Credits and graduations from higher education

Updated: 18 April 2024

Next update: Not yet determined

Share of masters degrees attained by women
Share of masters degrees attained by women
2022-2023
58.2
%
 
Graduations and credits awarded by universities and colleges in Norway
Graduations and credits awarded by universities and colleges in Norway
2012-20132022-2023
TotalFemale shareTotalFemale share
Graduations
Total42 12761.058 44259.9
Of which
Bachelor's degrees24 73963.033 12561.2
Master's degrees1 10 70555.319 96758.2
Ph.D.s1 54947.81 50452.7
Total number of students273 05160.1312 91060.5
Credits awarded, per cent100.0100.0100.0100.0
0 credits14.312.613.912.7
1-29 credits20.520.017.817.6
30-59 credits29.030.227.928.2
60 credits or more36.237.240.541.5
1Include both 2-year and 5-year master’s degrees.
Explanation of symbols

Selected tables and charts from this statistics

  • Graduations in selected programmes and immigration category
    Graduations in selected programmes and immigration category
    2022-2023
    NumbersPer cent
    Number of graduatesImmigrantsNorwegian-born to immigrant parentsOther population
    Males
    Bachelor's studies12 84111.04.984.1
    Of these
    Bachelor degree, pre-school-/kindergarten teacher training33015.84.579.7
    Bachelor degree,vocational teacher, foundation programme2228.63.288.3
    Bachelor degree, engineering, foundation programme1 97613.04.882.3
    Bachelor degree, nursing, foundation programme57719.62.977.5
    Bachelor degree, Business and Administration subjects3 1349.85.684.6
    Master's studies1 8 33915.23.481.4
    Of these
    Master degree, law3133.25.891.1
    Master degree, pharmacy2846.410.742.9
    Master degree, odontology3528.68.662.9
    Business and economics graduate/Master degree, economics and administration7776.74.289.1
    Master degree, teacher training2996.42.091.6
    Master degree, primary and lower secondary teacher education6221.92.695.5
    Master of Technologi/Graduate engineering degree1 68314.84.380.9
    Professional education (5.5 - 6 years)2506.04.489.6
    Cand.med. degree1676.66.686.8
    Cand.theol. degree24..100.0
    Cand.psychol. degree596.8.93.2
    Cand.med.vet. degree (Veterinary Science)....
    Doctoral degrees2 71249.61.548.9
    Females
    Bachelor's studies20 28411.34.584.3
    Of these
    Bachelor degree, pre-school-/kindergarten teacher training1 90613.53.583.0
    Bachelor degree,vocational teacher, foundation programme2309.63.587.0
    Bachelor degree, engineering, foundation programme56113.95.980.2
    Bachelor degree, nursing, foundation programme3 99410.32.986.8
    Bachelor degree, Business and Administration subjects3 19511.04.984.2
    Master's studies1 11 62814.53.382.2
    Of these
    Master degree, law6205.23.791.1
    Master degree, pharmacy9332.319.448.4
    Master degree, odontology10218.615.765.7
    Business and economics graduate/Master degree, economics and administration5488.44.687.0
    Master degree, teacher training4956.94.688.5
    Master degree, primary and lower secondary teacher education1 5072.62.495.0
    Master of Technologi/Graduate engineering degree75115.26.878.0
    Professional education (5.5 - 6 years)6986.35.488.3
    Cand.med. degree4286.16.887.1
    Cand.theol. degree137.7.92.3
    Cand.psychol. degree2446.13.790.2
    Cand.med.vet. degree (Veterinary Science)1315.4.84.6
    Doctoral degrees2 79235.41.063.6
    1Include both 2-year and 5-year master's degrees.
    2Doctoral degrees
    Explanation of symbols
  • Field of education and level for graduations in higher education
    Field of education and level for graduations in higher education
    2012-20132022-2023
    TotalPercentage womenTotalPercentage women
    Level of degree and field of education
    Total42 12761.058 44259.9
    Tertiary education, short and medium1 28 70963.135 17361.0
    Humanities and arts2 39862.32 79461.2
    Education6 44673.34 97072.7
    Social sciences and law2 41862.44 34365.0
    Business and administration4 47354.46 49450.4
    Natural sciences, vocational and technical subjects3 86725.65 52630.8
    Health, welfare and sport7 74484.09 40081.0
    Primary industries12650.031859.1
    Transport and communications, safety and security and other services1 08827.91 19337.6
    Unspecified field of study14960.413560.0
    Tertiary education, long2 11 86957.821 74158.7
    Humanities and arts1 36063.81 63661.2
    Education96578.43 90872.3
    Social sciences and law2 40763.83 33766.4
    Business and administration1 84649.23 88751.6
    Natural sciences, vocational and technical subjects3 01739.65 31838.8
    Health, welfare and sport2 00174.13 19277.3
    Primary industries11753.013765.0
    Transport and communications, safety and security and other services15632.732628.8
    Unspecified field of study-...
    Doctoral studies3 1 54947.81 52853.0
    Humanities and arts12449.214160.3
    Education4165.95086.0
    Social sciences and law18361.716360.7
    Business and administration2951.77643.4
    Natural sciences, vocational and technical subjects65135.857037.0
    Health, welfare and sport50457.548266.8
    Primary industries-.1040.0
    Transport and communications, safety and security and other services1612.52626.9
    Unspecified field of study10.01060.0
    1Including graduations from programmes 4 years or less but also 2 years or longer.
    2Including graduations from programmes longer than 4 years. Awarded doctoral degrees are not included.
    3Doctoral degrees
    Explanation of symbols
  • Immigration category and field of education for graduations in higher education
    Immigration category and field of education for graduations in higher education
    2022-2023
    TotalImmigrantsNorwegian-born to immigrant parentsOther populationPer cent
    TotalImmigrantsNorwegian-born to immigrant parentsOther population
    Total58 4427 6992 32848 415100.0100.0100.0100.0
    Humanities and arts4 5718291073 6357.810.84.67.5
    Education8 9288623267 74015.311.214.016.0
    Social sciences and law7 8438733296 64113.411.314.113.7
    Business and administration10 4571 1794638 81517.915.319.918.2
    Natural sciences, vocational and technical subjects11 4142 1545768 68419.528.024.717.9
    Health, welfare and sport13 0741 63149110 95222.421.221.122.6
    Primary industries4653744240.80.50.20.9
    Transport and communications, safety and security and other services1 545119311 3952.61.51.32.9
    Unspecified field of study1451511290.20.20.00.3
    Explanation of symbols
  • Age groups and level of degree for graduations in higher education
    Age groups and level of degree for graduations in higher education
    2012-20132021-20222022-2023
    GraduatesPercentage womenGraduatesPercentage womenGraduatesPercentage women
    Level and age
    Total42 12761.057 31860.258 44259.9
    Tertiary education, short and medium1 28 70963.135 47961.535 17361.0
    19-24 years15 56765.121 32463.721 21163.2
    25-29 years6 52356.58 12854.57 89854.6
    30-34 years2 44959.52 64659.12 60558.3
    35-39 years1 56765.51 38564.51 44562.3
    40-44 years1 24270.889768.393765.6
    45-49 years83971.959868.161163.0
    50-54 years37164.234767.130267.9
    55-59 years12156.212260.713062.3
    60 years or older3046.73243.83452.9
    Tertiary education, long2 11 86957.820 30758.721 74158.7
    19-24 years2 63055.94 79360.55 53759.7
    25-29 years5 73956.59 42555.09 88155.1
    30-34 years1 38953.32 38357.22 48857.4
    35-39 years64857.31 24661.21 29860.9
    40-44 years52666.395565.794369.5
    45-49 years43370.474370.979671.9
    50-54 years31876.150875.251471.6
    55-59 years13077.719168.122668.1
    60 years or older5658.96262.95664.3
    Second stage of tertiary education3 1 54947.81 53250.81 52853.0
    25-29 years22441.520943.524037.1
    30-34 years55944.259545.751648.1
    35-39 years30548.927455.531957.1
    40-44 years20751.718661.317963.1
    45-49 years10247.113050.814161.0
    50-54 years6861.88362.77772.7
    55-59 years4967.33056.73161.3
    60 years or older3562.92560.02568.0
    1Including graduations from programmes 4 years or less but also 2 years or longer.
    2Including graduations from programmes longer than 4 years. Awarded doctoral degrees are not included.
    3Doctoral degrees
    Explanation of symbols
  • Parents’ level of education and level of degree for graduations in higher education
    Parents’ level of education and level of degree for graduations in higher education
    2012-20132021-20222022-2023
    TotalTotalTotal
    Level and parents´level of education
    Total42 12757 31858 442
    Tertiary education, 4 years or less1 28 70935 47935 173
    Mother or father has long tertiary education3 5735 5765 932
    Mother or father has short tertiary education10 00713 69713 863
    Mother or father has upper secondary education11 72312 03911 196
    Mother or father has primary and lower secondary education1 8652 0841 977
    Not stated1 5412 0832 205
    Tertiary education, more than 4 years2 11 86920 30721 741
    Mother or father has long tertiary education2 5614 3734 778
    Mother or father has short tertiary education3 7947 3978 048
    Mother or father has upper secondary education3 1245 3305 366
    Mother or father has primary and lower secondary education432690711
    Not stated1 9582 5172 838
    Doctoral studies3 1 5491 5321 528
    Mother or father has long tertiary education357319330
    Mother or father has short tertiary education292334326
    Mother or father has upper secondary education256215185
    Mother or father has primary and lower secondary education312030
    Not stated613644657
    1Including graduations from programmes 4 years or less but also 2 years or longer.
    2Including graduations from programmes longer than 4 years. Awarded doctoral degrees are not included
    3Doctoral degrees
    Explanation of symbols

About the statistics

The statistics on graduations and credits from higher education include all completed degrees and credits attained during the period from October 1 to September 30. Completed degrees and credits attained from abroad are not included.

The information under «About the statistics» was last updated 17 June 2022.

Completed education: A student is considered to have completed an education when the educational institution has issued a diploma or somehow approved that he/she has fulfilled the requirements for completing the education in question.

Credits points: Students are awarded with credits when they have met the requirements for passing a course.

Students: Students er registered students as of October 1st, as well as students who are awarded with credits in the course of a school year.

Academic year: A full academic year corresponds to 60 credits at universities and colleges in Norway.

Age: Estimated as of December 31.

Type of institution: According to the Standard Industrial Classification of 2007. The institutions are classified as Universities, Specialized University Institutions, and University Colleges, where University Colleges are again divided into three main groups: State University Colleges, Military Colleges and “other university colleges.”

Ownership: Educational institutions are classified as either public or private.

Educational activity: According to the Norwegian Standard Classification of Education (NUS2000). Programmes are classified according to their level and field of study.

Highest educational attainment of parents: Parental educational attainment is divided into four categories: (1) Primary and lower secondary education, (2) Upper secondary education, (3) Higher education, short (at least two years, but also 4 years or less), and (4) Higher education, long (more than four years). Parental educational attainment is defined by that of the parents with the highest level of education. For example, if the parental educational attainment of a student is “(3) Higher education, short,” it implies that at least one of the parents has education at this level. Cases where there is no information on the level of education of any of the parents falls into the “Unspecified” group. See also the definitions of educational level.

Immigrants: Persons born abroad of two foreign-born parents and four foreign-born grandparents.

Norwegian-born to immigrant parents: Persons who are born in Norway of two parents born abroad, and in addition have four grandparents born abroad.

Country background: Constructed on the basis of information about the country of birth for three generations and refers to private, or mother's, or father's, or grandparents' foreign country of birth. For people born abroad this is (with few exceptions) their own native land. For people born in Norway this is their parents' country of birth. In cases where the parents have different countries of birth, the mother's country of birth is chosen.

Educational activities are grouped by the Norwegian Standard Classification of Education which was established in 1970 by Statistics Norway and later revised in 1973, 1989 and 2000. Educational institutions are classified as being higher education by the Standard Industrial Classification.

For international purposes, the ISCED 2011 is used (International Standard Classification of Education).

Name: Credits and graduations from higher education
Topic: Education

Not yet determined

360 Division for Education and Culture Statistics

Figures are presented at national level, at municipal level and by educational institution. Data on enrolment in higher education include information that makes it possible to provide figures at other regional levels.

Figures are published annually in April. As of 2015, data on credit points was merged with data on graduations from univercsties and colleges. Prior to 2015, data on credit points was published separately.

The data is provided for UNESCO, OECD and Eurostat (U-O-E).

Statistics Norway stores all data in a proper, standardised manner in consultation with the Norwegian Data Protection Authority.

Statistics Norway can deliver supplementary data and tables related to these statistics. To order supplementary data and tables, please contact Statistics Norway: oppdragutdanning@ssb.no. The price will depend on the size of the order.

There is a high demand for the collection of official statistics on education. Official education statistics are individual-based and document the educational activities of all Norwegian residents from completion of lower secondary school to completion of all higher education including doctoral/PhD studies.

Norway’s education statistics went through a structural readjustment in the beginning of the 1970s. All statistics on higher education were previously available through a census. The data is now individual-based, where all educational activities are attached to each individual’s personal ID-number. The data is contained in the National Education Database (NUDB), in a format that allows the production of different kinds of education statistics and alignment with other types of individual-based statistics where necessary (e.g. income, social-welfare).

The purpose of the statistics is to present individually based statistics of graduates and attained credit points in higher education in Norway.

Important users of the education statistics are the Ministry of Education and Research, public administration, researchers, special interest organisations, international organisations (Eurostat, OECD and UNESCO), media, business and industry. In addition, data is used internally in Statistics Norway in publications and in assignments.

No external users have access to the statistics and analyses before they are published and accessible simultaneously for all users on ssb.no at 8:00 AM. Prior to this, a minimum of three months’ advance notice is given in the Statistics Release Calendar. This is one of Statistics Norway’s key principles for ensuring that all users are treated equally.

Data from higher education is combined with data from lower and upper secondary education when revision processes are complete. Data is then stored as single annual files in the National Education Database (NUDB). Statistics Norway uses a similar system for all individually based statistics, making it easy to combine education statistics with other statistics. Labour market statistics, health statistics, living conditions statistics and income and wage statistics are examples of other individually based statistics compiled by Statistics Norway.

Act of 21 June 2019 No. 32 relating to official statistics and Statistics Norway § 10.

Commission Regulation (EU) No 88/2011 of 2 February 2011 implementing Regulation (EC) No 452/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the production and development of statistics on education and lifelong learning, as regards statistics on education and training systems.

The statistics on graduations and credits from higher education institutions include all completed degrees and credits attained during the period from October 1 to September 30. Completed degrees and credits attained from abroad are not included.

Only educational institutions classified by the Standard Industrial Classification as a higher education institution are included. Educational institutions are grouped as Universities, Specialised University Institutions and University Colleges.

In recent years, a number of institutions in higher education has been merged into larger units, see changes in educational institutions (in Norwegian).

As some University Colleges were merged in 2016 into larger units, there was a decrease in the number of students in University Colleges, as well as a corresponding increase in the number of students in Universities and in Specialized University Institutions.

Pursuant to the Statistical Act, Statistics Norway collects data on attained credit points and graduations from Database for Statistics on Higher Education (DBH) and the administrative systems of various higher education institutions. Information on completed doctoral degrees/PhD is included.

Surveys are not employed to collect education statistics.

Data collection: Pursuant to the Statistical Act (June 1989, No. 54), Statistics Norway collects student data from Database for Statistics on Higher Education (DBH).

Editing: Editing includes both control and revision and is performed on all educational data collected. It encompasses deletion of duplicate records, a control for correct and valid values for each variable, comparisons with last year’s data and checks for missing information. Several variables are re-coded to comply with control programs run by Statistics Norway. Personal ID-numbers are referenced against Statistics Norway’s population database to check for errors. At last, duplicate students are deleted, which implies that a student can only be counted once although the student may be registered for several educational activities or educational institutions at the same time.

Estimation: No estimation is performed. The statistics are based on data obtained from university and college databases.

Not relevant

Data is not released where there are less than three units within a single cell in a table if there is a risk of identification, i.e. the data can be traced back to an identifiable person.

Individual-based data on completed education has been published annually since it was first collected in the academic year 1973/74. Most variables are comparable, but some have changed. The Norwegian Standard Classification of Education (NUS2000) has been revised to secure comparability over time. While educational variables are reasonably comparable over time, other variables, e.g. various institution types, cannot be re-coded and thus are not comparable over time. Credit points variables are complete from the academic year 2004/05 onwards.

Statistical investigations may encounter various sources of error. The errors can occur either during data collection (in this case, during registration at the higher education institution) or during data processing (control and revision processes performed by Statistics Norway).

Overestimation of student numbers could occur for universities where registration occurs with payment of registration fees rather than enrolment in subjects. An overestimation of student numbers leads to an overestimation of the proportion of students who do not complete any credit points during the academic year. Students themselves can also provide inaccurate information to the registers.

Inaccuracies in graduation statistics may occur when administrative registers wrongly define a student as meeting the requirements for completing a degree. In some cases, the diploma could be issued later than the actual time of completion, which leads to the degree being registered at an inaccurate time.

Regarding the registration of credit points, there may be cases of institutions or study programs where credits are only registered when the entire program is completed. In this case, a student could be registered with zero credits in the first years and registered with total credits (for example 180 credits) in the last year.

See general principles for revisions in Statistics Norway.

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