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Education at a Glance 2025: France
Table of contents
This country note provides an overview of the key characteristics of the education system in France based on data from Education at a Glance 2025. In line with this year’s thematic focus, it emphasises tertiary education while also covering other parts of the education system. The data in this note are provided for the latest available year. Readers interested in the reference years for the data should refer to the corresponding tables in Education at a Glance 2025.
Educational inequalities persist across generations in 2023. In all countries with available data, young adults (25-34 year-olds) are significantly more likely to attain a tertiary qualification if their parents have also done so. In France, 75% of 25-34 year-olds with at least one tertiary-educated parent have also attained a tertiary qualification, compared to only 32% among those whose parents did not complete upper secondary education. This tertiary-attainment gap of 43 percentage points is similar to the OECD average gap of 44 percentage points (Figure 1).
Survey of Adult Skills, in per cent
Note: The percentage in parentheses represents the share of tertiary-educated parents.
For data, see OECD (2025) Education at a Glance 2025: OECD Indicators, https://doi.org/10.1787/1c0d9c79-en, Table A1.4 (available on line).
Educational attainment remains high in most OECD countries. In 2024, 48% of 25-34 year-olds across OECD countries hold a tertiary qualification—the highest level ever recorded. In France, the share is even higher, at 53%, a 5 percentage-point increase since 2019. In parallel, the share of young adults (25-34 year-olds) without upper secondary attainment continues to decline across the OECD, reaching an average of 13%. This trend also continues in France, where the share fell from 13% to 11% between 2019 and 2024 (Table A1.2).
Individuals with greater educational attainment generally face a lower risk of unemployment and earn higher wages. Completing upper secondary education is particularly important in reducing the risk of unemployment. On average across the OECD, 12.9% of economically active young adults (25-34 year-olds) without an upper secondary qualification are unemployed, compared to 6.9% of those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary attainment. Those who go on to gain a tertiary qualification see a relatively smaller further reduction in unemployment, with 4.9% of tertiary-educated young adults unemployed on average across the OECD. This pattern is similar in France (albeit at a higher level): 18.5% of young adults without an upper secondary qualification are unemployed, compared to 9.9% of those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary attainment and 6.3% of those with tertiary attainment (Figure 2).
In per cent
For data, see OECD (2025) Education at a Glance 2025: OECD Indicators, https://doi.org/10.1787/1c0d9c79-en, Table A3.5.
On average, individuals with a master’s or equivalent degree have significantly higher employment rates and earnings than those with a bachelor’s or equivalent degree. However, the share of young adults (25-34 year-olds) attaining a master’s or equivalent qualification varies widely across OECD countries, ranging from 1% to 39% in 2024. In France, 26% of 25-34 year-olds hold a master’s or equivalent degree, which is well above the OECD average of 16%. This represents an increase since 2019, when the share was 20% (Table A1.2).
The average wage gap between individuals (25-64 years old) who have not completed upper secondary education and those for whom this level is the highest qualification remains relatively modest across OECD countries. On average across the OECD, workers without upper secondary qualifications earn on average 17% less than those who have completed upper secondary education, while workers with tertiary attainment earn 54% more than those with upper secondary attainment. In France, the wage gap between workers with and without upper secondary attainment is smaller than the OECD average, at 14%. The gap between those with upper secondary and tertiary attainment is larger than the OECD average, at 60% (Table A4.1).
Educational attainment and skills are closely linked, although the strength of this relationship varies across countries. In France, tertiary-educated adults score, on average, 47 points higher in literacy proficiency than those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary attainment in the Survey of Adult Skills. This gap is wider than the OECD average difference of 34 points (PIAAC chapter, Table 16).
Average literacy scores fell between Cycle 1 (2012-15) and Cycle 2 (2023) of the Survey of Adult Skills1. On average across OECD countries, the fall among adults with tertiary attainment was 9 score points (from 294 to 286), smaller than the average drop of 19 score points (from 231 to 212) among adults without upper secondary qualifications. In France, average literacy scores for adults with tertiary attainment decreased by 5 points (from 293 to 287), while the score for adults without upper secondary attainment decreased by 7 points (from 200 to 193), (PIAAC chapter, Table 16).
In most OECD countries, a significant share of adults have low levels of literacy proficiency, defined as at or below Level 1 (on a scale of 0-5) in the OECD Survey of Adult Skills, a product of the OECD Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). Individuals at this level can only understand very short texts with minimal distracting information. In France, 30% of 25-64 year-olds have literacy skills at or below Level 1 in 2023, which is slightly above the OECD average of 27%. Among adults without upper secondary education, 61% score at or below Level 1 in literacy in the OECD Survey of Adult Skills. In France, this share is even higher, at 70% (PIAAC chapter, Table 2).
Low literacy proficiency is not limited to those with lower qualifications: across the OECD, 30% of adults with upper secondary education and 13% of those with tertiary education score at or below Level 1 in 2023. In France, these proportions are 36% and 8%, respectively. These findings underscore a key challenge: expanding access to education is not enough – education systems must also ensure that all learners develop strong foundational skills (PIAAC chapter, Table 2).
In France, as in all OECD countries, adults with better literacy skills are more likely to participate in education and training. In 2023, 64% of adults (25-64 year-olds) with high literacy proficiency (i.e. at or above Level 4) in the Survey of Adult Skills participated in formal and/or non-formal education and training in the last year (the OECD average is 70%), compared to just 20% of those with proficiency at or below Level 1 (the OECD average is 26%), (Table A5.1).
Migration and language background can significantly influence adult literacy skills. Across participating OECD countries and economies, native-born 25-64 year-olds with native-born parents scored 266 points in 2023, compared to 247 for foreign-born adults who spoke the host country language at home (a 19-point gap) and 229 for those who did not (a 38-point gap). In France, the gaps are larger: 262 points for adults with native-born parents, 219 for foreign-born adults speaking the host language at home, and 184 for those who do not. These differences may reflect language exposure and migration-related barriers such as interrupted schooling or difficulties with credential recognition. However, these figures should be interpreted with caution, as some estimates are based on small samples, and—more importantly—because they do not control for socio-economic background, which likely explains part of the gap in France, a country receiving many migrants from poorer backgrounds (PIAAC chapter, Table 5).
Among countries and economies with available data from the European Social Survey (ESS), tertiary-educated adults aged 25–64 in 2023 report the highest levels of life enjoyment - on average, 75% say they enjoyed life almost all or most of the time. This share declines with lower levels of educational attainment: 71% among those with upper secondary education and 61% among those with below upper secondary education. In France, however, reported life enjoyment is consistently high across all education levels, with 89% of tertiary-educated adults saying they enjoyed life almost all or most of the time, compared to 83% of those with upper secondary and 82% of those with below upper secondary education (Table A6.3).
Education systems must adapt to changes in the number of children by expanding or reducing provision accordingly. On average across OECD countries, the number of children aged 0–4 declined by 10% between 2013 and 2023 and is projected to fall by a further 3% until 2033. France experienced a decline of 13% in the number 0-4 year-olds, and is projected to see an increase of 2% between 2023 and 2033, based on assumptions including migration and fertility trends. (Figure B1.3 of EAG 2025).
Repetition rates have decreased across OECD countries in recent years, particularly in France, where the share of repeaters in lower secondary education dropped from 2.3% in 2015 to 1.1% in 2023. With only 1.1% of students repeating a grade in 2023, France is well below the OECD average of 2.5% (Table B2.2).
The share of students in lower secondary education who are at least two years older than the expected age for their grade varies widely across OECD countries, ranging from virtually none in some countries to over 10% in others. In France, the share is at the lower end of the OECD distribution in 2023, at 0.4% (Table B2.2).
Gender disparities and programme structures vary across upper secondary vocational education in OECD countries. On average across OECD countries, men make up 55% of enrolments in upper secondary vocational programmes, where 45% of students are enrolled in combined school- and work-based programmes. In France, the gender gap is even wider, with men representing 58% of enrolments in upper secondary vocational programmes. However, only 33% of students in France were enrolled in upper secondary combined school- and work-based programmes in 2023—a smaller share than the OECD average, though up from 27% in 2013 (Table B3.2).
Across the OECD, the two most popular broad fields of study are science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and business, administration, and law, each accounting on average for 23% of graduates from bachelor’s or equivalent programmes in 2023. They are closely followed by the broad field of arts and humanities, social sciences, journalism and information, at 22% of graduates on average. France follows a different pattern, with business, administration and law leading at 34% of graduates, arts and humanities, social sciences, journalism and information in second place (26%), and a smaller share than the OECD average graduating from STEM fields (19%) in 2023 (Table B4.2).
Countries use a range of admission systems to tertiary public education institutions. Like nearly half of the countries with available data, France has a largely non-selective admission system for first degrees in both public and private institutions -though some programmes remain selective. This open-access approach allows all applicants who meet the minimum qualifications to be admitted, helping to ensure broad participation in tertiary education. As a result, France has the highest acceptance rate in 2024 among 20 countries, with 95% of applicants offered a place in tertiary programmes (Figure 3).
Applicants to tertiary programmes who are accepted do not always go on to enrol. In a few countries, including France, the share of accepted applicants who actually enrol in 2024 exceeds 75% -reaching 83% in France. However, enrolling in a programme does not necessarily lead to successful completion (Table D6.4).
In per cent
Getting into tertiary education is one step—finishing it is another. Completion rates reflect the share of new entrants to bachelor’s programmes who successfully obtain a tertiary degree within specified timeframes. These rates remain low in most OECD countries. In France, only 34% of new entrants in public universities complete their bachelor’s degree within the theoretical duration of the programme in 2023. This rises to 46% one year after the expected end date. In comparison, the OECD average completion rate in public and private institutions is 43% within the theoretical duration, increasing to 59% after an additional year (Figure 4).
International student mobility in tertiary education continues to rise across the OECD, with some countries experiencing substantial growth in the share of international students between 2018 and 2023. On average, 7.4% of all tertiary students across the OECD were international or foreign students, compared to 6.0% in 2018. France saw a modest increase over this period, with the share rising from 8.8% to 9.7%, but the country remains among those hosting the largest number of international students. Notably, more than half (52%) of international students in France come from African countries, while 22% come from Asia and 17% from Europe (Table B4.3).
In per cent
1. Year of reference differs from 2023.
For data, see OECD (2025) Education at a Glance 2025: OECD Indicators, https://doi.org/10.1787/1c0d9c79-en, Table B5.1.
There are significant disparities in how much governments spend each year in education across OECD, partner and accession countries. France spends USD 12 321 per student from primary to post-secondary non-tertiary levels, placing it at the middle of the country range, which spans from less than USD 2 000 to more than USD 27 000 (Figure 5).
Expenditure per student on educational institutions, from both public and private sources, differs markedly across education levels in 2022. France spends 13% less than the OECD average per student in primary education (USD 11 135 versus USD 12 730), 5% less in lower secondary education (USD 13 622 versus USD 14 315), but 24% more in upper secondary education (USD 18 127 versus USD 14 562) (Tables C3.1 and C4.1).
In equivalent USD converted using PPPs, expenditure on educational institutions
Note: Expenditure at tertiary level includes R&D. Expenditure per student in early childhood education is based on headcounts rather than full-time equivalent students. Expenditure at tertiary level for Luxembourg (USD 54 384) is not shown in the figure.
1. Year of reference differs from 2022.
2. Primary includes pre-primary education.
3. Includes payments by households outside educational institutions.
For data, see OECD (2025) Education at a Glance 2025: OECD Indicators, https://doi.org/10.1787/1c0d9c79-en, Table C1.1 and Table C1.2.
As in most other countries, government expenditure in France is higher at tertiary level, including research and development (R&D), than at primary to post-secondary non-tertiary levels. Government expenditure in France amounts to USD 14 238 per tertiary student in 2022 compared to the OECD average of USD 15 102 (Table C1.1).
A large part of the disparity in expenditure per student across OECD, partner and accession countries reflects differences in national income levels. When expenditure is measured as a share of GDP, cross-country differences tend to be smaller, ranging in 2022 from 2.5% of GDP to 6.9%. In France, education investment in primary to tertiary education stands at 5.4% of GDP, which is above the OECD average of 4.7% by this measure (Table C1.2).
Governments are the primary source of education funding in all OECD countries, especially for the levels covered by compulsory education. In 2022, governments provide in France 92% of total funding for primary, secondary, and post-secondary non-tertiary education (before transfers to the private sector), which is slightly above the OECD average of 90.1%. At tertiary level, private funding often plays a larger role. In France, 68.8% of tertiary education funding (before transfers) come from public sources, compared to OECD average of 71.9% (Table C1.5).
Although expenditure per student from primary to tertiary levels (including research and development) increased on average across OECD countries between 2015 and 2022 in real terms (from USD 11 955 to USD 13 210), government spending on education declined in relative terms from 10.9% of public budgets to 10.1%. This suggests the relative priority given to education in overall public spending has fallen across the OECD. In France, expenditure per student increased from USD 13 898 to USD 14 794, while the share devoted to education decreased from 8.3% of public budgets to 8.0% over this period (Table C1.3).
At the pre-primary level, government expenditure per child in France rose by only 14% between 2015 and 2022, compared to an average increase of 24% across the OECD. This modest growth occurred despite an 8% decline in enrolments in France, while enrolments increased slightly on average across the OECD (+1%), (Table C2.5).
Some countries impose significantly higher tuition fees on foreign students at master’s level in public institutions, including France. In France, these higher fees apply to students from outside the European Union or European Economic Area and can reach in 2022/23 up to USD 5 592—well above the average amount charged to national students (USD 360). However, fewer than 10% of these international students actually pay the full fee (Table C5.3).
The teaching workforce is ageing across OECD countries. Between 2013 and 2023, the average age of teachers has increased across the OECD. In secondary education, 38% of teachers are 50 years or older in 2023, compared to 36% in 2013. France shows a similar trend, with 39% of secondary teachers aged 50 or older in 2023, compared to 31% in 2013 (Table D8.1).
Many countries are experiencing teacher shortages, reflected not just in the number of unfilled teaching positions, but also in other indicators such as the share of non-fully qualified teachers in the teaching workforce. Among the 14 countries and economies with available data, an average of 1.6% of teaching positions in pre-primary, primary, and secondary education are unfilled at the start of the 2022/23 school year. In a broader group of 22 countries and economies, 8.4% of teachers at these levels are not fully qualified (which corresponds to non-tenured teachers in France). For France, data refer to the start of the 2021/2022 school year2: there are 816 unfilled teaching positions, representing just 0.1% of all teaching positions. In the same year, 5.4% of teachers are not fully qualified (1.3% in pre-primary and primary education, and 9.1% in secondary education) (Tables D8.2 and D8.3). However, cross-country comparisons of these data should be made with even greater caution than in other areas, as teacher recruitment processes (and the associated statuses) vary significantly, ranging from centralised systems with competitive national exams to fully decentralised hiring at the school level, making comparisons of vacancy levels difficult (Table D8.3).
High teacher turnover can place additional pressure on recruitment, while very low turnover may limit the renewal of the teaching workforce. In most countries and economies with available data, between 1% and 3% of pre-primary, primary and secondary teachers retire in 2022/23. However, the share of teachers leaving the profession for reasons other than retirement varies more widely, ranging from almost none in some countries to nearly 10% in others. France is among the countries with low turnover, with 2.3% of teachers retiring and 0.4% resigning in 2021/22 (Figure 6).
In per cent, full-time and part-time, public institutions
1. Academic year 2021/22 for Denmark, England (UK), France and New Zealand.
2. Only primary education in Argentina. Excluding pre-primary education in Greece and Ireland. Excluding upper secondary education in Denmark and Israel. Excluding upper secondary vocational education in the Netherlands.
3. Includes non-fully qualified teachers.
4. Includes teachers who left the profession because they were appointed to other positions in the education sector.
For data, see OECD (2025) Education at a Glance 2025: OECD Indicators, https://doi.org/10.1787/1c0d9c79-en, Table D8.4.
Competitive salaries can make the teaching profession more attractive, particularly since teachers in many countries earn less than other tertiary-educated workers. In France, actual salaries in 2024 are 26% lower for primary teachers and 18% lower for lower secondary teachers than those of tertiary-educated, full-time, full year workers, compared to an average of respectively 17% and 13% lower across the OECD. However, increasing teacher salaries can be financially challenging, as staff costs make up the largest share of education expenditure (Figure 7).
In France, as in most OECD countries, statutory teacher salaries increase with the level of education taught. While starting salaries are now close to the OECD average, they remain below this average at mid-career. In 2024, teachers with the most prevalent qualifications and 15 years of experience earn annually in France USD 49 462 at the pre-primary and primary levels, and USD 53 086 at the secondary level. This compares to OECD averages ranging from USD 59 673 at the primary level and USD 61 563 at the lower secondary level (Table D3.1).
Between 2015 and 2024, statutory salaries increased in most countries, though at varying rates for new and experienced teachers. In France, starting salaries for primary and secondary teachers rose by 8%, below the OECD average increases of 17% in primary education, 16% in lower secondary general education, and 14% in upper secondary general education. For teachers with 15 years of experience, salaries remained unchanged at the pre-primary and primary levels and rose by just 1% at the secondary level—compared to averages increases across OECD countries of 6% in primary education, 4% in lower secondary general education, and 5% in upper secondary general education. Salary developments in France have mostly occurred in recent years, notably with the 2023 increase in the “attractiveness bonus” for teachers with less than 15 years of experience. These limited gains partly reflect changes to the “attractiveness bonus”, which was raised in 2023 for teachers with up to three years of experience (Tables D3.6 and D3.7).
In most countries, academic staff actual salaries vary significantly by seniority. Staff in junior academic positions in tertiary institutions providing bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes often earn well below the average salary for tertiary-educated, full-time, full year workers, while staff in senior positions—such as full professors—typically earn well above this average. In France, junior academic staff earn 9% less than workers with a tertiary degree in 2023, while senior academic staff earn 28% more. In comparison, the averages across all responding countries are 11% less for junior staff and 59% more for senior staff (Figure D7.3 of EAG 2025).
Ratio of salaries to the earnings of full-time, full-year workers aged 25-64
Note: Data refer to the ratio of annual average salaries (including bonuses and allowances) of teachers and school heads in public institutions relative to the earnings of workers with similar educational attainment (weighted average) and to the earnings of full-time, full-year workers with tertiary education. Earnings of workers with similar educational attainment to teachers are weighted by the distribution of teachers (or school heads) by qualification level (see Tables X2.10 and X2.11). As values close to one may be difficult to identify in the figure, please refer to the source table.
1. Data on earnings for full-time, full-year workers with tertiary education refer to the whole country.
2. Year of reference for salaries of teachers differs from 2024.
For data, see OECD (2025) Education at a Glance 2025: OECD Indicators, https://doi.org/10.1787/1c0d9c79-en, Table D3.2.
The amount of compulsory instruction time affects teacher salary costs, as it influences the number of teachers required, together with other factors such as class size and teaching time of teachers. In 2025, students in France receive 864 hours of compulsory instruction per year in primary education and 973 hours in lower secondary education—both above the OECD averages of 804 hours and 909 hours, respectively (Table D1.1).
In France, 59% of compulsory instruction time in primary education is devoted to core subjects in 2025: 38% to reading, writing and literature, and 21% to mathematics. This share drops to 30% in lower secondary education (16% for reading, writing and literature, and 14% for mathematics). In comparison, on average across OECD countries, 41% of compulsory instruction time in primary education is devoted to these subjects (25% for reading, writing and literature, and 16% for mathematics), and 27% in lower secondary education (14% and 13%, respectively) (Tables D1.3 and D1.4).
School holidays (excluding other public or religious days) in primary education in 2025 last 16 weeks per year in France (all breaks combined), compared to 13.5 weeks across the OECD. While the summer break in France lasts around 8 weeks, shorter than the OECD average of 8.7 weeks and the EU25 average of 9.5 weeks, school-year breaks are longer than in many other countries. France is among the one-third of OECD countries that have at least four breaks during the school year, and one of the few where these breaks are of similar length—typically two weeks each (Figure 8).
In weeks, in public institutions
Note: Breaks exclude public/religious days, except if these days are included in longer breaks.
1. End-of-year break includes examination periods.
2. Minimum length of breaks. Length of breaks may vary by region, by programme and/or by individual school.
3. Data for the federal state with the highest number of pupils, Nordrhein-Westfalen. The length and number of breaks for Germany are indicative due to variation across Länder, even if the total duration of breaks is similar across the Länder.
4. Holiday periods common for all states and territories.
For data, see OECD (2025) Education at a Glance 2025: OECD Indicators, https://doi.org/10.1787/1c0d9c79-en, Figure D1.2.
Across the OECD, the average class size in public and private educational institutions at primary level has not changed since 2013, at 21 students. In France, it stood at 21.6 students in 2023, a decrease of nearly two students compared to 2013 (23.4) (Table D2.3).
For more information on Education at a Glance 2025 and to access the full set of indicators, see: https://doi.org/10.1787/1c0d9c79-en.
For more information on the methodology used during the data collection for each indicator, the references to the sources and the specific notes for each country, see Education at a Glance 2025: Sources, Methodologies and Technical Notes, https://doi.org/10.1787/fcfaf2d1-en.
For general information on the methodology, please refer to the OECD Handbook for Internationally Comparative Education Statistics 2018, https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264304444-en.
Updated data can be found on line at http://data-explorer.oecd.org/ and by following the StatLinks in the publication.
Explore, compare and visualise more data and analysis using the Education GPS: https://gpseducation.oecd.org/.
Questions can be directed to the Education at a Glance team at the OECD Directorate for Education and Skills: EDU.EAG@oecd.org.
This work is published under the responsibility of the Secretary-General of the OECD. The opinions expressed and arguments employed herein do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Member countries of the OECD.
This document, as well as any data and map included herein, are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area.
The statistical data for Israel are supplied by and under the responsibility of the relevant Israeli authorities. The use of such data by the OECD is without prejudice to the status of the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem and Israeli settlements in the West Bank under the terms of international law.
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← 1. Does not include adults who in Cycle 2 were only administered the doorstep interview due to a language barrier.
← 2. 1. Year of reference: 2023.
← 3. For data, see OECD (2025) Education at a Glance 2025: OECD Indicators, https://doi.org/10.1787/1c0d9c79-en, Table D6.4.
← 4. The 2021/22 school year was the last in France when the teacher recruitment exam (‘Concours de recrutement’) was open to external candidates with a Master’s 1 (M1) degree. Since then, candidates must hold, or be in the process of obtaining, a Master’s 2 (M2) degree.