OECD: Share of Israelis Aged 1824 Neither Studying nor Working Rises to 20%
A new OECD report reveals 20% of Israelis aged 18-24 are not in employment, education, or training, marking the largest increase among developed countries.
Jerusalem, 29 September, 2026 (TPS-IL) — One in five Israelis aged 18 to 24 neither studies nor works, according to the OECD’s Education at a Glance 2026 report released Tuesday.
The share of young Israelis classified as not in employment, education or training (NEET) rose from 17% in 2015 to 20% in 2025, the largest increase among developed countries.
By comparison, the OECD average fell from 16% to 13% over the same period. Israel ranked between third and fifth among 33 countries in the share of young people neither studying nor working.
The report also found that the share of Israelis aged 25 to 34 without a high-school education rose from 9% to 11% over the decade, while the OECD average declined from 17% to 12%.
Government spending on higher education was also substantially below the OECD average, at $7,885 per student in 2023, compared with $16,405 across the OECD.