Language:NO / EN
Statistics

Highest and lowest level of education

The share of inhabitants with university or college education.

Oslo has the highest share with higher education of Norway's municipalities at 56.4% (2025). The lowest is Værøy at 16.7%. Source: SSB, table 09429, processed by Morning Analytics 5 November 2026.

Download the table (CSV) Sharing image (PNG)

56.4%Highest: Oslo
27.5%Median of the municipalities
16.7%Lowest: Værøy

The picture in figures

The bars show the ten highest and the ten lowest of 357 municipalities. The dashed line is the median of all municipalities.

Highest 10
OsloOslo56.4%BærumBærum56.4%NesoddenNesodden51.0%AskerAsker48.7%ÅsÅs48.4%TrondheimTrondheim48.0%StavangerStavanger46.9%TromsøTromsø46.9%BergenBergen46.8%Nordre FolloNordre Follo44.9%
Lowest 10
VærøyVærøy16.7%BerlevågBerlevåg18.3%RøstRøst18.5%IvelandIveland19.3%EidskogEidskog19.6%NamsskoganNamsskogan19.7%GjerstadGjerstad20.3%MåsøyMåsøy20.7%BeiarnBeiarn20.7%GamvikGamvik20.9%
How 357 municipalities spread
16.7% – 20.0%: 620.0% – 23.3%: 4523.3% – 26.6%: 9726.6% – 29.9%: 9329.9% – 33.2%: 4933.2% – 36.6%: 3136.6% – 39.9%: 1639.9% – 43.2%: 843.2% – 46.5%: 346.5% – 49.8%: 649.8% – 53.1%: 153.1% – 56.4%: 216.7%56.4%share with higher education →

Each bar is the number of municipalities in a range of values. The dashed line is the median. Hover over a bar to see the range.

Analysis: why are some at the top and others at the bottom?

We compared share with higher education with every other municipal figure we have, from Statistics Norway, NIPH and the Brønnøysund Register Centre. Below are the figures that go most closely together with share with higher education across the country, and what marks the municipalities at the top and bottom on those figures.

The pattern across the country

  • Municipalities that rank high on «Average price per square metre, second-hand dwellings» most often also rank high on share with higher education (strong association, rank correlation 0.65 across 278 municipalities; Statistics Norway table 14545).
  • Municipalities that rank high on «Detached houses, share of all dwellings» most often rank low on share with higher education (strong association, rank correlation −0.62 across 357 municipalities; Statistics Norway table 06265).
  • Municipalities that rank high on «Gross income per person aged 17 and over, median» most often also rank high on share with higher education (strong association, rank correlation 0.56 across 357 municipalities; Statistics Norway table 05671).
  • Municipalities that rank high on «Population on 1 January» most often also rank high on share with higher education (strong association, rank correlation 0.53 across 357 municipalities; Statistics Norway table 11342).

The highest and the lowest

  • No. 1 Oslo (56.4%) Fits the pattern: «Average price per square metre, second-hand dwellings» 98,381 kr (no. 1 of 278 from the top; Statistics Norway table 14545); «Detached houses, share of all dwellings» 7.9% (no. 357 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 06265); «Population on 1 January» 728,714 (no. 1 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 11342). Most distinctive industry: tjenester tilknyttet informasjonsteknologi, 6% of the jobs, 2.6 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 2 Bærum (56.4%) Fits the pattern: «Gross income per person aged 17 and over, median» 638,400 kr (no. 1 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 05671); «Average price per square metre, second-hand dwellings» 76,793 kr (no. 2 of 278 from the top; Statistics Norway table 14545); «Detached houses, share of all dwellings» 28.8% (no. 353 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 06265). Most distinctive industry: arkitektvirksomhet og teknisk konsulentvirksomhet, og teknisk prøving og analyse, 7% of the jobs, 3.4 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 3 Nesodden (51.0%) Fits the pattern: «Average price per square metre, second-hand dwellings» 59,672 kr (no. 6 of 278 from the top; Statistics Norway table 14545); «Gross income per person aged 17 and over, median» 574,200 kr (no. 8 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 05671); «Detached houses, share of all dwellings» 57.4% (no. 302 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 06265). Most distinctive industry: helsetjenester, 17% of the jobs, 1.9 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 357 Værøy (16.7%, among the lowest) Fits the pattern: «Population on 1 January» 656 (no. 348 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 11342); «Gross income per person aged 17 and over, median» 463,800 kr (no. 310 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 05671). Most distinctive industry: produksjon av nærings- og nytelsesmidler, 31% of the jobs, 18.7 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 356 Berlevåg (18.3%, among the lowest) Fits the pattern: «Population on 1 January» 864 (no. 343 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 11342); «Gross income per person aged 17 and over, median» 454,100 kr (no. 331 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 05671). Most distinctive industry: fiske, fangst og akvakultur, 17% of the jobs, 21.4 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 355 Røst (18.5%, among the lowest) Fits the pattern: «Population on 1 January» 471 (no. 353 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 11342); «Detached houses, share of all dwellings» 85.9% (no. 38 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 06265). Most distinctive industry: fiske, fangst og akvakultur, 18% of the jobs, 22.1 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).

The analysis describes what goes together, not what causes what. Two figures can follow each other because both depend on something else, such as size, location or industry. The figures are from the latest year available for each source, so the years can differ. Rank correlation runs from −1 to 1; values near 1 mean the municipalities lie in roughly the same order on both measures.

What explains the placing?

  • 1. Oslo 56.4% 105% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 2. Bærum 56.4% 105% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 3. Nesodden 51.0% 85% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 355. Røst 18.5% Small municipality (471 inhabitants): one company or a few people can move the figure a lot. 33% below the median of the municipalities.
  • 356. Berlevåg 18.3% Small municipality (864 inhabitants): one company or a few people can move the figure a lot. 33% below the median of the municipalities.
  • 357. Værøy 16.7% Small municipality (656 inhabitants): one company or a few people can move the figure a lot. 39% below the median of the municipalities.
#Municipality County Inhabitants share with higher education
101 Kristiansund Møre og Romsdal 24,479 30.4%
102 Kvam Vestland 8,490 30.4%
103 Hadsel Nordland 8,374 30.4%
104 Eidsvoll Akershus 28,739 30.2%
105 Flatangersmall municipality Trøndelag 1,110 30.2%
106 Ørsta Møre og Romsdal 11,068 30.1%
107 Aukrasmall municipality Møre og Romsdal 3,780 30.1%
108 Risør Agder 6,683 30.1%
109 Lindesnes Agder 23,702 30.1%
110 Overhallasmall municipality Trøndelag 3,944 30.1%
111 Notodden Telemark 13,389 30.1%
112 Kvæfjordsmall municipality Troms 2,901 30.1%
113 Lunner Akershus 9,463 30.0%
114 Sirdalsmall municipality Agder 1,911 30.0%
115 Steinkjer Trøndelag 24,007 30.0%
116 Porsangersmall municipality Finnmark 3,906 30.0%
117 Råde Østfold 7,892 29.9%
118 Holsmall municipality Buskerud 4,552 29.8%
119 Oppdal Trøndelag 7,421 29.7%
120 Ringerike Buskerud 31,942 29.7%
121 Eidfjordsmall municipality Vestland 985 29.7%
122 Folldalsmall municipality Innlandet 1,525 29.6%
123 Flekkefjord Agder 9,373 29.6%
124 Stryn Vestland 7,319 29.6%
125 Hjelmelandsmall municipality Rogaland 2,612 29.5%
126 Fyresdalsmall municipality Telemark 1,274 29.5%
127 Vestvågøy Nordland 11,606 29.4%
128 Ossmall municipality Innlandet 1,871 29.4%
129 Nessebysmall municipality Finnmark 874 29.4%
130 Tokkesmall municipality Telemark 2,242 29.3%
131 Rana Nordland 25,844 29.1%
132 Sortland Nordland 10,748 29.1%
133 Hamarøysmall municipality Nordland 2,808 29.1%
134 Øystre Slidresmall municipality Innlandet 3,347 29.1%
135 Kragerø Telemark 10,378 29.1%
136 Seljordsmall municipality Telemark 2,959 29.1%
137 Kinn Vestland 17,356 29.1%
138 Vallesmall municipality Agder 1,209 29.0%
139 Strand Rogaland 13,959 28.9%
140 Sykkylven Møre og Romsdal 7,626 28.8%
141 Fjordsmall municipality Møre og Romsdal 2,547 28.8%
142 Øvre Eiker Buskerud 20,965 28.8%
143 Siljansmall municipality Telemark 2,377 28.8%
144 Tysvær Rogaland 11,750 28.7%
145 Tvedestrand Agder 6,430 28.6%
146 Salangensmall municipality Troms 2,132 28.6%
147 Målselv Troms 6,819 28.6%
148 Sørreisasmall municipality Troms 3,528 28.6%
149 Modalensmall municipality Vestland 397 28.4%
150 Grongsmall municipality Trøndelag 2,292 28.4%