Data / Rankings / Early leavers from education and training, ages 18 to 24 / EU countries

EU countries by early leavers from education and training, ages 18 to 24

Romania had the highest early leavers from education and training, ages 18 to 24 of 27 EU countries in 2021, at 15.3%. Croatia had the lowest, at 2.4%. The median was 8% and the figure for the European Union (27) was 9.7%. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

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Highest15.3Romania
Lowest2.4Croatia
Median827 EU countries
European Union (27)9.7History

Map of EU countries, 2021

Austria: 8 %Belgium: 6.7 %Bulgaria: 12 %Cyprus: 9.8 %Czechia: 6.4 %Germany: 12.3 %Denmark: 9.8 %Estonia: 9.8 %Spain: 13.3 %Finland: 8.2 %France: 7.8 %Greece: 3.2 %Croatia: 2.4 %Hungary: 12 %Ireland: 3.3 %Italy: 12.7 %Lithuania: 5.3 %Luxembourg: 9.3 %Latvia: 7.3 %Malta: 10.9 %Netherlands: 5.1 %Poland: 5.8 %Portugal: 6.4 %Romania: 15.3 %Sweden: 8.4 %Slovenia: 3.1 %Slovakia: 7.8 %
  • Under 5.4
  • 5.4 to 7.5
  • 7.5 to 8.9
  • 8.9 to 12
  • 12 and over
%, 2021. Source: Eurostat, Early leavers from education and training by labour status, all persons, 18 to 24 years (edat_lfse_14). Boundaries: Natural Earth (public domain).

All EU countries, 2021

Romania: 15.3 %Romania15.3Spain: 13.3 %Spain13.3Italy: 12.7 %Italy12.7Germany: 12.3 %Germany12.3Bulgaria: 12 %Bulgaria12Hungary: 12 %Hungary12Malta: 10.9 %Malta10.9Cyprus: 9.8 %Cyprus9.8Denmark: 9.8 %Denmark9.8Estonia: 9.8 %Estonia9.8Luxembourg: 9.3 %Luxembourg9.3Sweden: 8.4 %Sweden8.4Finland: 8.2 %Finland8.2Austria: 8 %Austria8France: 7.8 %France7.8Slovakia: 7.8 %Slovakia7.8Latvia: 7.3 %Latvia7.3Belgium: 6.7 %Belgium6.7Czechia: 6.4 %Czechia6.4Portugal: 6.4 %Portugal6.4Poland: 5.8 %Poland5.8Lithuania: 5.3 %Lithuania5.3Netherlands: 5.1 %Netherlands5.1Ireland: 3.3 %Ireland3.3Greece: 3.2 %Greece3.2Slovenia: 3.1 %Slovenia3.1Croatia: 2.4 %Croatia2.4Romania: 15.3 %Romania15.3Spain: 13.3 %Spain13.3Italy: 12.7 %Italy12.7Germany: 12.3 %Germany12.3Bulgaria: 12 %Bulgaria12Hungary: 12 %Hungary12Malta: 10.9 %Malta10.9Cyprus: 9.8 %Cyprus9.8Denmark: 9.8 %Denmark9.8Estonia: 9.8 %Estonia9.8Luxembourg: 9.3 %Luxembourg9.3Sweden: 8.4 %Sweden8.4Finland: 8.2 %Finland8.2Austria: 8 %Austria8France: 7.8 %France7.8Slovakia: 7.8 %Slovakia7.8Latvia: 7.3 %Latvia7.3Belgium: 6.7 %Belgium6.7Czechia: 6.4 %Czechia6.4Portugal: 6.4 %Portugal6.4Poland: 5.8 %Poland5.8Lithuania: 5.3 %Lithuania5.3Netherlands: 5.1 %Netherlands5.1Ireland: 3.3 %Ireland3.3Greece: 3.2 %Greece3.2Slovenia: 3.1 %Slovenia3.1Croatia: 2.4 %Croatia2.4
%. Source: Eurostat, Early leavers from education and training by labour status, all persons, 18 to 24 years (edat_lfse_14). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankEU countries2021 (%)Change on 2020
1Romania Series break15.3-0.3 pts
2Spain Series break13.3-2.7 pts
3Italy Series break12.7-1.5 pts
4Germany Series break12.3+2.2 pts
5Bulgaria Series break12-0.8 pts
5Hungary Series break120 pts
7Malta Series break10.9-2.1 pts
8Cyprus Series break9.8-1.8 pts
8Denmark Series break9.8+0.5 pts
8Estonia Series break9.8+1.3 pts
11Luxembourg Series break9.3+1.1 pts
12Sweden Series break8.4+0.7 pts
13Finland Series break8.20 pts
14Austria Series break8-0.1 pts
15France Series break7.8-0.2 pts
15Slovakia Series break7.8+0.2 pts
17Latvia Series break7.3+0.1 pts
18Belgium Series break6.7-1.4 pts
19Czechia Series break6.4-1.2 pts
19Portugal Series break6.4-2.7 pts
21Poland Series break5.8+0.5 pts
22Lithuania Series break5.3-0.3 pts
23Netherlands Series break5.1-1.9 pts
24Ireland Series break3.3-1.7 pts
25Greece Series break3.2-0.6 pts
26Slovenia Low reliability3.1-1 pts
27Croatia Low reliability2.4+0.2 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People aged 18 to 24 who have completed lower secondary education at most (ISCED 2011 levels 0 to 2) and received no formal or non-formal education or training in the four weeks before the survey, as a percentage of all people aged 18 to 24 (EU Labour Force Survey).

A survey measure, not a dropout count from school records. The EU target is below 9% by 2030.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the EU countries are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Eurostat. Early leavers from education and training by labour status, all persons, 18 to 24 years (edat_lfse_14). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_14/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

Eurostat, European Commission. (2026). Early leavers from education and training by labour status, all persons, 18 to 24 years (edat_lfse_14) (EU countries by early leavers from education and training, ages 18 to 24, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_14/default/table

MLA 9

Early leavers from education and training by labour status, all persons, 18 to 24 years (edat_lfse_14), EU countries by early leavers from education and training, ages 18 to 24, 2021. Eurostat, European Commission, 10 Sept. 2026, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_14/default/table. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/early-leavers-education-training/eu-countries?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Eurostat, European Commission. 2026. Early leavers from education and training by labour status, all persons, 18 to 24 years (edat_lfse_14). EU countries by early leavers from education and training, ages 18 to 24, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_14/default/table. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/early-leavers-education-training/eu-countries?period=2021.

Harvard

Eurostat, European Commission (2026) Early leavers from education and training by labour status, all persons, 18 to 24 years (edat_lfse_14), EU countries by early leavers from education and training, ages 18 to 24, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_14/default/table, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/early-leavers-education-training/eu-countries?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{eurostat_eu_countries_by_early_2021,
  author = {{Eurostat, European Commission}},
  title = {{Early leavers from education and training by labour status, all persons, 18 to 24 years (edat\_lfse\_14): EU countries by early leavers from education and training, ages 18 to 24, 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_14/default/table},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/early-leavers-education-training/eu-countries?period=2021. Publisher attribution: Eurostat. Early leavers from education and training by labour status, all persons, 18 to 24 years (edat\_lfse\_14). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat\_lfse\_14/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - Eurostat, European Commission
TI  - Early leavers from education and training by labour status, all persons, 18 to 24 years (edat_lfse_14): EU countries by early leavers from education and training, ages 18 to 24, 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/10
PB  - Eurostat, European Commission
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_14/default/table
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/early-leavers-education-training/eu-countries?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/early-leavers-education-training/eu-countries?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Eurostat. Early leavers from education and training by labour status, all persons, 18 to 24 years (edat_lfse_14). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/edat_lfse_14/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which EU country has the highest early leavers from education and training, ages 18 to 24?

Romania, with 15.3% in 2021, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which EU country has the lowest early leavers from education and training, ages 18 to 24?

Croatia, with 2.4% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Eurostat, European Commission, Early leavers from education and training by labour status, all persons, 18 to 24 years (edat_lfse_14). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Early leavers from education and training, ages 18 to 24: other rankings

EU countries: more rankings