Level of education

Women and younger generations more often highly qualified

Census
Women and younger generations more often highly qualified

In 2021 in Belgium, 10%[1] of the population aged 25 to 64, i.e. the working-age population and who have mostly completed their schooling, have no diploma or at most a diploma of primary education, 17% have a diploma of lower secondary education, 37% a diploma of upper secondary education and 37% a diploma of higher education. Women have a higher level of education than men: 42% of them have a higher education diploma compared to 32% of men. This is what emerged from the results of the Census 2021 carried out by Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, about education of the resident population of Belgium.

The share of 25-64-year-olds with no diploma, or at most a primary education diploma is the largest in the Brussels-Capital Region: 18% versus 9% in the Walloon Region and the Flemish Region.

In the Flemish Region, 77% of the population aged 25-64 have at least an upper secondary education diploma, and the gender gap is small (79% for women and 75% for men). In the Brussels-Capital Region, the share of this population is smaller (66%). The gender gap there is also small (68% for women and 65% for men). In the Walloon Region, 69% of 25-64-year-olds have at least an upper secondary education diploma. There is a marked contrast between men and women: the share of women is 73% and that of men 66%.

In the Brussels-Capital Region, the share of the population aged 25-64 with a higher education diploma is 42%. It is 33% in the Walloon Region and 38% in the Flemish Region. The gender gap is 6 percentage points in Brussels, versus 10 in Flanders and 11 in Wallonia.

Disparities between municipalities

At municipal level, the municipalities covering the south of Brussels, the centre of Flemish Brabant and the west of Walloon Brabant clearly stand out from the rest of the country by displaying higher levels of education for both men and women aged between 25 and 64. Other municipalities, in particular around Ghent, Antwerp, Arlon as well as in the south of Liège, also have high percentages.

 

 

In all municipalities, the share of women with a high level of education (higher education) is higher than that of men, in particular in a large majority of municipalities in the south of the Sambre-Meuse line.

 

Evolution of the level of education

In Belgium, the level of education has gradually increased, and more significantly for women than for men. In 2011, 36% of women aged 25 to 64 had a higher education diploma. This figure rose to 42% in 2021. For men, this figure increased from 30% to 32%.

The gap between the share of men with a higher education diploma and that of women is widening, particularly in Wallonia. In 2011, 34% of Walloon women had a higher education diploma versus 27% of men. This figure rose to 39% of women and 28% of men in 2021.
In Flanders, the difference is only slightly less marked. In 2011, 36% of women had a higher education diploma. This percentage rose to 43% in 2021. As for men, 30% had a higher education diploma in 2011 and 33% in 2021.
In the Brussels-Capital Region in 2011, 42% of women had a higher education diploma. This percentage rose to 45% in 2021. 37% of men had a higher education diploma in 2011 compared to 39% in 2021.

Large disparities per age

The distribution of educational attainment by age illustrates in another way the general increase in the level of education and the fact that it is more marked among women than men. Generally speaking, the proportion of men and women with at most a diploma of primary education is falling in the youngest age groups.
Among the people aged 65 and over, the proportion of low-skilled women (at best a lower secondary education diploma) is higher than that of men. Conversely, women under 60 are more often highly qualified than men.

Remarks

The comparison with the previous Census requires some caution: this publication is based on the Belgian population and the Census 2011 has as reference the European definition of the population.

Information on the difference between the Belgian population and the Census 2011 population is available here: https://statbel.fgov.be/sites/default/files/files/documents/bevolking/c…

Comparisons with the results of surveys such as the LFS (Labour Force Survey) also deserve some caution. The results presented in the Census reflect the highest level of education achieved according to the administrative data available, whereas the LFS figures are based on a survey that measures the highest level of education achieved by (a sample of) respondents. Both sources have their own characteristics and have advantages and disadvantages. For example, the LFS is less faced with the problem of missing values at the educational level, such as diplomas obtained abroad, but measurement errors and other forms of distortion that are characteristic of this type of survey may occur. On the other hand, the great advantage of current administrative data is that figures are available at a very detailed level and can therefore be linked to other administrative sources. More detailed information on the specific differences between the two sources is available in this explanatory note.


[1] Percentages have been calculated based on known diplomas. The percentage of missing values in Belgium amounts to 6%: 5 % in Flanders and in Wallonia and 17% in the Brussels-Capital Region.

Population with a higher education diploma
Content

This indicator represents the share of the population aged 20 and over who has a higher education diploma.

Nearly a third (32%) of the Belgian population aged 20 and over has a higher education diploma. This percentage varies from 29% in Wallonia to 32% in Flanders and 38% in the Brussels-Capital Region.

A significant area covering the south of Brussels-Capital, the centre of Flemish Brabant and the west of Walloon Brabant clearly differs from the rest of the country by showing high education levels. Other municipalities, in particular around Ghent, Arlon as well as in the south of Charleroi and Liège, have high percentages. Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, in the Brussels-Capital Region, holds the record: 56% of its inhabitants aged 20 and over have a higher education diploma.

The Census 2021 in a nutshell

The Census 2021 is a snapshot of the population living in Belgium on 1 January 2021. It provides a wide range of figures on housing and demographic, socio-economic and educational characteristics of the citizens. The objective of the Census is twofold: to comply with the European regulation[1] and to produce statistics to address national specific needs (public services, international organizations, researchers, enterprises and private individuals).

Previously based on an exhaustive survey of all citizens, since 2011 the Census has been based exclusively on the use of administrative databases.

Definitions

The various statistical units

Population

The population taken into account for the Census 2021 is the residential population, as registered in the National Register of Natural Persons (RNPP) on 1 January 2021. The Belgian population includes Belgians and non-Belgians who have been allowed or authorised to settle or to stay in Belgium but does not include non-Belgians living on the territory for less than three months, asylum seekers and non-Belgians in an illegal situation[2].

Private households

This group includes people living alone in a dwelling and groups of several people living in the same dwelling and providing themselves with essentials for living.

Family nuclei

A family nucleus is defined as two or more persons who belong to the same household and who are related as husband and wife, as partners in a registered partnership, as partners in a consensual union, or as parent and child.

Living quarters

Living quarters refer to all quarters used as the usual residence of one or several persons.

Conventional dwellings

Conventional dwellings are separate units (surrounded by walls and covered by a roof) that are independent (with a direct access from the street or a staircase, passage) and designed to be used as a permanent dwelling.

Occupied conventional dwellings

Occupied conventional dwellings are conventional dwellings used as the usual residence of one or several private households.

Variables and their description

Sex

This variable is used to distinguish men from women.

Age

The age reached in completed years of age on 1 January 2021.

Place of usual residence

The place of residence is that registered in the National Register on 1 January 2021. So this is the place of legal residence.

The Belgian municipalities have changed between 2011 and 2021. In the comparisons shown on this website, the figures for 2011 are broken down according to the municipalities of 2021.

Locality

A locality is defined as a distinct population cluster, that is an area defined by population living in neighbouring or contiguous buildings. This area constitutes a group of buildings, none of which is separated from its nearest neighbour by more than 200 meters.

The Belgian municipalities have changed between 2011 and 2021. In the comparisons shown on this website, the figures for 2011 are broken down according to the municipalities of 2021.

Educational attainment

Educational attainment refers to the highest level successfully completed.

Field of study

The field of study of the diploma is classified according to the ISCED-F 2013 classification.

Remark

The comparison with the previous Census requires some caution: this publication is based on the Belgian population and the Census 2011 has as reference the European definition of the population.

Information on the difference between the Belgian population and the Census 2011 population.


[1] COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2017/543 of 22 March 2017 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EC) No 763/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on population and housing censuses as regards the technical specifications of the topics and of their breakdowns.

[2]Information on the difference between the Belgian population and the Census 2011 population.