Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education was 94.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Bulgaria, 1820–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded 94.2% for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Bulgaria peaked at 100.0% in 1965 and was at its lowest, 4.3%, in 1820.
That places Bulgaria 103rd out of 190 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 4.3% | — |
| 1825 | 5.1% | +17.1% |
| 1830 | 6.0% | +17.1% |
| 1835 | 7.0% | +16.8% |
| 1840 | 8.1% | +16.7% |
| 1845 | 9.4% | +16.3% |
| 1850 | 10.9% | +16.1% |
| 1855 | 12.7% | +15.9% |
| 1860 | 14.7% | +15.4% |
| 1865 | 16.9% | +15.1% |
| 1870 | 19.3% | +14.6% |
| 1875 | 22.1% | +14.1% |
| 1880 | 25.1% | +13.6% |
| 1885 | 28.3% | +13.0% |
| 1890 | 31.8% | +12.4% |
| 1895 | 35.2% | +10.7% |
| 1900 | 38.6% | +9.7% |
| 1905 | 71.0% | +83.6% |
| 1910 | 73.4% | +3.5% |
| 1915 | 74.8% | +1.8% |
| 1920 | 76.2% | +1.8% |
| 1925 | 77.5% | +1.8% |
| 1930 | 78.8% | +1.7% |
| 1935 | 80.2% | +1.7% |
| 1940 | 81.6% | +1.7% |
| 1945 | 82.9% | +1.7% |
| 1950 | 84.3% | +1.6% |
| 1955 | 90.1% | +7.0% |
| 1960 | 90.1% | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 100.0% | +10.9% |
| 1970 | 98.0% | -2.0% |
| 1975 | 97.0% | -1.0% |
| 1980 | 96.0% | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 97.8% | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 99.1% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 99.3% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 98.7% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 97.6% | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 96.5% | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 97.4% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 97.5% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 97.0% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 96.9% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 96.2% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 95.9% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 95.8% | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 95.0% | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 94.8% | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 94.5% | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 94.2% | -0.3% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 94.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 97.4%, 97% of the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 94.2% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 98.2%, 96% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Bulgaria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1905 | +83.6% | 38.6% | 71.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 4.7% | 4.3% | 5.1% | 2 |
| 1830s | 6.5% | 6.0% | 7.0% | 2 |
| 1840s | 8.8% | 8.1% | 9.4% | 2 |
| 1850s | 11.8% | 10.9% | 12.7% | 2 |
| 1860s | 15.8% | 14.7% | 16.9% | 2 |
| 1870s | 20.7% | 19.3% | 22.1% | 2 |
| 1880s | 26.7% | 25.1% | 28.3% | 2 |
| 1890s | 33.5% | 31.8% | 35.2% | 2 |
| 1900s | 54.8% | 38.6% | 71.0% | 2 |
| 1910s | 74.1% | 73.4% | 74.8% | 2 |
| 1920s | 76.8% | 76.2% | 77.5% | 2 |
| 1930s | 79.5% | 78.8% | 80.2% | 2 |
| 1940s | 82.2% | 81.6% | 82.9% | 2 |
| 1950s | 87.2% | 84.3% | 90.1% | 2 |
| 1960s | 95.1% | 90.1% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 97.5% | 97.0% | 98.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 96.0% | 96.0% | 96.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 98.5% | 97.8% | 99.1% | 2 |
| 2010s | 97.3% | 95.9% | 99.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 94.8% | 94.2% | 95.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More education data for Bulgaria
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 43,834 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1,173 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 111,576 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 105,281 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 485,226 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 234,521 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.7644 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0364 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Bulgaria?
- Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Bulgaria was 94.2% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 100.0% in 1965.
- What is the lowest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.3% in 1820.
- How does Bulgaria rank for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education?
- Bulgaria ranks 103rd out of 190 countries with data for 2024.
- Is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of girls of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.