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Third-Level Education in Germany Industry Data and Analysis
Universities are part of the tertiary education sector and offer students an academic education. They are divided into state and private universities, which differ in terms of their funding. While state universities are predominantly financed by public funds, private universities are primarily financed by tuition fees. Within the sector, profit margins vary greatly between the players, which is mainly due to the different types of university sponsorship. In the last five years, more and more school leavers have decided to study at university, which has increased the demand for places. The number of private universities in particular has grown. They are increasingly offering study programmes that are rarely available in this form at state universities. Turnover in the sector has fallen by an average of 0.5% per year over the last five years and is expected to total 76.4 billion euros in the current year. Compared to the previous year, this corresponds to growth of 0.9%.
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What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Third-Level Education industry in Germany includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2015-2030. The most recent publication was released October 2025.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Third-Level Education industry in Germany operates under the WZ industry code P85.42DE. The sector belongs to the tertiary education sector and includes all universities, universities of applied sciences, universities of applied sciences, universities of applied sciences, art colleges and theological colleges. In addition to teaching, the industry players are also active in research and development. A distinction is made between private, denominational and state universities. Related terms covered in the Third-Level Education industry in Germany include high school graduation quota, creditpoints and numerus clausus.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Third-Level Education industry in Germany include Health sciences, Central facilities of the university hospitals and Central facilities of the universities.
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the Third-Level Education industry in Germany include Technische Universität München, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Third-Level Education industry in Germany.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed products and service segmentation and analysis of major markets for the for the Third-Level Education industry in Germany.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Third-Level Education industry in Germany.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Third-Level Education industry in Germany. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Third-Level Education industry in Germany. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Third-Level Education industry in Germany. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Third-Level Education industry in Germany. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Third-Level Education industry in Germany.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Third-Level Education industry in Germany in 2026?
The market size of the Third-Level Education industry in Germany is €76.4bn in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Third-Level Education industry in Germany in 2025?
There are 422 businesses in the Third-Level Education industry in Germany, which has declined at a CAGR of 0.1 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Third-Level Education industry in Germany?
The Third-Level Education industry in Germany is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Third-Level Education industry in Germany?
The Third-Level Education industry in Germany is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Third-Level Education industry in Germany grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Third-Level Education industry in Germany has been declining at a CAGR of 0.5 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Third-Level Education industry in Germany over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Third-Level Education industry in Germany is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Third-Level Education industry in Germany?
The biggest companies operating in the Third-Level Education industry in Germany are Technische Universität München, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
What does the Third-Level Education industry in Germany include?
Health sciences and Central facilities of the university hospitals are part of the Third-Level Education industry in Germany.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Third-Level Education industry in Germany?
The company holding the most market share in the Third-Level Education industry in Germany is Technische Universität München.
How competitive is the Third-Level Education industry in Germany?
The level of competition is high and steady in the Third-Level Education industry in Germany.
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