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Educational attainment

How is the population’s level of education developing in Denmark? Is there a difference between men and women’s choice of education? In this set of statistics, you can keep track of the development in the combined education level for the population as well as for selected groups broken down by, e.g. age, sex, geography, ancestry and socioeconomic background.

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A professional education which gives the student a vocational qualification. A vocational education typically consists of a basic course and a main course, which both varies in content and length. The typical length of a vocational education is 4 years. Examples of vocational educations are bricklayer, carpenter and electrician.

Higher education is based on upper secondary education or vocational education. Higher education covers short, medium, bachelor and long cycle higher education as well as Ph.D. education.

Selected statistics on Educational attainment

This page shows selected popular statistics on the subject of Educational attainment. In Statbank Denmark, you can find more data and compile your own statistics.

Development in the population's highest educational attainment

Here you can see how many people in the adult population (15-69 years) whose highest educational attainment is either vocational education and training or higher education.
More about the figure
Last update
12.4.2024
Next update
2.4.2025
Source data

The primary source to produce the The Attainment Register is the Student Register. The Student's Register is supplemented additionally with data from Statistics Denmark's Qualification Register that collects data from multiple sources of different nature.

When the register is produced the sources for the information is taken into account. Some sources are more reliable than others. There are priority 1, 2, 3 and 4 sources. Information from the highest priority will always be used even if they are on a lower level than information from a source with lower priority.

Sources with priority 1:

  • Examinations achieved through adult education (HF_KILDE = 1) Qualification from the adult education system are updated annually.

  • IDA Engineering association (HF_KILDE = 5) Statistics Denmark received in 2005 the members of the engineering association.

  • Ministry of Health (HF_KILDE = 8) Since 1980, The Authorisation Register from Sundhedsdatastyrelsen have been used as a source to The Attainment Register.

  • Danish Agency for International Education (HF_KILDE = 11) Since 2007 Statistic Denmark have received information about education that has been assessed by the Agency for international Education.

  • Educational Information from Greenland (HF_KILDE = 12) Once a year, Statistic Denmark receive information about people who have completed a education and received grants from Greenland under their education. The information from Greenland is not ready for the last year when the register of highest completed education is formed and the information from this source is therefore missing in the last year.

  • Maritime Agency (HF_KILDE = 13) In 2010 Statistic Denmark received information from the Maritime Agency's administrative system about completed maritime education.

  • Ph.d. (HF_KILDE = 14) Statistics Denmark's Ph.D. register contains information about the admission course to the PhD. education. The information from Greenland is not ready for the past year when the register of highest completed education is formed and the information from this source is therefore missing in the past year.

  • The Student Register (HF_KILDE = 15)

Sources with priority 2:

  • Population & Housing Census 1970 (HF_KILDE = 2). Population & Housing Census 1970 consist of self reported education information and the quality is considered to by less good. The date of completion on the educations from the Population & Housing Census 1970 is all set to 1-1-1970.

  • Immigrants education (IVU) (HF_KILDE = 3, 17) Self reported education information for people who have immigrated to Denmark before 2007 have source = 3, from 2007. The completion date is set to the date of first immigration to Denmark (added 1-1-1600 if date is missing).

Sources with priority 3: - The admission education (HF_KILDE = 19) People that Statistics Denmark don't have a educational information about that have immigrated to Denmark and subsequently have started on a education in the student register, receive the admission education for this education, as their highest completed education.

Sources with priority 4: - Immigrants education (IVU) (HF_KILDE = 9, 18) Information on immigrants' education is imputed when it hasn't been possible to obtain educational information in another way Imputed values is information that replace unstated values based on experience from similar people. . The imputed data is useful in overall statistical statements, but cannot be considered as valid information on individuals' educational attainment. The imputed educational information from immigrants is coded with broad educational codes, ie codes that simply indicate a certain level of education

The completion date is set to the date of first immigration to Denmark (added 1-1-1600 if date is missing).

With the inclusion of new sources, the highest level of completed education is also influenced back in time, depending on how far back the new data covers. This is important when compared to older versions of the attainment register (PSD_HFUDD) and causes data breaches in the status register (PSD_Udd_STATUS), which are not changed in previous years' versions.

When the register of highest completed education is updated, there are two sources that are not ready with data for the last year, Ph.D. (HF_KILDE = 14) and Greenland (HF_KILDE = 12). Information from these two sources is therefore not included in the last year of the register.

Men and women with long-cycle higher education

Here you can see the development in the number of men and women with long-cycle higher education as their highest educational attainment.
More about the figure
Last update
12.4.2024
Next update
2.4.2025
Source data

The primary source to produce the The Attainment Register is the Student Register. The Student's Register is supplemented additionally with data from Statistics Denmark's Qualification Register that collects data from multiple sources of different nature.

When the register is produced the sources for the information is taken into account. Some sources are more reliable than others. There are priority 1, 2, 3 and 4 sources. Information from the highest priority will always be used even if they are on a lower level than information from a source with lower priority.

Sources with priority 1:

  • Examinations achieved through adult education (HF_KILDE = 1) Qualification from the adult education system are updated annually.

  • IDA Engineering association (HF_KILDE = 5) Statistics Denmark received in 2005 the members of the engineering association.

  • Ministry of Health (HF_KILDE = 8) Since 1980, The Authorisation Register from Sundhedsdatastyrelsen have been used as a source to The Attainment Register.

  • Danish Agency for International Education (HF_KILDE = 11) Since 2007 Statistic Denmark have received information about education that has been assessed by the Agency for international Education.

  • Educational Information from Greenland (HF_KILDE = 12) Once a year, Statistic Denmark receive information about people who have completed a education and received grants from Greenland under their education. The information from Greenland is not ready for the last year when the register of highest completed education is formed and the information from this source is therefore missing in the last year.

  • Maritime Agency (HF_KILDE = 13) In 2010 Statistic Denmark received information from the Maritime Agency's administrative system about completed maritime education.

  • Ph.d. (HF_KILDE = 14) Statistics Denmark's Ph.D. register contains information about the admission course to the PhD. education. The information from Greenland is not ready for the past year when the register of highest completed education is formed and the information from this source is therefore missing in the past year.

  • The Student Register (HF_KILDE = 15)

Sources with priority 2:

  • Population & Housing Census 1970 (HF_KILDE = 2). Population & Housing Census 1970 consist of self reported education information and the quality is considered to by less good. The date of completion on the educations from the Population & Housing Census 1970 is all set to 1-1-1970.

  • Immigrants education (IVU) (HF_KILDE = 3, 17) Self reported education information for people who have immigrated to Denmark before 2007 have source = 3, from 2007. The completion date is set to the date of first immigration to Denmark (added 1-1-1600 if date is missing).

Sources with priority 3: - The admission education (HF_KILDE = 19) People that Statistics Denmark don't have a educational information about that have immigrated to Denmark and subsequently have started on a education in the student register, receive the admission education for this education, as their highest completed education.

Sources with priority 4: - Immigrants education (IVU) (HF_KILDE = 9, 18) Information on immigrants' education is imputed when it hasn't been possible to obtain educational information in another way Imputed values is information that replace unstated values based on experience from similar people. . The imputed data is useful in overall statistical statements, but cannot be considered as valid information on individuals' educational attainment. The imputed educational information from immigrants is coded with broad educational codes, ie codes that simply indicate a certain level of education

The completion date is set to the date of first immigration to Denmark (added 1-1-1600 if date is missing).

With the inclusion of new sources, the highest level of completed education is also influenced back in time, depending on how far back the new data covers. This is important when compared to older versions of the attainment register (PSD_HFUDD) and causes data breaches in the status register (PSD_Udd_STATUS), which are not changed in previous years' versions.

When the register of highest completed education is updated, there are two sources that are not ready with data for the last year, Ph.D. (HF_KILDE = 14) and Greenland (HF_KILDE = 12). Information from these two sources is therefore not included in the last year of the register.

HAVE YOU SEEN?
From education to labour market
See how many people that are in employment after completing their education or training.
HAVE YOU SEEN?
Completion of education
See how many people that start, interrupt and complete an education.

Men and women with vocational education and training

Here you can see the development in the number of men and women with vocational education and training as their highest educational attainment.
More about the figure
Last update
12.4.2024
Next update
2.4.2025
Source data

The primary source to produce the The Attainment Register is the Student Register. The Student's Register is supplemented additionally with data from Statistics Denmark's Qualification Register that collects data from multiple sources of different nature.

When the register is produced the sources for the information is taken into account. Some sources are more reliable than others. There are priority 1, 2, 3 and 4 sources. Information from the highest priority will always be used even if they are on a lower level than information from a source with lower priority.

Sources with priority 1:

  • Examinations achieved through adult education (HF_KILDE = 1) Qualification from the adult education system are updated annually.

  • IDA Engineering association (HF_KILDE = 5) Statistics Denmark received in 2005 the members of the engineering association.

  • Ministry of Health (HF_KILDE = 8) Since 1980, The Authorisation Register from Sundhedsdatastyrelsen have been used as a source to The Attainment Register.

  • Danish Agency for International Education (HF_KILDE = 11) Since 2007 Statistic Denmark have received information about education that has been assessed by the Agency for international Education.

  • Educational Information from Greenland (HF_KILDE = 12) Once a year, Statistic Denmark receive information about people who have completed a education and received grants from Greenland under their education. The information from Greenland is not ready for the last year when the register of highest completed education is formed and the information from this source is therefore missing in the last year.

  • Maritime Agency (HF_KILDE = 13) In 2010 Statistic Denmark received information from the Maritime Agency's administrative system about completed maritime education.

  • Ph.d. (HF_KILDE = 14) Statistics Denmark's Ph.D. register contains information about the admission course to the PhD. education. The information from Greenland is not ready for the past year when the register of highest completed education is formed and the information from this source is therefore missing in the past year.

  • The Student Register (HF_KILDE = 15)

Sources with priority 2:

  • Population & Housing Census 1970 (HF_KILDE = 2). Population & Housing Census 1970 consist of self reported education information and the quality is considered to by less good. The date of completion on the educations from the Population & Housing Census 1970 is all set to 1-1-1970.

  • Immigrants education (IVU) (HF_KILDE = 3, 17) Self reported education information for people who have immigrated to Denmark before 2007 have source = 3, from 2007. The completion date is set to the date of first immigration to Denmark (added 1-1-1600 if date is missing).

Sources with priority 3: - The admission education (HF_KILDE = 19) People that Statistics Denmark don't have a educational information about that have immigrated to Denmark and subsequently have started on a education in the student register, receive the admission education for this education, as their highest completed education.

Sources with priority 4: - Immigrants education (IVU) (HF_KILDE = 9, 18) Information on immigrants' education is imputed when it hasn't been possible to obtain educational information in another way Imputed values is information that replace unstated values based on experience from similar people. . The imputed data is useful in overall statistical statements, but cannot be considered as valid information on individuals' educational attainment. The imputed educational information from immigrants is coded with broad educational codes, ie codes that simply indicate a certain level of education

The completion date is set to the date of first immigration to Denmark (added 1-1-1600 if date is missing).

With the inclusion of new sources, the highest level of completed education is also influenced back in time, depending on how far back the new data covers. This is important when compared to older versions of the attainment register (PSD_HFUDD) and causes data breaches in the status register (PSD_Udd_STATUS), which are not changed in previous years' versions.

When the register of highest completed education is updated, there are two sources that are not ready with data for the last year, Ph.D. (HF_KILDE = 14) and Greenland (HF_KILDE = 12). Information from these two sources is therefore not included in the last year of the register.

On the statistics – documentation, sources and method

Gain an overview of the purpose, contents and quality of the statistics. Learn about the data sources of the statistics, the contents of the statistics and how often they are published.

See the documentation of statistics to learn more:

Highest Education Attained

The purpose of the statistics on educational attainment is to give an overall statistical description of the educational level of the population at any given time. The primary data source to these statistics is the Student Register with data from 1970 onwards. In addition, the Qualification Register is used. Since the Student Register is the primary source for information, the Attainment Register gives nearly complete coverage from 1970 onwards. There is, however information before this time coming from The Qualification Register.

Need more data on Educational attainment?

You can go on searching on your own in Statbank Denmark. Find detailed figures, such as the population’s highest educational attainment broken down by e.g. age, sex and municipality.

Contact

Susanne Mainz Sørensen
Phone: +45 39 17 33 94