In 2021, half of the 30-34-year-olds had a higher education diploma in Belgium
The share of 30-34-year-olds with a higher education diploma in Belgium amounts to 49.9% in 2021. This figure has never been so high. There is a big difference between the percentages of women and men. 56.4% of women aged 30-34 have a higher education diploma compared to 43.3% of men.
With a percentage of 58.4%, Brussels has the highest rate of 30-34-year-olds with a higher education diploma. This figure is 52.4% in Flanders and 41.7% in Wallonia.
Level of education of the Belgian population of 15-64 years
Access to latest statisticsShare of people aged 30-34 having completed higher education
| Belgium | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2017 (a) | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 (b) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 35.2% | 39.2% | 44.4% | 42.7% | 45.9% | 47.5% | 47.5% | 47.8% | 49.9% |
| Men | 33.3% | 35.1% | 39.0% | 36.7% | 40.8% | 40.6% | 39.8% | 40.2% | 43.3% |
| Women | 37.2% | 43.5% | 50.0% | 48.7% | 50.9% | 54.4% | 55.2% | 55.5% | 56.4% |
| Brussels-Capital Region | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2017 (a) | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 (b) |
| Total | 43.9% | 49.8% | 48.7% | 48.4% | 54.4% | 56.2% | 55.6% | 58.2% | 58.4% |
| Men | 41.2% | 49.1% | 48.0% | 47.1% | 55.9% | 54.6% | 52.8% | 55.9% | 56.8% |
| Women | 46.8% | 50.6% | 49.4% | 49.7% | 52.9% | 57.7% | 58.2% | 60.4% | 60.0% |
| Flemish Region | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2017 (a) | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 (b) |
| Total | 36.4% | 40.0% | 45.0% | 43.2% | 46.4% | 48.2% | 48.5% | 49.3% | 52.4% |
| Men | 34.9% | 35.5% | 38.6% | 36.0% | 39.7% | 39.4% | 39.8% | 40.8% | 44.8% |
| Women | 38.0% | 44.6% | 51.4% | 50.4% | 53.2% | 56.9% | 57.2% | 57.8% | 59.9% |
| Walloon Region | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2017 (a) | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 (b) |
| Total | 30.0% | 33.9% | 41.5% | 39.1% | 40.9% | 42.5% | 42.2% | 40.6% | 41.7% |
| Men | 27.6% | 28.9% | 35.6% | 33.2% | 36.2% | 36.4% | 34.1% | 32.1% | 34.7% |
| Women | 32.5% | 38.9% | 47.5% | 45.0% | 45.7% | 48.6% | 50.3% | 49.1% | 48.7% |
| (a) Break in the results following a considerable reform of the Labour Force Survey. (b) Break in the results in 2021 due to the revision of the questionnaire. |
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Labour Force Survey (LFS)
Purpose and brief description
The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a socio-economic sample survey of households. Its main objective is to classify the working age population (15 and older) into three groups (employed, unemployed and inactive people) and to provide descriptive and explanatory data on every category. This survey is also carried out in the other EU Member States and is coordinated by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In Belgium, the LFS is organised by Statbel of the FPS Economy. The objective is to gather comparable information at European level, in particular as regards employment and unemployment rates as defined by the International Labour Office (ILO), but also to collect and disseminate data that are otherwise not available, for example about the mobility of workers, the reasons for working part-time, the various forms of temporary employment, the profession, the educational level of the working age population, etc.
Population
Members of private households aged 15 or older.
Sample frame
Demographic data from the National Register
Data collection method and sample size
In the first interview data are collected face to face. Since 2017, there are three shorter follow-up surveys to which households respond online or by telephone.
Households with only inactive people older than 64 can also be interviewed by telephone.
Every year, about 47,000 households receive a letter asking them to take part in this survey.
Response rate
The response rate is +75 %.
Periodicity
Quarterly.
Release calendar
Results available +/- 3 months after the reference period
Definitions
Low-skilled people are people who have at most a diploma of lower secondary education. Medium-skilled people are people who obtained a diploma of upper secondary education but not of higher education. Highly-skilled people obtained a diploma of higher education.
Forms
Metadata
Methodologies of the surveys
- LFS: presentation of the survey from 2017 (PDF, 105.77 Kb)
- LFS: presentation of the survey until 2016 (PDF, 98.44 Kb)