Educational Attainment Thematic Report 2023

Over 6 in 10 (61%) of 25-34 year olds have a third level qualification

This chapter looks at the relationship between education levels and a range of sociodemographic characteristics. It shows that participation in third level education has increased over time for both sexes and females having a higher educational attainment level rate than males. It will also be seen that non-Irish nationals have a higher third level attainment rate than Irish nationals and the Dublin region has highest third level attainment level of all NUTS3 regions in the State.

Key findings for education levels by age group:

• Third level attainment was highest in younger age groups, with 60% of 35-44 year olds holding a third level qualification and 61% of 25-34 year olds.
• The age cohort with the lowest third level attainment are the 60-64 years olds with 35%, this reflects increased levels of participation in third level education over time. See Figure 3.1 and Table 3.1.

Females across all age groupings had higher levels of third level attainment than males

Key findings for education levels by sex:

• Females aged 25-34 and 35-44 years were the age cohorts with the highest third level attainment rate in Q2 2023, at 66% and 65% respectively.
• Males aged 25-34 had a third level attainment rate of 57% and 54% for the 35-44 years age group.
• The gender gap of achieved third level qualification continues in older age groups but is lowest (1%-point difference) in the 55-59 age group. See Table 3.2.

Over the last ten years, there has been an increase in the proportion of those aged 25-64 year olds with a third level education, from 42% in Q2 2013 to 54% in Q2 2023. This has been accompanied by a steady decrease in the proportion with primary education/no formal education from 9% in Q2 2012 to 3% in Q2 2023. See Figure 3.2.

Non-Irish nationals have higher education levels

Key findings for education levels by nationality:

• In Q2 2023, over half of Irish nationals (51%) aged 25-64 years old had a third level qualification.
• Non-Irish nationals living in the Ireland had a third level qualification rate of 63%.
• The nationality group with the lowest rate of third level attainment is the group of nationals from the 'EU15 to EU27' member states, with 42% of persons from those countries living in Ireland having a third level qualification. See Figure 3.3 and Table 3.3.

Dublin has highest third-level education level for 25-64 year olds

Key findings for education levels by region:

• In Dublin, over three in five persons (62%) aged 25-64 years old had a third level qualification in Q2 2023.
• The South East has the lowest level of persons with a third level education at 45% of those aged 25-64.
• In the Border region, 6% of persons aged 25-64 had a primary level education only or no formal education in Q2 2023, while all the other regions had a rate of 4% or below of persons with a primary level education only or no formal education. See Maps 3.1, 3.2 and Table 3.4.

Secondary education level in 20-24 year olds - Higher in females than males

Key findings for secondary education levels in 20-24 year olds:

• In Q2 2023, 95% of those aged 20-24 years old had attained at least a higher secondary level of education in Ireland.
• Females aged 20-24 years old were more likely than males to have attained at least a higher secondary level education (96% versus 93% respectively). See Figure 3.4 and Table 3.5.

Over 6 in 10 (62%) of 30-34 year olds have a third level qualification

Key findings for tertiary education levels in 30-34 year olds:

• In Q2 2023, 62% of persons aged 30-34 years old had a third level qualification. In Q2 2003, the equivalent figure was 35%. 
• From 2003, a gap between the sexes has been consistently seen and this continues to Q2 2023 where 65% of females hold a third level qualification compared to 58% of males. See Figure 3.5 and Table 3.6.