Around 1.9 million people with a higher education qualification in Germany were at risk of poverty in 2025, reported dpa.
Around 350,000 more than in 2022, according to data from the Federal Statistical Office requested by the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW).
The increase comes as the number of highly educated people also rose. In 2025, about 21.04 million people held a university, university of applied sciences or professional academy degree, compared with 19.41 million in 2022.
The figures suggest that while additional people obtained advanced qualifications, not all secured well-paid jobs. Data from the Federal Employment Agency show the unemployment rate among people with an academic education rose to 3.3% in 2025 from 2.2% in 2022.
However, the risk of poverty remains significantly higher among those with lower levels of education.
Of 14.34 million people with low educational attainment, nearly 4.14 million were at risk of poverty in 2025, the statistics office said. People with medium-level qualifications also face a higher poverty risk than graduates.
Under the official definition, anyone earning less than 60% of median income is considered at risk of poverty. In 2025, that threshold stood at €1,446 per month for a single person.
Sahra Wagenknecht, founder of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, described the rise in poverty risk among highly educated people as a failure of government economic policy.
+"Decline and poverty now affect all levels of education," she said, calling on policymakers to revive the economy and enable social mobility through hard work.
- Highly educated
- Germans
- Risk of poverty
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
