Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Germany
Germany: Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education was 98.5% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Germany, 1820–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Germany is 98.5%, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Germany peaked at 100.0% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 20.7%, in 1820.
Germany ranks 38th of 190 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Germany, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 20.7% | — |
| 1825 | 23.1% | +11.5% |
| 1830 | 25.7% | +11.1% |
| 1835 | 28.4% | +10.7% |
| 1840 | 31.3% | +10.3% |
| 1845 | 34.4% | +9.8% |
| 1850 | 37.6% | +9.4% |
| 1855 | 41.0% | +8.9% |
| 1860 | 44.4% | +8.3% |
| 1865 | 47.9% | +7.9% |
| 1870 | 51.0% | +6.5% |
| 1875 | 54.2% | +6.1% |
| 1880 | 55.0% | +1.5% |
| 1885 | 60.0% | +9.2% |
| 1890 | 59.1% | -1.5% |
| 1895 | 58.2% | -1.5% |
| 1900 | 56.9% | -2.2% |
| 1905 | 59.1% | +3.9% |
| 1910 | 88.8% | +50.1% |
| 1915 | 90.1% | +1.5% |
| 1920 | 91.4% | +1.5% |
| 1925 | 92.8% | +1.5% |
| 1930 | 94.1% | +1.4% |
| 1935 | 95.4% | +1.4% |
| 1940 | 96.8% | +1.4% |
| 1945 | 98.1% | +1.4% |
| 1950 | 99.4% | +1.4% |
| 1955 | 78.7% | -20.8% |
| 1960 | 100.0% | +27.1% |
| 1965 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 83.8% | -16.2% |
| 1975 | 92.0% | +9.7% |
| 1980 | 83.0% | -9.8% |
| 2002 | 97.9% | +18.0% |
| 2003 | 98.2% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 98.0% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 98.3% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 98.3% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 98.5% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 98.5% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 98.5% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 98.9% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 99.5% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 99.2% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 99.2% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 98.9% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 99.3% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 98.5% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 99.2% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 99.4% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 99.3% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 99.1% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 98.8% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 98.5% | -0.4% |
Germany compared with similar countries
- Germany's 98.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 97.4%, 1.0× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Germany's 98.5% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 98.2%, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Germany 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | +50.1% | 59.1% | 88.8% |
| 1960 | +27.1% | 78.7% | 100.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 21.9% | 20.7% | 23.1% | 2 |
| 1830s | 27.0% | 25.7% | 28.4% | 2 |
| 1840s | 32.9% | 31.3% | 34.4% | 2 |
| 1850s | 39.3% | 37.6% | 41.0% | 2 |
| 1860s | 46.2% | 44.4% | 47.9% | 2 |
| 1870s | 52.6% | 51.0% | 54.2% | 2 |
| 1880s | 57.5% | 55.0% | 60.0% | 2 |
| 1890s | 58.7% | 58.2% | 59.1% | 2 |
| 1900s | 58.0% | 56.9% | 59.1% | 2 |
| 1910s | 89.4% | 88.8% | 90.1% | 2 |
| 1920s | 92.1% | 91.4% | 92.8% | 2 |
| 1930s | 94.8% | 94.1% | 95.4% | 2 |
| 1940s | 97.4% | 96.8% | 98.1% | 2 |
| 1950s | 89.1% | 78.7% | 99.4% | 2 |
| 1960s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 87.9% | 83.8% | 92.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 83.0% | 83.0% | 83.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 98.3% | 97.9% | 98.5% | 8 |
| 2010s | 99.1% | 98.5% | 99.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 98.8% | 98.5% | 99.1% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More education data for Germany
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 618,670 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 15,242 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.35 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.27 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.97 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.31 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.83 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0396 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Germany?
- Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Germany was 98.5% in 2022, 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 Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 100.0% in 1960.
- What is the lowest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.7% in 1820.
- How does Germany rank for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education?
- Germany ranks 38th out of 190 countries with data for 2022.
- Is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Germany 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.