---
title: "Educational attainment — Work data 2026"
url: https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2026/work/data/education
year: 2026
chapter: "work"
question: "Education"
section: "What and where work happens"
licence: "ODbL 1.0 (https://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/1-0/)"
---

# Educational attainment

66% hold bachelor’s or master’s degrees, but 23% have no completed university degree. Formal education is common, not universal.

Asked as: Which of the following best describes the highest level of formal education that you've completed? (`Education`, single select, optional, v2026.1)

## Options offered

1. Primary/elementary school
2. Secondary school (e.g. American high school, German Realschule or Gymnasium, etc.)
3. Some college/university study without earning a degree
4. Associate degree (A.A., A.S., etc.)
5. Bachelor's degree (B.A., B.S., B.Eng., etc.)
6. Master's degree (M.A., M.S., M.Eng., MBA, etc.)
7. Professional degree (JD, MD, Ph.D, Ed.D, etc.)
8. Other, please specify (with free-text entry)

## Results

### All Respondents

n = 30,761

|  | Respondents | Percent |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Bachelor's degree (B.A., B.S., B.Eng., etc.) | 12,396 | 40.3% |
| Master's degree (M.A., M.S., M.Eng., MBA, etc.) | 7,990 | 26.0% |
| Some college/university study without earning a degree | 3,813 | 12.4% |
| Secondary school (e.g. American high school, German Realschule or Gymnasium, etc.) | 2,431 | 7.9% |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, Ph.D, Ed.D, etc.) | 1,812 | 5.9% |
| Associate degree (A.A., A.S., etc.) | 942 | 3.1% |
| Primary/elementary school | 706 | 2.3% |
| Other, please specify | 671 | 2.2% |

In context: https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2026/work/data.md