Young people in Germany
Facts and figures: How many young people live at home? How many are doing an apprenticeship? Answers to the six most important questions about young people.
1. How many young people are there living in Germany?
Just over 8.3 million people in Germany are aged between 15 and 24 – 10 percent of the population. This figure is lower than at any time since the first census in 1950. By contrast, the total population has reached a new high of 83.5 million people (2024).
2. Are many young people unemployed in Germany?
The unemployment rate among people aged between 14 and 24 is just 6.7 percent. 15 years ago it was twice as high (13.8 percent). The current EU average likewise is more than double this figure. In 2024 some 42.7 million people in Germany were in dependent employment: at least 4.2 million of them were aged between 15 and 24.
3. How many school pupils gain admission to higher education?
Almost half of school leavers (48 percent) obtain a qualification that entitles them to study at university. Only 7.2 percent of young people leave school without any qualifications at all.
4. How many university students are there in Germany?
There are 2.9 million university students – well over twice the number of trainees (1.3 million). In 1950, the number of trainees was 7.5 times higher than the number of university students.
5. How many women go to university in Germany?
Female students now account for more than half of first-semester students (50.9 percent). In 1950 the figure was only 18.5 percent. The share of women among secondary school leavers is 55.3 percent.
6. How many young people live at home in Germany?
27.5 percent of 25-year-olds still live with their parents. There is a clear difference between women and men: while 21 percent of young women still live at home, the figure for young men is 33 percent.
