Educational attainment level refers to the highest level of formal education an individual has successfully completed, classified according to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 2011). In social surveys, such as EU-SILC, it is a key variable used to analyse patterns in income, employment, poverty, and living conditions.
The 3 main levels of educational attainment are:
- Low: Less than primary, primary, and lower secondary education (ISCED 0–2)
- Medium: Upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education (ISCED 3–4)
- High: Tertiary education, including university degrees and other higher education qualifications (ISCED 5–8)