People with higher levels of education report less prevalence of depression in all OECD countries with data. A greater share of women than men report suffering from depression, but the share decreases more steeply for women than for men as educational attainment increases.

Employment is associated with a lower share of self-reported depression, especially among low-educated adults. Given that mental illness has its onset in childhood or adolescence, these findings highlight the important role education systems play in ensuring students complete their education and successfully transition into the workplace.