earn
88% more