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First-time Graduates and Subject Structure Rate in Germany

First-time graduates are persons who have successfully completed their first degree.
The subject structure rate indicates the share of first-time graduates within a specific subject or subject group among all first-time graduates.

The number of first-time graduates increased by 6.8 percent to 314,563 in 2021 compared to 2020, overcompensating for the significant decline from 2019 to 2020. The share of first-time graduates who graduated from tertiary education institutions remained almost unchanged at 50.6 percent.

While in 2021 the subject structure rate/first-time graduates share in mathematics and natural sciences was slightly above the previous year's value at 8.5 percent, the decline in the share of engineering sciences continued. These accounted for 23.2 percent of all degrees, whereas law, economics and social sciences increased to a share of 45.3 percent.

 

 

 

First-degree graduates are persons who have successfully completed a first degree course.
The subject structure rate indicates the share of first-time graduates within a specific subject or subject group among all first-time graduates.
Source: Federal Statistical Office as well as research by DZHW-ICE in Kerst et al. (2023).
© EFI – Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation 2023.

 

Rates of Change in First-time Graduates and Subject Structure Rate Until 2021

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First-degree graduates are persons who have successfully completed a first degree course.
The subject structure rate indicates the share of first-time graduates within a specific subject or subject group among all first-time graduates.
Source: Federal Statistical Office as well as research by DZHW-ICE in Kerst et al. (2023).
© EFI – Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation 2023.