Israel shares country's Muslim education statistics, notes female population's progress

May 27, 2026 - 08:47

New figures from Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics reveal a significant shift in the country's Muslim education sector, with female students now vastly outpacing their male peers in higher education. The data, which covers the 2022-2023 academic year, shows that for first university degrees, female Muslim students outnumber male students by more than two to one. This marks a continued trend of growing academic achievement among Muslim women in Israel.

The report indicates that Muslim women are not only enrolling in greater numbers but also completing their studies at higher rates. In the 2021-2022 academic year, 72 percent of Muslim students who earned a bachelor's degree were women. The fields of study for these female graduates are also diversifying, with increasing representation in areas like law, medicine, and computer science, though education and health professions remain the most popular.

the Muslim population in Israel, which makes up about 18 percent of the country's citizens, has seen a steady rise in educational attainment. The number of Muslim students in universities and colleges has grown by roughly 50 percent over the past decade. However, the statistics also point to persistent gaps. While Muslim women are excelling in academic settings, their integration into the workforce still lags behind Jewish women and Muslim men, often due to cultural and social factors.

The data comes as part of a broader annual report on Arab society in Israel. Officials noted that the progress in female education is a positive sign for economic mobility and social change within the community, though challenges remain in translating academic success into equal employment opportunities.