Every second young woman in Latvia has higher education
At the beginning of 2019, 51.1 % of all women in Latvia aged 25–34 had higher education, among men – only 28 %. The data compiled by the Central Statistical Bureau shows that out of all persons having higher education in this age group 0.5 % had doctoral degree.
At the beginning of 2019, 39.3 % of all population aged 25–34 had higher education. This is age group with the largest share of persons having attained higher education. The older the person is, the lower is share of persons having attained higher education. In age group 35–44 years share of persons having attained higher education comprised 38.6 %, in age group 45–54 years – 31.8 %, in age group 55–64 years – 29.5 %, in age group 65–74 years – 25.9 %, and in age group 75 years and more – only 20.2 % of population.
The lowest share of persons having attained only lower secondary education was among persons aged 45–64 years – only 5.5 % in age group 45–54 years and 4.6 % in age group 55–64 years. Share of population having only lower secondary education is the highest among seniors – 19.6 % in age group 65 years and more. Also among younger population share of persons with lower secondary education is higher – 12.4 % in age group 25–34 years and 14.7 % in age group 35–44 years. Two persons out of three (65.4 %) aged 25–44 having only lower secondary education are men.
Share of persons having attained secondary education among population aged 25–34 and 35–44 is lower (39.5 % and 35.2 %) than among population aged 45–54 and 55–64 (44.7 % and 44.9 %). For 38.2 % of population aged 65 years and more the highest educational level attained was secondary education.
After secondary education professional education was attained by a smaller share of young people – only 7.3 % in age group 25–34 years and 10.2 % in age group 35–44 years, compared to 17.5 % in age group 45–54 years, 20.7 % in age group 55–64 years and 16.1 % in age group 65 years and more.
Share of persons having attained higher education continues to increase
During the last 60 years the share of population aged 25–34 years having attained higher education has risen by 34 percentage points. Population and Housing Census 1959 showed that only 5.3 % of population in this age group had higher education. The share of persons in age group 25–34 years having attained higher education from 1959 to 2000 has gradually increased to 16.5 %, but after 2000 there was a rapid growth to 35.5 % in the number of persons having attained higher education in 2011. At the beginning of 2019, 39.3 % of population aged 25–34 had higher education.
*In 1959 and 1970 – present residents, in other years – usually residents
**In 1989 Population and Housing Census also took place, however, data on education among 25-34 years old population was not published
The highest share of young people with higher education in Riga and Pierīga
Comparing regions of Latvia, population of Riga aged 25–34 has the largest share of persons having attained higher education (48.2 %), which is followed by Pierīga population (40.3 %). In seven Pierīga municipalities every second person in this age group has higher education – 57.7 % in Mārupe municipality, 52.2 % in Ādaži municipality, 52.1 % in Babīte municipality, 50.8 % in Garkalne municipality, 50 % in Ķekava municipality, 48.9 % in Ikšķile municipality and 48.3 % in Carnikava municipality. In Latgale, Kurzeme, Vidzeme and Zemgale share of persons having attained higher education is 34.5 %, 31.6 %, 31.3 % and 30.4 %, respectively.
Since Population and Housing Census 2011 the share of population having attained higher education in Vidzeme has increased by 6.5 percentage points (from 24.8 % in 2011 to 31.3 % in 2019), but in Latgale – by 5.4 percentage points (from 29.1 % to 34.5 %). In other regions growth is 4.7 percentage points in Kurzeme (from 26.9 % to 31.6 %), 3.6 percentage points – in Zemgale (from 26.8 % to 30.4 %), 3.4 percentage points – in Riga (from 44.8 % to 48.2 %), 3 percentage points in Pierīga (from 37.3 % to 40.3 %).
Map with usually resident population of Latvia with higher education, including doctoral degree, aged 18 and more, in 1 km² grid can be found on Official statistics portal.
Data on 2019 are prepared according to Population and Housing Census 2021 method. Results of Population and Housing Census 2021 on the highest educational level attained as on 01.01.2021. Will be published on the 2nd quarter of 2022 according to Cabinet Regulations of 10 December 2019.
Data on the highest educational level attained, as well as calculation methodology is available at OSP website.
Methodological information:
Unlike in previous Population and Housing Censuses, Census 2021 is mainly based on the information available in administrative data sources, by fully refusing from surveying population online and in places of residence. In 2011, such an approach to the data collection was used in Scandinavian countries, Finland, the Netherlands, Austria and Slovenia, and in 2021 it will be used also by the Baltic states, Spain and Turkey.
The decision taken and preparation works undertaken timely to ensure acquisition of indicators of Population and Housing Census using solely administrative data, allows carrying out Population and Housing Census 2021 during restrictions imposed by COVID-19 pandemic. This year surveying population at their places of residence might be a challenge.
For determination of Population and Housing Census index – highest educational level attained – data from administrative data sources administered by several institutions were used (for example, from the Ministry of Education and Science, Academic Information Centre, Latvian Academy of Sciences, State Chancellery, State Employment Agency, Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, Health Inspection, and other institutions), from CSB individual and household surveys as well as from Population and Housing 2011 data.
Media requests:
Information and Communication Section
E-mail: media@csb.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366989, +371 27880666
More information on data:
Sigita Šulca
Social Statistics Methodology Section
E-mail: Sigita.Sulca@csb.gov.lv
Phone: +371 6736680
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