Educational attainment is at an all-time high, with around half (48%) of young adults in OECD countries now completing tertiary education, up from just 27% in 2000. These graduates tend to enjoy higher earnings, more stable employment and better health, according to a new OECD report.
Education at a Glance 2025 provides comparable national statistics measuring the state of education worldwide. It shows that, despite overall growth in tertiary attainment, family background continues to strongly influence who pursues higher education. Just 26% of young adults from less-educated families held a tertiary qualification, versus 70% from highly educated households, in 2023. Financial barriers and limited academic and social support often hold back disadvantaged students.
Low tertiary completion rates also undermine the return on public investment, deepen skills shortages and limit access to opportunities. Across 32 OECD and partner countries, only 43% of bachelor's students graduate on time, rising to just 70% within three additional years, with relatively lower rates among men (63% compared to 75% for women).
"High-quality tertiary education equips learners with the skills needed to seize opportunities in evolving labour markets, while enabling our societies to navigate structural transformations from population ageing, artificial intelligence, digitalisation, and the green transition," OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann said. "Aligning education with labour market needs will be key, as persistent skills mismatches impose real costs on wages and productivity and affect individual well-being."
Low completion rates are often rooted in a mismatch between students' expectations and programme content, inadequate academic preparation, and insufficient support systems. Strengthening academic preparation and career guidance in secondary education, as well as designing tertiary programmes with clearly defined course sequences and support measures for those at risk of falling behind, would help.
Tertiary education systems should maintain rigorous standards even as they expand access. They also need to provide tailored support for students with different prior education and career expectations.
The report underlines how essential highly qualified teachers are for high-performing education systems at all levels, and how teacher shortages make it harder to recruit and retain well-trained educators.
High teacher turnover complicates recruitment. In most countries where data is available, 1% to 3% of teachers retire annually. In Denmark, Estonia and England, nearly 10% of teachers resign annually, requiring significant, continuous recruitment efforts. By contrast, fewer than 1% of teachers in France, Greece and Ireland resign each year, which creates greater staffing stability but also limits the renewal of the teaching workforce.
Attracting second-career teachers can help alleviate shortages while introducing broader skill sets into the profession. Sixteen out of 28 countries and economies with available data offer dedicated alternative pathways for individuals changing careers. Complementary measures to improve working conditions and provide opportunities for career progression could further support teacher recruitment and retention.
Education at a Glance 2025 analyses the education systems of the OECD's 38 member countries, as well as of Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, India, Indonesia, Peru, Romania, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.
