Germany: Primary education, pupils

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Germany's primary education, pupils rose 2.8% on 2023 (from 3.21 million to 3.31 million).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −0.3% and a typical year strayed about 2.1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.5 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 4.4% in 2023 and the biggest yearly fall was 4.1% in 2002. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is upward, about 41,538 a year. A straight line explains 88% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Germany had the 22nd highest value of the 119 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Germany in the 2024 ranking

• Peru — 18th of 119: 3.71 million
• Venezuela, RB — 19th of 119: 3.54 million
• Saudi Arabia — 20th of 119: 3.45 million
• Burkina Faso — 22nd of 119: 3.07 million
• Malaysia — 23rd of 119: 3.06 million
• Chad — 24th of 119: 3.05 million

What this measures

Primary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at primary level in public and private schools.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 34 values

Primary education, pupils in nearby economies

• Albania — 141,089 (2024)
• Andorra — 4,218 (2024)
• Armenia — 160,885 (2024)
• Austria — 368,502 (2024)
• Azerbaijan — 603,966 (2024)
• Belarus — 444,044 (2024)
• Belgium — 814,388 (2023)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 141,518 (2023)
• Bulgaria — 234,521 (2024)
• Croatia — 147,483 (2023)
• Cyprus — 60,596 (2024)
• Czechia

More education data for Germany

• Primary school starting age (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 4 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 10 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 9 (2025)
• Secondary education, pupils — 6.97 million (2024)
• Primary education, teachers — 283,851 (2024)
• Secondary education, teachers — 618,670 (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, private (% of total primary) — 5.13% (2024)
• Primary education, teachers (% female) — 87.33% (2024)
• Secondary education, teachers, female — 395,262 (2024)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Germany's primary education, pupils?

3.31 million in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1991?

It is down 3.68% from 3.43 million in 1991 (0.11% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 3.87 million in 1998 and the lowest 2.86 million in 2014.

How does Germany rank?

22nd highest of 119 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in primary education, pupils unusual for Germany?

In 2024, Germany's primary education, pupils rose 2.8% on 2023 (from 3.21 million to 3.31 million). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −0.3% and a typical year strayed about 2.1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.5 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.PRM.ENRL, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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