Higher education plays a central role in driving innovation, economic development, and the overall wellbeing of citizens across Europe. Accordingly, EU statistics regularly track the status of tertiary education. Tertiary education includes programs classified at ISCED levels 5 to 8, covering Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate degrees, and short-cycle tertiary programs.
A recent Eurostat report on tertiary education statistics provides detailed insights into the year 2022, focusing on the number of graduates, gender distribution, popular fields of study, and broader trends over time. The data offers a consistent basis for comparing trends and patterns across the European higher education sector (Eurostat, 2024).
Number of Graduates in the EU (2022)
The total number of tertiary graduates serves as an important indicator of the performance of national education systems. In 2022, approximately 4.3 million students graduated from tertiary education programs across the EU (Eurostat, 2024). Among member states, France recorded the highest number of graduates (885,900), significantly ahead of Germany (636,700).
Eurostat suggests that the relatively high number of graduates in France may partly reflect a shorter average course duration compared to other countries (Eurostat, 2024). This implies that French students tend to complete their degrees faster, contributing to a higher annual graduation figure, while longer study durations in Germany result in comparatively fewer graduates per year. These figures provide initial indications about national investment levels in higher education and structural differences in academic systems.
Gender Distribution Among Graduates
Gender distribution is a key feature of Europe's tertiary graduates. In 2022, 57% of all tertiary degrees in the EU were earned by women (Eurostat, 2024, p. 3). Notably, women outnumbered men among graduates in every EU member state.
Cyprus recorded the highest female-to-male graduate ratio, with 198 women per 100 men, followed by Latvia (192) and Poland (188). This means that in Cyprus, about two-thirds of all tertiary graduates were women, while in Germany, the figure was slightly over 50%.
When broken down by degree type, the trend remains: at both Bachelor’s and Master’s levels, women dominate, with approximately 142 female Bachelor’s graduates per 100 male graduates, and a similar ratio at the Master’s level (Eurostat, 2024, p. 4). Only at the Doctorate level are men still in the majority, with 94 women per 100 men.
Most Popular Fields of Study
Beyond absolute numbers, the distribution of graduates across different fields provides valuable insights. A large proportion of tertiary degrees in the EU is concentrated in just a few fields. In 2022, 24.7% of all tertiary degrees were awarded in business, administration, or law — by far the most popular study area (Eurostat, 2024).
Other major fields included engineering, manufacturing, and construction (14.7%) and health and welfare (14.1%), followed by arts and humanities and social sciences, journalism, and information — each accounting for around 9.4% of degrees.
Smaller fields naturally accounted for lower shares, though notable national differences exist. For instance, education sciences comprise a relatively small share EU-wide, typically well below 10%. However, Cyprus stands out, with 30.9% of graduates in education-related fields — significantly higher than in France (4.1%) or Portugal (4.2%) (Eurostat, 2024). These variations reflect national priorities and education system specializations, such as Cyprus's strong focus on teacher training.
Overall, the distribution shows that European higher education continues to produce a large number of graduates in business and technical disciplines, followed by healthcare and social services, with creative and scientific fields holding steady shares. However, national differences remain pronounced.
Trends Over Time
While the 2022 snapshot is important, long-term trends in tertiary education are equally noteworthy. Eurostat data shows a continuous increase in the number of graduates over the past years, particularly in future-relevant fields.
A key example is the STEM area (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics): measured per 1,000 people aged 20–29, the number of STEM graduates rose from 18.5 per 1,000 in 2014 to 23.0 per 1,000 in 2022 (Eurostat, 2024, p. 8). This reflects targeted efforts to promote technical and scientific education to meet the demand for skilled professionals in a digital economy.
Despite overall growth, gender gaps persist — especially in STEM fields. Men continue to outnumber women almost two to one: 28.9 male STEM graduates versus 16.7 female STEM graduates per 1,000 peers. However, the gender gap varies significantly between countries: in Belgium and Spain, men dominate STEM degrees by about 2.5 times, while in Romania and France the ratio is closer to 1.3:1 (Eurostat, 2024). These trends illustrate that although progress has been made in expanding graduation rates in critical areas, issues such as gender equality and specialization in fields remain on the agenda.
Conclusion
In summary, the landscape of tertiary education in the EU has grown both quantitatively and in diversity over the past years. More and more young people are earning higher education degrees, and women now make up the majority of graduates.
Fields such as business, administration, and technical disciplines continue to attract the highest numbers, while politically desired fields like STEM also show notable growth. However, significant variations persist between countries, reflecting differing national priorities and educational systems.