Published: 11 December 2008

One-third of highly educated population live in the Region of Uusimaa

In 2006, one-third (33.4%) of the highly educated population aged 16 to 74 lived in the Region of Uusimaa, nine per cent in both Varsinais-Suomi and Pirkanmaa, and approximately seven per cent in North Ostrobothnia. The combined share of these four regions with the largest proportions was 58 per cent of the country’s highly educated population. Their share of the whole population of the country was 51 per cent.

In 2006, twenty-eight per cent of the population of the whole country had completed tertiary education. The share of highly educated population increased by three percentage points from the year 2000, and was the highest in the Region of Uusimaa at 35 per cent. The Region of Kainuu had the lowest share of 22 per cent. The share of highly educated employees of all employees was also clearly the highest in Uusimaa (43%). In Pirkanmaa it was 37 per cent and in North Ostrobothnia and Central Finland 36 per cent.

Population with a tertiary degree and total population by region in 2006

In 2006, the proportion of highly educated employees of all employed labour force increased by just short of one percentage point from the previous year (37%). The proportion of men among the highly educated employees remained on level with the previous year at 31 per cent whereas that of women grew by just under one percentage point (42%). Unemployment among the highly educated labour force was 4.9 per cent. The unemployment rate was slightly higher for women (5%) than men (4.8%).

There was little change from the past few years in the distribution of highly educated employees by industry. The share of highly educated employees was the highest, or 18 per cent, in human health activities. One-third of those with a doctorate level degree were employed by universities and approximately 16 per cent by human health activities. Around 29 per cent of those with a higher level university degree worked in the field of education. The largest shares of attainers of other tertiary degrees were employed by human health activities (21%), trade (13%) and business services (11%)

Highly educated employees by economic activity and completed degree in 2006

	Share of employees, %	Doctorate level degree %	Higher-degree level %	Other tertiary degrees %	Total %
Agriculture, forestry and fishery	18,3	0,4	0,9	2,4	1,9
Mining and quarrying	19,0	0,1	0,1	0,1	0,1
Food, textiles	19,4	0,3	0,7	1,3	1,2
Wood products, pulp, paper product	28,2	2,6	3,8	4,2	4,1
Metals, machinery and equipmen	27,9	2,3	4,4	6,3	5,7
Computers, telecommunication equipment	61,7	2,5	3,8	2,1	2,6
Other manufacturing	21,0	0,2	0,4	1,0	0,8
Electricity, gas and water supply	44,1	0,2	0,6	0,9	0,8
Construction	16,6	0,2	0,7	3,9	2,9
Trade	25,1	1,7	5,0	13,1	10,5
Transport, communications	17,3	0,3	1,3	3,9	3,1
Telecommunications	53,5	0,2	0,7	1,1	1,0
Financial and insurance intermediatio	62,0	0,9	3,0	3,4	3,2
Computer and related activities	61,3	1,4	4,2	3,0	3,3
Business services	38,6	4,7	11,0	11,2	11,0
Public sector research institutes	72,6	7,9	1,7	0,4	1,0
Other research activities	70,1	2,1	0,5	0,2	0,3
Universities	74,6	32,5	5,2	0,8	2,9
Other higher education	83,4	3,9	1,6	0,4	0,8
Other education	71,6	7,0	22,2	6,1	10,5
Human health activities	45,2	15,9	11,8	21,2	18,4
Public administration	57,3	8,1	10,1	7,9	8,5
Other economic activities	34,6	3,3	5,8	4,4	4,8
Activity unknown/missing	22,1	0,4	0,5	0,7	0,6
Economic activities, total	36,6	100,0	100,0	100,0	100,0