Lorenzo Macchi
Research expert covering society, economy, and politics for Italy
Higher education in Italy - statistics & facts
Italy ranks among the worst countries in Europe in terms of tertiary education, as the population’s higher educational attainment remains extremely low. In 2023, fewer than 20 percent of Italians held at least a bachelor’s degree, whereas the European Union’s average stood at 30 percent. When looking at those aged between 30 and 34 years alone, the disparity grows larger: 29 percent of Italians under 35 successfully graduated from university, 15 percent less than the European average.
In recent years, public investments in education have constantly increased. However, funds allocated to universities comprised only a small percentage of the total spending, and the divide with the European Union unavoidably expanded. In 2022, the Italian government earmarked 6.4 billion euros for tertiary education, 0.3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. On the contrary, France and the Netherlands invested a total of 17.6 billion euros and 12 billion euros, respectively. Insufficient state funding disadvatages universities in terms of research influence and international attractiveness. According to the World University Rankings 2024, no Italian university is among the top-20 higher education institutions in Europe. Students must pay tuition fees each academic year for enrolling at both public and private universities. The average amount was 900 euros for state universities and 3,400 for private universities in 2023. Hence, public higher education can be more affordable for middle income families without taking on student loans, differently from the U.S. and other European countries.
Moreover, online universities have become more and more attractive in recent years. The Pegaso online University is the largest among them and the second institution with most enrollments nationwide. Additionally, the Scuole Superiori Universitarie are public research institutions that primarily focus on doctoral and post-doctoral education. Among the most prestigious one is the Scuola Normale Superiore located in Pisa.
Every student enrolled at public and private universities must pay a tuition each year for taking exams and graduating. The amount in state institutions varies considerably depending on the degree program, but generally it is higher for master’s degrees than for bachelor’s. However, students have the possibility to obtain scholarships that fully cover yearly fees or ask for reduction based on their personal or family’s income. Average tuition for public universities totaled to 914 euros in 2023, even though figures significantly differed between institutions. On the contrary, private and online universities required much higher fees for enrolling.
Despite being among the lowest in Europe, the share of Italians aged between 25 and 34 holding a tertiary education title has progressively increased in recent years. Better career opportunities and higher professional skills are among the reasons why young Italian people enroll at university. In fact, 75 percent of the employed declared that their degree was necessary or very useful in pursuing their current job, and they extensively were using their university expertise in undertaking daily tasks. However, recent graduates are faced with relatively low salaries at the beginning of their professional career. One year after graduation they earn an average wage of 1,300 euros net, and the mean net salary remains below 1,500 euros after three years of job experience. Overall, female graduates are paid less than male graduates at every stage, and the salary gap increases as careers progress.
In recent years, public investments in education have constantly increased. However, funds allocated to universities comprised only a small percentage of the total spending, and the divide with the European Union unavoidably expanded. In 2022, the Italian government earmarked 6.4 billion euros for tertiary education, 0.3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. On the contrary, France and the Netherlands invested a total of 17.6 billion euros and 12 billion euros, respectively. Insufficient state funding disadvatages universities in terms of research influence and international attractiveness. According to the World University Rankings 2024, no Italian university is among the top-20 higher education institutions in Europe. Students must pay tuition fees each academic year for enrolling at both public and private universities. The average amount was 900 euros for state universities and 3,400 for private universities in 2023. Hence, public higher education can be more affordable for middle income families without taking on student loans, differently from the U.S. and other European countries.
Academic qualifications and titles
Italian universities award three higher education qualifications: Laurea (Bachelor’s degree), Laurea Magistrale (Master’s degree), and Dottorato di Ricerca (PhD). A laurea is usually completed after three years of study, while a master’s degree requires two years. Instead, PhDs are usually accomplished within three or four years. For disciplines like medicine, law, primary school education, dentistry, veterinary studies, and architecture the division between bachelor’s and master’s does not apply, and students must study between five and six years before obtaining a Laurea Magistrale a ciclo unico, equivalent to a master’s degree. Unlike in most other countries where only PhD graduates receive the title of “Doctor”, students in Italy successfully graduating with a bachelor’s degree obtain the academic title of Dottore (Doctor), while those attaining a master’s and PhD are conferred the titles of Dottore Magistrale and Dottore di Ricerca, respectively. Almost two million students were enrolled at public and private universities in the academic year 2022/2023. In 2022, 201,000 people obtained a bachelor’s and 165,000 a master’s.Universities in Italy: the oldest education institutions worldwide
Currently, 81 private and public in-person universities are active in Italy. Some of them range among the oldest higher education institutions in the world. In particular, the University of Bologna is the oldest university in continuous operation globally, actively teaching since 1088, and for this reason carrying the Latin motto Alma Mater Studiorum, meaning Mother of Studies. Nowadays, the largest Italian university is La Sapienza University of Rome, founded in 1303. Organized into twelve faculties, it offers a wide range of disciplines, from medicine and engineering to social sciences and archeology. In the academic year 2022/2023, more than 103,000 students enrolled at La Sapienza. However, Bologna’s Alma Mater stood as the best university in the country in 2023.Moreover, online universities have become more and more attractive in recent years. The Pegaso online University is the largest among them and the second institution with most enrollments nationwide. Additionally, the Scuole Superiori Universitarie are public research institutions that primarily focus on doctoral and post-doctoral education. Among the most prestigious one is the Scuola Normale Superiore located in Pisa.
Every student enrolled at public and private universities must pay a tuition each year for taking exams and graduating. The amount in state institutions varies considerably depending on the degree program, but generally it is higher for master’s degrees than for bachelor’s. However, students have the possibility to obtain scholarships that fully cover yearly fees or ask for reduction based on their personal or family’s income. Average tuition for public universities totaled to 914 euros in 2023, even though figures significantly differed between institutions. On the contrary, private and online universities required much higher fees for enrolling.
Academic research and professional career after graduation
Given the scarcity of public financial resources invested on tertiary education, pursuing an academic career in Italy may be less attractive compared to other professional sectors. Scholarships for PhD students and salaries for tenured professors are significantly lower than other European countries, such as the UK and Germany. Moreover, the insufficient state spending on universities causes job insecurity among academic staff. There were 15,700 full professors and 26,600 associate professors working permanently in public universities in 2022. However, one third of the teaching personnel comprised professori a contratto. Exclusively hired to teach for an academic year, they are non-tenured instructors with specific expertise in one discipline and are not part of the university's regular staff. Therefore, a professore a contratto receives a salary only for teaching, although he or she performs several tasks like those of tenured professors. Gender balance for permanent personnel constitutes a further challenge. In fact, women and men are equally distributed among temporary staff, but two thirds of full and associate professors are men.Despite being among the lowest in Europe, the share of Italians aged between 25 and 34 holding a tertiary education title has progressively increased in recent years. Better career opportunities and higher professional skills are among the reasons why young Italian people enroll at university. In fact, 75 percent of the employed declared that their degree was necessary or very useful in pursuing their current job, and they extensively were using their university expertise in undertaking daily tasks. However, recent graduates are faced with relatively low salaries at the beginning of their professional career. One year after graduation they earn an average wage of 1,300 euros net, and the mean net salary remains below 1,500 euros after three years of job experience. Overall, female graduates are paid less than male graduates at every stage, and the salary gap increases as careers progress.
