Official 2025 school and pupil statistics.
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Education in Norway
DATAEducation profile
Education profile 路 Reference periods shown
Statistics Norway reports 621,961 pupils in primary and lower-secondary school in 2025, 208,486 pupils in upper-secondary education and 311,148 students in higher education. Norway's three current SSB datasets provide a consistent 2025 snapshot across compulsory school, upper secondary and higher education.
Norway education snapshot
Norway's three current SSB datasets provide a consistent 2025 snapshot across compulsory school, upper secondary and higher education.
Primary + lower-secondary pupils
621,961
Schools
2,663
Upper-secondary pupils
208,486
Higher-education students
311,148
* Reference years and benchmark labels are shown with the figures.
How the education pathway works
The system section also keeps apprenticeships visible because upper-secondary vocational education extends beyond school-based pupils alone.
| Stage | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Primary and lower secondary | Compulsory school | Primary and lower-secondary schooling form the compulsory school sequence. |
| General and vocational | Upper secondary | Upper-secondary education includes school-based and vocational routes. |
| Apprentices and trainees | Apprenticeship | Vocational pathways also include apprenticeship and training contracts. |
| Universities and colleges | Higher education | Higher education follows upper-secondary or equivalent qualifications. |
Key evidence
The 621,961 and 208,486 values are pupil counts at different levels, while 311,148 is the tertiary student population.
| Indicator or rule | Value | Reference | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary + lower-secondary pupils | 621,961 | 2025 | School pupils |
| Schools | 2,663 | 2025 | Primary and lower-secondary schools |
| Upper-secondary pupils | 208,486 | 2025 | Upper-secondary education |
| Higher-education students | 311,148 | 2025 | Universities and colleges |
* Reference years and benchmark labels are shown with the figures.
How to read the Norway evidence
The 2,663 figure counts schools and is not part of the learner total.
Apprentices and trainees are not folded into the upper-secondary pupil card because the source reports them separately.
Frequently asked questions
How many pupils were in Norway's primary and lower-secondary schools in 2025?
Statistics Norway reports 621,961 pupils.
How many primary and lower-secondary schools were reported?
The 2025 count is 2,663 schools.
How many pupils were in upper-secondary education?
Statistics Norway reports 208,486 pupils in 2025.
How many higher-education students were enrolled?
Statistics Norway reports 311,148 students in 2025.
Sources and methodology
All headline values come from Statistics Norway 2025 releases.
Official 2025 upper-secondary pupil statistics.
Official 2025 university and college enrolment statistics.
Methodology: Norway figures retain the institutional scope used by SSB; school pupils, upper-secondary pupils and higher-education students are not summed.