What are the most popular majors?

During the 2021/’22 academic year, 1.3 million Dutch students and foreign students were enrolled at senior secondary vocational education (MBO), higher vocational education (HBO) or at a university in the Netherlands. MBO students formed the largest group of students at 38 percent. University students formed the smallest group of students at 26 percent. The most popular disciplines include Law and administration and Health care and welfare.

Traditionally, the term students referred to those enrolled in higher vocational education (HBO) and university education (WO, university). As of the 2020/’21 academic year, participants in senior secondary vocational education (MBO) are also referred to as students. The figures used for the 2021/’22 academic year are provisional.

Law and administration the most popular discipline

The most popular disciplines include Law, administration, trade and business services. Of all students in the 2021/’22 academic year, 22 percent were following a study programme in these disciplines. Particularly, HBO students and students at university opted for a major in any of these disciplines. These were followed by study programmes in the area of Health and welfare, at 20 percent. These are particularly popular among MBO and HBO students. Technology, industrial design and construction majors are particularly popular at MBO level, ranking third at 13 percent.

Show datatableStudent population by discipline, 2021/'22*Hide datatableStudent population by discipline, 2021/'22*

Student population by discipline, 2021/'22*

Studierichting	MBO	HBO	University
Law, administration, trade, business services	77806	128546	96508
Health care and welfare	135339	99387	33878
Technology, industrial design, construction	95975	43799	37396
Services	112555	40664	2511
Journalism, social and behavioural sciences	1380	27014	77231
Design, art, languages and history	32478	40572	25541
Education	13635	71863	10610
Computer science	21144	26879	16981
Mathematics, natural sciences	2060	7867	39356
Agriculture, veterinary medicine and animal care	18241	4908	4297
* Provisional figures

In addition, study programmes within the area of Services (12 percent) were especially sought-after among MBO students, and study programmes in Journalism, social and behavioural sciences especially among university students. The Education track mainly concerns teacher training programmes, which are often study programmes at HBO level.

Health Care study programme chosen by 1 in 3 women

Slightly more women (51 percent) than men followed a study programme in the 2021/’22 academic year. Health care and welfare is particularly popular among women; almost a third of all female students (31 percent) attended a study programme within that field. The majors in Education, Services and Journalism, social and behavioural sciences each attracted about 10 percent of female students. In addition, Law, administration, trade and business services appealed to many female students (19 percent), however these disciplines were even more popular among male students: over a quarter (26 percent) followed a study programme within these fields. Furthermore, a lot of men (22 percent) chose a programme in the area of Technology, industrial design and construction.

Almost 9 in 10 computer science students were men

Consequently, the proportion of men and women is not evenly distributed within the disciplines. Men are by far the majority in computer science (88 percent) and the study programmes in the area of Technology, industrial design and construction, at 82 percent. Women are the majority in Health and welfare (80 percent), Education (71 percent) and Journalism, social and behavioural sciences (68 percent).

Show datatableMale and female students by chosen discipline, 2021/'22*Hide datatableMale and female students by chosen discipline, 2021/'22*

Male and female students by chosen discipline, 2021/'22*

Studierichting	Male	Female
Law, administration, trade, business services	171710	131150
Health care and welfare	54899	213705
Technology, industrial design, construction	145680	31490
Services	83043	72687
Journalism, social and behavioural sciences	33494	72131
Design, art, languages and history	41659	56932
Education	27560	68548
Computer science	57290	7714
Mathematics, natural sciences	25886	23397
Agriculture, veterinary medicine and animal care	14201	13245
* Provisional figures

The questions

1. How does CBS collect data?
2. How much do we cycle per week on average?
3. Who are most likely to work part-time?
4. How many people visited Bonaire by cruise ship?
5. Are people happy with the house they live in?
6. How many young women encounter street harassment?
7. What do the over-65s do online?
8. How many wind turbines in the Netherlands?
9. How far is school by bike?
10. How many museums are there?
11. How much electricity in the Caribbean Netherlands is renewable?
12. How many adults are overweight?
13. How many cargo ships dock at Dutch seaports?
14. What did we listen to on the radio in 1953?
15. What is the average lifespan in the Netherlands?
16. Where did we go for a holiday in 1947?
17. How much fish is landed?
18. Where were people in the Netherlands born?
19. What do we spend money on?
20. How old are Dutch first-time mothers on average?
21. How much cheese do we produce?
22. How are goods transported through the Netherlands?
23. How many people fall victim to cybercrime?
24. What is the most spoken language or dialect at home?
25. How many shops are there?
26. What is the value of Dutch beer exports?
27. How often do we have a goosebump moment?
28. How many cows graze in fields?
29. What are the most popular majors?
30. How tall are Dutch people?
31. How is the urban bird population doing?
32. Where do most people work?
33. What colour is our car?
34. How does CBS handle your privacy?