EU regions (NUTS 2) by adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64
Região Autónoma dos Açores had the highest adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64 of 236 regions in 2018, at 66.4%. Sostinės regionas had the lowest, at 2.7%. The median was 18.6% and the figure for the European Union (27) was 22.2%. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.
Top 40 regions, 2018
Full ranking
| Rank | Regions | 2018 (%) | Change on 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Região Autónoma dos Açores | 66.4 | -0.4 pts |
| 2 | Região Autónoma da Madeira | 58.2 | -2.5 pts |
| 3 | Norte | 55.7 | -2.4 pts |
| 4 | Extremadura | 55 | -1.9 pts |
| 5 | Ceuta | 54.1 | +0.3 pts |
| 6 | Algarve | 51.2 | +0.6 pts |
| 7 | Castilla-La Mancha | 50 | -0.5 pts |
| 8 | Guyane | 49.7 | -2.1 pts |
| 8 | Puglia Series break | 49.7 | -1 pts |
| 10 | Andalusia | 49 | -1.5 pts |
| 11 | Sicilia Series break | 48.5 | -1.6 pts |
| 12 | Sardegna Series break | 48.4 | -1.1 pts |
| 13 | Melilla | 47.8 | +1.1 pts |
| 14 | Campania Series break | 46.9 | -0.3 pts |
| 14 | Region of Murcia | 46.9 | -1.4 pts |
| 16 | Calabria Series break | 45.8 | +0.2 pts |
| 17 | Malta | 45 | -3 pts |
| 18 | Canary Islands | 44.6 | -0.6 pts |
| 19 | Balearic Islands | 42.4 | +0.7 pts |
| 20 | La Réunion | 41.9 | -1.3 pts |
| 21 | Galicia | 41.1 | -1.6 pts |
| 22 | Guadeloupe | 41 | +1 pts |
| 23 | Valencian Community | 40.8 | -1.9 pts |
| 24 | Castile and León | 39.7 | -0.5 pts |
| 25 | Anatoliki Makedonia, Thraki | 39.3 | -0.6 pts |
| 26 | Corse Low reliability | 39 | +9 pts |
| 26 | Valle d’Aosta/Vallée d’Aoste Series break | 39 | -1.3 pts |
| 28 | Dytiki Elláda | 38.7 | +0.1 pts |
| 29 | Basilicata Series break | 38.6 | -0.9 pts |
| 30 | La Rioja | 38.2 | -0.4 pts |
| 31 | Molise Series break | 37.9 | -2.1 pts |
| 32 | Catalonia | 37.6 | -1.6 pts |
| 33 | Piemonte Series break | 37.1 | -1.6 pts |
| 34 | Sterea Elláda | 36.3 | -0.5 pts |
| 35 | Aragon | 35.5 | -0.8 pts |
| 36 | Veneto Series break | 35.4 | -0.7 pts |
| 37 | Marche Series break | 35.2 | -0.3 pts |
| 38 | Toscana Series break | 35.1 | -0.1 pts |
| 39 | Lombardia Series break | 34.9 | -1 pts |
| 40 | Peloponnisos | 33.5 | +1 pts |
| 41 | Abruzzo Series break | 33.3 | -1.9 pts |
| 42 | Asturias | 33.2 | -1.7 pts |
| 42 | Kriti | 33.2 | +1.5 pts |
| 44 | Martinique | 32.9 | -2.8 pts |
| 45 | Liguria Series break | 32.7 | -2.3 pts |
| 46 | Dytiki Makedonia | 32.6 | -2.3 pts |
| 47 | Emilia-Romagna Series break | 31.8 | -1.2 pts |
| 47 | Notio Aigaio | 31.8 | -5.7 pts |
| 49 | Umbria Series break | 31.7 | -0.3 pts |
| 50 | Friuli-Venezia Giulia Series break | 31.4 | -1 pts |
| 51 | Cantabria | 31.3 | -3 pts |
| 51 | Navarre | 31.3 | -0.8 pts |
| 53 | Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano/Bozen Series break | 31 | -1.2 pts |
| 54 | Ionia Nisia | 30.9 | -6.4 pts |
| 55 | Lazio Series break | 29.9 | -0.4 pts |
| 56 | Provincia Autonoma di Trento Series break | 29.7 | +0.8 pts |
| 57 | Ipeiros | 29.4 | -4.7 pts |
| 58 | Nord-Est | 29.2 | -0.8 pts |
| 59 | Prov. Liège | 28.7 | -1.3 pts |
| 60 | Prov. Hainaut | 28.5 | -2.4 pts |
| 61 | Basque Country | 28.3 | -0.5 pts |
| 62 | Voreio Aigaio | 28.2 | -3.5 pts |
| 63 | Community of Madrid | 27.7 | +0.6 pts |
| 64 | Kentriki Makedonia | 27.6 | -0.1 pts |
| 65 | Picardie | 27.5 | -2.7 pts |
| 66 | Région de Bruxelles-Capitale/ Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest | 26.7 | -0.4 pts |
| 67 | Sud-Est | 26.6 | -1 pts |
| 68 | Thessalia | 26.5 | -3.3 pts |
| 69 | Champagne-Ardenne | 25.2 | -2.4 pts |
| 70 | Languedoc-Roussillon | 24.9 | -1.1 pts |
| 70 | Limburg (NL) | 24.9 | -1.1 pts |
| 72 | Panonska Hrvatska | 24.6 | +0.1 pts |
| 73 | Haute-Normandie | 24.2 | -1.7 pts |
| 74 | Zeeland | 23.7 | 0 pts |
| 75 | Nord-Pas de Calais | 23.5 | -1.3 pts |
| 75 | Severoiztochen | 23.5 | +0.9 pts |
| 77 | Gelderland | 23.1 | -0.1 pts |
| 78 | Lorraine | 23 | +0.2 pts |
| 79 | Friesland (NL) | 22.5 | -1.5 pts |
| 80 | Sjælland | 22.3 | 0 pts |
| 80 | Sud-Muntenia | 22.3 | +0.2 pts |
| 82 | Noord-Brabant | 22.2 | -1.3 pts |
| 82 | Yugoiztochen | 22.2 | +1.4 pts |
| 82 | Yuzhen tsentralen | 22.2 | +1.2 pts |
| 85 | Nord-Vest | 22.1 | -2.3 pts |
| 86 | Overijssel | 21.7 | +0.3 pts |
| 87 | Nordjylland | 21.6 | -1.4 pts |
| 88 | Basse-Normandie | 21.4 | -3.4 pts |
| 88 | Luxembourg | 21.4 | -2.2 pts |
| 90 | Prov. Namur | 21.3 | -0.7 pts |
| 91 | Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur | 21.2 | -1.3 pts |
| 92 | Flevoland | 21.1 | -1.1 pts |
| 93 | Drenthe | 21 | -2.6 pts |
| 93 | Franche-Comté | 21 | +1 pts |
| 93 | Syddanmark | 21 | -0.2 pts |
| 96 | Centre - Val de Loire | 20.9 | -0.5 pts |
| 97 | Sjeverna Hrvatska | 20.8 | -1.3 pts |
| 98 | Centru | 20.6 | +0.2 pts |
| 99 | Groningen | 20.5 | -0.1 pts |
| 99 | Prov. Antwerpen | 20.5 | -1.7 pts |
| 101 | Észak-Alföld Series break | 20.4 | -2.2 pts |
| 102 | Ile-de-France | 20.3 | -0.2 pts |
| 103 | Sud-Vest Oltenia | 20.2 | 0 pts |
| 104 | Prov. West-Vlaanderen | 20.1 | -2.3 pts |
| 105 | Prov. Limburg (BE) | 20 | -2.2 pts |
| 106 | Bourgogne | 19.9 | -2.2 pts |
| 107 | Prov. Luxembourg (BE) | 19.8 | -0.2 pts |
| 108 | Northern and Western | 19.7 | -0.6 pts |
| 109 | Auvergne | 19.6 | -3 pts |
| 109 | Észak-Magyarország Series break | 19.6 | -0.6 pts |
| 111 | Midtjylland | 19.4 | +0.7 pts |
| 111 | Severen tsentralen | 19.4 | -1.7 pts |
| 113 | Dél-Dunántúl Series break | 19.2 | -1.9 pts |
| 114 | Severozapaden | 19.1 | -1 pts |
| 115 | Prov. Oost-Vlaanderen | 18.9 | -2.1 pts |
| 116 | Bremen | 18.8 | +0.7 pts |
| 117 | Aquitaine | 18.6 | -1.5 pts |
| 117 | Düsseldorf | 18.6 | -0.3 pts |
| 117 | Vorarlberg | 18.6 | +0.2 pts |
| 120 | Arnsberg | 18.5 | -0.1 pts |
| 121 | Alsace | 18.3 | -1.4 pts |
| 121 | Pays de la Loire | 18.3 | +1.1 pts |
| 123 | Poitou-Charentes | 18.2 | -1.9 pts |
| 124 | Noord-Holland | 18.1 | -0.3 pts |
| 125 | Southern | 17.9 | -0.2 pts |
| 126 | Kýpros | 17.8 | -1.1 pts |
| 127 | Vest | 17.5 | -0.6 pts |
| 128 | Attiki | 17.2 | 0 pts |
| 128 | Rheinhessen-Pfalz | 17.2 | 0 pts |
| 130 | Rhône-Alpes | 17 | -0.3 pts |
| 131 | Åland Low reliability | 16.9 | +0.4 pts |
| 131 | Detmold | 16.9 | +0.5 pts |
| 133 | Limousin | 16.8 | -0.2 pts |
| 134 | Norra Mellansverige Series break | 16.6 | -0.3 pts |
| 134 | Wien | 16.6 | +0.4 pts |
| 136 | Köln | 16.5 | -0.5 pts |
| 137 | Småland med öarna Series break | 16.1 | -1 pts |
| 138 | Münster | 16 | +0.1 pts |
| 139 | Darmstadt | 15.9 | +0.1 pts |
| 139 | Közép-Dunántúl Series break | 15.9 | -0.3 pts |
| 139 | Östra Mellansverige Series break | 15.9 | +0.3 pts |
| 142 | Dél-Alföld Series break | 15.5 | -1 pts |
| 142 | Hamburg | 15.5 | -0.2 pts |
| 142 | Oberösterreich | 15.5 | -0.2 pts |
| 145 | Koblenz | 15.4 | -1.3 pts |
| 145 | Weser-Ems | 15.4 | +0.5 pts |
| 147 | Tirol | 15.3 | -0.4 pts |
| 148 | Saarland | 15.2 | -0.1 pts |
| 149 | Burgenland | 15.1 | +0.3 pts |
| 149 | Eastern and Midland | 15.1 | -1 pts |
| 149 | Sydsverige Series break | 15.1 | +0.7 pts |
| 152 | Gießen | 15 | +1.1 pts |
| 152 | Hovedstaden | 15 | -0.3 pts |
| 154 | Hannover | 14.9 | -0.8 pts |
| 155 | Prov. Vlaams-Brabant | 14.6 | +0.3 pts |
| 156 | Mittelfranken | 14.5 | +0.2 pts |
| 157 | Karlsruhe | 14.4 | -0.7 pts |
| 157 | Västsverige Series break | 14.4 | -0.5 pts |
| 159 | Freiburg | 14.2 | -0.2 pts |
| 160 | Nyugat-Dunántúl Series break | 14 | -0.2 pts |
| 161 | Stuttgart | 13.8 | -0.1 pts |
| 161 | Vzhodna Slovenija | 13.8 | +0.3 pts |
| 163 | Braunschweig | 13.7 | -0.3 pts |
| 163 | Mellersta Norrland Series break | 13.7 | -0.8 pts |
| 165 | Tübingen | 13.6 | +0.6 pts |
| 166 | Bretagne | 13.5 | -1.4 pts |
| 166 | Midi-Pyrénées | 13.5 | -2.8 pts |
| 166 | Niederösterreich | 13.5 | -0.7 pts |
| 166 | Warmińsko-mazurskie | 13.5 | -1.3 pts |
| 170 | Kassel | 13.4 | +0.2 pts |
| 170 | Pest Series break | 13.4 | +0.2 pts |
| 172 | Steiermark | 13.3 | -1 pts |
| 173 | Berlin | 12.9 | -0.8 pts |
| 174 | Severozápad | 12.8 | +0.2 pts |
| 175 | Schleswig-Holstein | 12.7 | +0.1 pts |
| 176 | Oberpfalz | 12.6 | -0.2 pts |
| 177 | Lüneburg | 12.4 | -1.4 pts |
| 177 | Salzburg | 12.4 | -1.3 pts |
| 179 | Prov. Brabant wallon | 12.3 | -1 pts |
| 179 | Stockholm Series break | 12.3 | -0.8 pts |
| 181 | Schwaben | 12.1 | -0.9 pts |
| 182 | Eesti | 12 | +0.1 pts |
| 183 | Helsinki-Uusimaa | 11.7 | -0.3 pts |
| 184 | Unterfranken | 11.5 | -0.2 pts |
| 185 | Východné Slovensko | 11.2 | -0.4 pts |
| 186 | Kärnten | 11.1 | -0.5 pts |
| 186 | Niederbayern | 11.1 | -0.3 pts |
| 188 | Bucureşti-Ilfov | 11 | +0.1 pts |
| 188 | Oberfranken | 11 | -0.9 pts |
| 188 | Trier | 11 | -1.5 pts |
| 191 | Etelä-Suomi | 10.9 | -1.8 pts |
| 192 | Övre Norrland Series break | 10.5 | -2.2 pts |
| 193 | Jadranska Hrvatska | 10.3 | -1.3 pts |
| 193 | Zachodniopomorskie | 10.3 | -0.6 pts |
| 195 | Länsi-Suomi | 10.2 | -0.5 pts |
| 196 | Podlaskie | 10.1 | -0.1 pts |
| 197 | Mazowiecki regionalny | 9.9 | -0.2 pts |
| 197 | Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi | 9.9 | -1.2 pts |
| 199 | Lubelskie | 9.8 | +0.4 pts |
| 200 | Oberbayern | 9.7 | +0.3 pts |
| 201 | Zahodna Slovenija | 9.6 | -0.8 pts |
| 202 | Kujawsko-pomorskie | 9.4 | +0.2 pts |
| 202 | Lubuskie | 9.4 | +0.5 pts |
| 204 | Latvija | 9.3 | -0.3 pts |
| 205 | Stredné Slovensko | 8.7 | -0.4 pts |
| 206 | Łódzkie | 8.4 | -1.3 pts |
| 206 | Świętokrzyskie | 8.4 | -0.9 pts |
| 208 | Pomorskie | 8.2 | 0 pts |
| 209 | Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | 8 | +0.5 pts |
| 209 | Yugozapaden | 8 | -0.1 pts |
| 211 | Dolnośląskie | 7.6 | +0.3 pts |
| 211 | Sachsen-Anhalt | 7.6 | -0.3 pts |
| 213 | Brandenburg | 7.3 | -0.5 pts |
| 214 | Opolskie | 7.2 | -0.5 pts |
| 214 | Západné Slovensko | 7.2 | -0.2 pts |
| 216 | Budapest Series break | 7 | -0.8 pts |
| 216 | Moravskoslezsko | 7 | +0.5 pts |
| 216 | Wielkopolskie | 7 | +0.1 pts |
| 219 | Podkarpackie | 6.7 | +0.1 pts |
| 220 | Severovýchod | 6.6 | -0.5 pts |
| 221 | Vidurio ir vakarų Lietuvos regionas | 6.3 | -0.1 pts |
| 222 | Leipzig | 6.2 | +0.6 pts |
| 223 | Jihozápad | 6.1 | +0.1 pts |
| 224 | Śląskie | 5.4 | -0.3 pts |
| 224 | Střední Morava | 5.4 | -1 pts |
| 226 | Małopolskie | 5.1 | -1.2 pts |
| 227 | Dresden | 5 | 0 pts |
| 228 | Chemnitz | 4.9 | +0.5 pts |
| 228 | Jihovýchod | 4.9 | -0.2 pts |
| 228 | Střední Čechy | 4.9 | +0.1 pts |
| 231 | Grad Zagreb | 4.3 | -3.1 pts |
| 231 | Thüringen | 4.3 | 0 pts |
| 233 | Bratislavský kraj | 3.9 | +0.1 pts |
| 234 | Warszawski stołeczny | 3 | -0.1 pts |
| 235 | Praha | 2.9 | +0.5 pts |
| 236 | Sostinės regionas | 2.7 | +0.5 pts |
Other periods
About this ranking
People aged 25 to 64 whose highest completed level of education is lower secondary at most (ISCED 2011 levels 0 to 2: less than primary, primary and lower secondary), as a percentage of all people aged 25 to 64 living in private households (EU Labour Force Survey).
Upper secondary is the level reached at about 18, such as the Spanish bachillerato or a vocational qualification of the same level.
Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the regions are compared on one definition. 8 regions with data in other periods have no value for 2018 and are left out rather than filled from another source. Equal values share a rank.
How to cite
Eurostat. Population by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, less than primary, primary and lower secondary education (levels 0 to 2), 25 to 64 years (edat_lfse_04). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_04/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.Citation styles
APA 7
Eurostat, European Commission. (2026). Population by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, less than primary, primary and lower secondary education (levels 0 to 2), 25 to 64 years (edat_lfse_04) (EU regions (NUTS 2) by adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64, 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_04/default/table
MLA 9
Population by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, less than primary, primary and lower secondary education (levels 0 to 2), 25 to 64 years (edat_lfse_04), EU regions (NUTS 2) by adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64, 2018. Eurostat, European Commission, 10 Sept. 2026, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_04/default/table. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adults-without-upper-secondary-education-25-64/eu-regions?period=2018. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.
Chicago (author-date)
Eurostat, European Commission. 2026. Population by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, less than primary, primary and lower secondary education (levels 0 to 2), 25 to 64 years (edat_lfse_04). EU regions (NUTS 2) by adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64, 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_04/default/table. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adults-without-upper-secondary-education-25-64/eu-regions?period=2018.
Harvard
Eurostat, European Commission (2026) Population by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, less than primary, primary and lower secondary education (levels 0 to 2), 25 to 64 years (edat_lfse_04), EU regions (NUTS 2) by adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64, 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_04/default/table, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/adults-without-upper-secondary-education-25-64/eu-regions?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).
BibTeX
@misc{eurostat_eu_regions_nuts_2_2018,
author = {{Eurostat, European Commission}},
title = {{Population by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, less than primary, primary and lower secondary education (levels 0 to 2), 25 to 64 years (edat\_lfse\_04): EU regions (NUTS 2) by adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64, 2018}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {Data set},
url = {https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_04/default/table},
urldate = {2026-10-12},
note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adults-without-upper-secondary-education-25-64/eu-regions?period=2018. Publisher attribution: Eurostat. Population by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, less than primary, primary and lower secondary education (levels 0 to 2), 25 to 64 years (edat\_lfse\_04). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat\_lfse\_04/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY - DATA
AU - Eurostat, European Commission
TI - Population by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, less than primary, primary and lower secondary education (levels 0 to 2), 25 to 64 years (edat_lfse_04): EU regions (NUTS 2) by adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64, 2018
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/10
PB - Eurostat, European Commission
DB - Invokely
UR - https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_04/default/table
L2 - https://invokely.ai/rankings/adults-without-upper-secondary-education-25-64/eu-regions?period=2018
Y2 - 2026/10/12
N1 - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adults-without-upper-secondary-education-25-64/eu-regions?period=2018.
N1 - Publisher attribution: Eurostat. Population by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, less than primary, primary and lower secondary education (levels 0 to 2), 25 to 64 years (edat_lfse_04). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_04/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER -
Use this data in your AI agent
Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:
Rank EU regions by adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64 using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"below_upper_secondary_share_25_64","level":"region","within":"European Union (27)","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=below_upper_secondary_share_25_64&level=region&within=European%20Union%20(27)&limit=10Questions
Which region has the highest adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64?
Região Autónoma dos Açores, with 66.4% in 2018, according to Eurostat, European Commission.
Which region has the lowest adults without upper secondary education, ages 25 to 64?
Sostinės regionas, with 2.7% in 2018.
Where does this ranking come from?
Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Eurostat, European Commission, Population by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, less than primary, primary and lower secondary education (levels 0 to 2), 25 to 64 years (edat_lfse_04). Retrieved 2026-10-12. 8 regions have no value for 2018 and are not ranked.