Greek Students Working While Studying: A Deep Dive into Low EU Rates

Only 6% of Greek students aged 15 to 29 who are enrolled in secondary or tertiary education are working while studying, placing Greece among the lowest-ranked countries in the European Union, according to data released by Eurostat. The figures for 2024 show that the EU average for students combining work and studies stood at 25.4%, more than four times higher than the rate recorded in Greece. Among member states, Romania reported the lowest share at 2.4%, followed by Greece at 6% and Croatia at 6.4%. Some 1.2% of Greek students declare themselves unemployed, meaning 92.8% are outside the labor force. By contrast, several northern and western European countries recorded significantly higher proportions of young people balancing employment and education. The Netherlands topped the ranking, with 74.3% of students working alongside their studies, followed by Denmark at 56.4% and Germany at 45.8%. The figures reflect only officially declared employment, as Eurostat data do not capture informal or undeclared work, which some Greek students may be engaged in.