More than four in 10 young adults in Greece have completed tertiary education, according to new Eurostat data. The figures show that 42.8% of people aged 25 to 34 in Greece held a tertiary qualification in 2025, placing young adults and tertiary education in Greece slightly below the European Union average.
Across the EU, 44.8% of people in the same age group had completed tertiary education. The rate was higher in the euro area, at 45.9%.
The figures add to a broader picture of education among younger Greeks. Separate Eurostat data recently showed that Greece had the second-lowest rate of young people leaving education and training early in the EU in 2025.
Greece sits near the middle of European rankings
Eurostat defines tertiary education as studies completed at levels 5 through 8 under the International Standard Classification of Education. This includes education at universities and higher technical institutions. The figures are based on the EU Labour Force Survey.
Greece’s overall rate was close to that of several other European countries. Portugal stood at 42.5%, Croatia at 42%, and Austria at 43.7%. Slovenia recorded the same rate as Greece, at 42.8%.
More than 4 in 10 young adults in Greece have completed tertiary education.
New Eurostat data puts Greece at 42.8%, below the EU average of 44.8% and the euro area’s 45.9%. The figures also reveal a wide gender gap in Greece. pic.twitter.com/NlmjJWPk1s
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) September 3, 2026
Other countries reported considerably higher levels. Ireland had the highest rate among the EU countries included in the data, with 66.8% of people aged 25 to 34 completing tertiary education. Luxembourg followed at 65%, while Lithuania recorded 60.8% and Cyprus 60%.
France stood at 55.8%, while Sweden recorded 53.6%. Spain and Denmark each reported a rate of 52.5%. At the other end of the scale, Romania had the lowest rate among EU countries, at 23%. Italy stood at 31.1%, followed by Hungary at 32.6% and Czechia at 36%.
Women in Greece record a much higher rate
The Eurostat figures also show a clear difference between women and men in Greece. Among Greek women aged 25 to 34, 50.9% had completed tertiary education, compared with 35.4% of men.
The difference is consistent with separate Eurostat figures showing that women now account for about 60% of university graduates in Greece. A similar gap appeared across the EU. The rate reached 50.5% among women and 39.3% among men.
Education gains meet a difficult job market
Education levels, however, do not necessarily translate into easier entry into the Greek labor market. Greece recently ranked last in the EU for employment among young graduates. The country has also continued to see university-educated Greeks move elsewhere in Europe.
The latest figures show that young adults’ tertiary education attainment in Greece remains below both the EU and euro-area averages. At the same time, women continue to record a substantially higher rate than men.
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