Israel Drops From 3rd to 20th in OECD Academic Attainment Rankings

Israel's historical advantage in the proportion of young adults with academic degrees has significantly eroded over the past two decades, according to a periodic review published by the Chief Economist Division of the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday. In 2000, Israel ranked third among OECD countries for the share of 25-34-year-olds holding academic degrees, with 41%. By 2024, despite a moderate increase to 47%, Israel's relative position fell sharply to 20th place, below the OECD average, as other member countries experienced much faster growth in higher education attainment.

The Chief Economist Division attributes this decline to two main factors: Israel's slower growth rate in academic attainment compared to other OECD nations, and persistent structural disparities in higher education participation among different population groups. Analysis by gender and population segments reveals a complex picture. Women have driven much of the growth, with significant increases in higher education enrollment across all groups between 2010 and 2025. However, notable gaps remain, especially between non-Haredi Jewish women and other groups.

Among men, progress has stalled recently, with stagnation in higher education participation among non-Haredi Jewish youth. Although Haredi men have shown increased enrollment, their growth rate lags behind that of young Arab men. These enduring disparities in higher education access and attainment across population groups pose a major challenge. Without accelerating growth to match international trends and addressing deep structural gaps domestically, Israel risks falling further behind in the rankings of developed countries' educational achievements.