Credits and graduations from higher education, 2012/2013

During the academic year 2012/13, more than 42 100 graduations were completed in Norwegian tertiary institutions; an increase of 1 600 from the year before. Women accounted for 25 700 graduations, or 61 per cent. From approximately 28 700 graduations at the undergraduate level of tertiary education, women completed 63 per cent. At graduate level, 58 per cent were completed by women.

The share of women completing a tertiary education at undergraduate level has remained almost unchanged in the last decade at 63 per cent. At graduate level, the female proportion has increased by almost ten percentage points during the same period, from 50 per cent in 2002/03 to 58 per cent in 2012/13. At doctorate level the trend is similar, from 40 per cent graduations by women in 2002/03 to 48 per cent ten years later.

Increase in all fields

At undergraduate level, there was a total of 28 700 graduations in 2012/13; a growth of 1 400 from the year before. Within primary industries, there was an increase of 20 per cent, from 105 completed degrees in 2011/12 to 126 the following year. It is important to note that the proportion of graduations in the field of primary industries is sensitive to even small changes, as a rather small number of graduations are conducted in this field. The largest increase in numbers was found in the field of teacher training and pedagogy, with an increase of 319.

At the graduate level of tertiary education, only 70 more degrees were completed in 2012/13 than the year before. This small increase was due to the fact that more women and fewer men graduated at this level.

Half of male immigrants graduate in natural sciences, vocational and technical subjects

Most men completed a tertiary degree within natural sciences, vocational and technical subjects in 2012/13. Health, welfare and sport was the most popular field among women.

Half of male immigrants completing a tertiary degree – or 46 per cent – graduated in the field of natural sciences, vocational and technical subjects. This field was also the most popular among men who are Norwegian-born with immigrant parents and among men in the rest of the population, where 30 per cent graduated in this field.

For immigrant women, Norwegian-born women with immigrant parents and women in the rest of the population, most degrees were completed within the field health, welfare and sport, with 27, 37 and 32 per cent respectively.

As mentioned above, it is also important to note that the proportions of immigrants and Norwegian-born with immigrant parents completing a tertiary degree in 2011/12 by field of education are sensitive to even small changes, as the cohort is small.

One in ten aged 40 or above

More than half of all degrees completed at undergraduate level – 15 550 out of 28 700 – were attained by students aged 19-24. For those completing a degree at graduate level, about half were in the age group 25-29 years. For both levels, one out of ten were aged 40 or above. At doctorate level, three out of ten were in this age group.