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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.

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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
151 Gjesdal Rogaland 12,715 28.3%
152 Kvitsøysmall municipality Rogaland 579 28.3%
153 Vegårsheismall municipality Agder 2,253 28.3%
154 Våler (Østfold) Østfold 6,229 28.3%
155 Øyer Innlandet 5,130 28.3%
156 Nordreisasmall municipality Troms 4,863 28.3%
157 Gildeskålsmall municipality Nordland 2,024 28.2%
158 Klepp Rogaland 21,444 28.1%
159 Suldalsmall municipality Rogaland 3,891 28.1%
160 Sunndal Møre og Romsdal 7,094 28.1%
161 Ullensvang Vestland 10,929 28.1%
162 Viksmall municipality Vestland 2,532 28.1%
163 Vefsn Nordland 13,481 28.0%
164 Sarpsborg Østfold 60,614 28.0%
165 Vestre Slidresmall municipality Innlandet 2,190 28.0%
166 Askvollsmall municipality Vestland 2,924 28.0%
167 Rauma Møre og Romsdal 7,195 27.9%
168 Brønnøy Nordland 7,841 27.9%
169 Trænasmall municipality Nordland 443 27.8%
170 Øygarden Vestland 40,641 27.8%
171 Ringsaker Innlandet 36,199 27.8%
172 Steigensmall municipality Nordland 2,679 27.7%
173 Jevnaker Akershus 7,040 27.7%
174 Alver Vestland 30,285 27.7%
175 Hareid Møre og Romsdal 5,411 27.6%
176 Sveio Vestland 5,766 27.6%
177 Averøy Møre og Romsdal 6,007 27.6%
178 Eigersund Rogaland 15,546 27.5%
179 Strandasmall municipality Møre og Romsdal 4,333 27.5%
180 Tingvollsmall municipality Møre og Romsdal 3,066 27.5%
181 Kongsvinger Innlandet 18,191 27.5%
182 Lesjasmall municipality Innlandet 1,966 27.5%
183 Nissedalsmall municipality Telemark 1,509 27.5%
184 Evenessmall municipality Nordland 1,397 27.4%
185 Nome Telemark 6,529 27.4%
186 Bømlo Vestland 12,531 27.4%
187 Tysnessmall municipality Vestland 3,053 27.4%
188 Gulensmall municipality Vestland 2,301 27.4%
189 Melhus Trøndelag 17,828 27.4%
190 Austevoll Vestland 5,515 27.3%
191 Nesbyensmall municipality Buskerud 3,234 27.2%
192 Østre Toten Innlandet 14,925 27.1%
193 Tanasmall municipality Finnmark 2,806 27.1%
194 Stor-Elvdalsmall municipality Innlandet 2,239 27.0%
195 Leirfjordsmall municipality Nordland 2,392 26.9%
196 Enebakk Akershus 11,697 26.9%
197 Rollagsmall municipality Buskerud 1,452 26.9%
198 Nord-Aurdal Innlandet 6,424 26.9%
199 Saudasmall municipality Rogaland 4,603 26.8%
200 Vindafjord Rogaland 9,181 26.8%