Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Germany
Germany: Share of children in primary school age who are in school was 99.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Germany, 1820–2024
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 share of children in primary school age who are in school in Germany is 99.7%, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children in primary school age who are in school in Germany peaked at 100.0% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 21.2%, in 1820.
That places Germany 22nd out of 209 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 57 years of available data.
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Germany, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 21.2% | — |
| 1825 | 23.4% | +10.6% |
| 1830 | 25.8% | +10.2% |
| 1835 | 28.4% | +9.9% |
| 1840 | 31.1% | +9.5% |
| 1845 | 33.9% | +9.1% |
| 1850 | 36.9% | +8.8% |
| 1855 | 40.0% | +8.3% |
| 1860 | 43.1% | +7.9% |
| 1865 | 46.4% | +7.4% |
| 1870 | 49.6% | +7.0% |
| 1875 | 52.9% | +6.6% |
| 1880 | 53.9% | +1.9% |
| 1885 | 59.2% | +9.9% |
| 1890 | 58.4% | -1.5% |
| 1895 | 57.5% | -1.5% |
| 1900 | 56.1% | -2.5% |
| 1905 | 58.2% | +3.9% |
| 1910 | 87.3% | +49.9% |
| 1915 | 92.2% | +5.6% |
| 1920 | 97.1% | +5.3% |
| 1925 | 79.2% | -18.4% |
| 1930 | 85.1% | +7.4% |
| 1935 | 86.7% | +1.8% |
| 1940 | 87.3% | +0.8% |
| 1945 | 92.8% | +6.2% |
| 1950 | 98.2% | +5.9% |
| 1955 | 77.6% | -21.0% |
| 1960 | 100.0% | +28.9% |
| 1965 | 82.8% | -17.2% |
| 1970 | 82.8% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 88.0% | +6.2% |
| 1980 | 82.0% | -6.8% |
| 2001 | 99.5% | +21.4% |
| 2002 | 97.7% | -1.8% |
| 2003 | 97.9% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 98.0% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 98.3% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 98.1% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 98.4% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 98.5% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 98.4% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 98.9% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 99.4% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 99.1% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 99.1% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 98.8% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 99.1% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 98.3% | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 98.9% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 99.1% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 99.0% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 98.8% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 98.5% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 98.1% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 99.8% | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 99.7% | -0.1% |
Germany compared with similar countries
- Germany's 99.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 98.2%, 1.0× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Germany's 99.7% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 98.6%, 1.0× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of children in primary school age who are in school 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 | +49.9% | 58.2% | 87.3% |
| 1960 | +28.9% | 77.6% | 100.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 22.3% | 21.2% | 23.4% | 2 |
| 1830s | 27.1% | 25.8% | 28.4% | 2 |
| 1840s | 32.5% | 31.1% | 33.9% | 2 |
| 1850s | 38.4% | 36.9% | 40.0% | 2 |
| 1860s | 44.7% | 43.1% | 46.4% | 2 |
| 1870s | 51.2% | 49.6% | 52.9% | 2 |
| 1880s | 56.6% | 53.9% | 59.2% | 2 |
| 1890s | 57.9% | 57.5% | 58.4% | 2 |
| 1900s | 57.1% | 56.1% | 58.2% | 2 |
| 1910s | 89.8% | 87.3% | 92.2% | 2 |
| 1920s | 88.1% | 79.2% | 97.1% | 2 |
| 1930s | 85.9% | 85.1% | 86.7% | 2 |
| 1940s | 90.1% | 87.3% | 92.8% | 2 |
| 1950s | 87.9% | 77.6% | 98.2% | 2 |
| 1960s | 91.4% | 82.8% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 85.4% | 82.8% | 88.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 82.0% | 82.0% | 82.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 98.3% | 97.7% | 99.5% | 9 |
| 2010s | 99.0% | 98.3% | 99.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 99.0% | 98.1% | 99.8% | 5 |
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 share of children in primary school age who are in school in Germany?
- Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Germany was 99.7% 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 share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 100.0% in 1960.
- What is the lowest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.2% in 1820.
- How does Germany rank for share of children in primary school age who are in school?
- Germany ranks 22nd out of 209 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children in primary school age who are in school rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.0%. 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 Share of children in primary school age who are in school. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of children of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.