STEM, Arts, or AI? How Education Is Shaping Nations

Which countries lead in STEM, Humanities, and beyond?

Author

Philip Saparov
February 21, 2025

Greetings, explorer of global knowledge!

What people choose to study—and where—says a lot about the future of our world. Are nations producing more engineers, more writers, or more scientists? Do certain countries value creative fields while others double down on tech? These choices shape economies, drive innovation, and even shift global power.

Today, we’re mapping the academic landscape, uncovering where the world’s graduates are coming from and what it means for the future.

Let’s dive in!

In the race to dominate science and technology, some nations are churning out STEM graduates at staggering rates.

🇨🇳 China is miles ahead, producing 3.57 million STEM graduates annually—over 40% of all its university degrees. It’s no surprise China is a global leader in AI, biotech, and renewable energy.

🇮🇳 India follows closely, with 2.55 million STEM graduates per year. Many of these graduates fuel the country’s booming IT industry, contributing to India’s rise as the world’s software development hub.

🇺🇸 The United States produces around 820,000 STEM graduates a year, making up about 20% of all degrees awarded. However, the U.S. remains a magnet for international STEM talent, with many of its top engineers and scientists coming from abroad.

Honorable mentions go to Germany and Iran, where STEM graduates make up 36% and 26% of all university degrees, respectively.

🔎 Surprising stat: By 2030, India is projected to surpass China in the number of STEM graduates, reshaping the global tech workforce.

2. The Humanities Strongholds: Where Arts and Culture Reign

While STEM gets the spotlight, Humanities and Arts degrees are still thriving in certain regions.

🇮🇹 Italy leads the way in Europe, where 20% of all graduates specialize in literature, philosophy, history, and the arts. Not surprising for the country that gave us the Renaissance!

🇸🇪 Sweden isn’t far behind, with 17% of students earning degrees in culture-related fields. The country’s commitment to free higher education helps keep these disciplines alive.

🇪🇪 Estonia rounds out the top three, with 16% of its graduates focusing on Humanities, Arts, and Journalism.

Across the EU, Humanities degrees remain significant, making up around 14% of all tertiary education programs—but their numbers are slowly shrinking as STEM gains traction.

🔎 Did you know? In 2020, the University of Oxford reported that English Literature applications were at an all-time low, while Computer Science applications had doubled over the past decade.

Some countries prioritize producing leaders in business, economics, and finance, and it shows in their degree numbers.

🇺🇸 The United States leads, with over 350,000 business degrees awarded each year—nearly one in every five college graduates. The country’s business schools remain among the most prestigious in the world, feeding Wall Street, Silicon Valley, and Fortune 500 companies.

🇬🇧 The United Kingdom follows with around 120,000 business graduates annually. London’s status as a global financial hub keeps business degrees in high demand.

🇨🇦 Canada has seen a rise in business degrees, with many students choosing programs in finance, entrepreneurship, and international trade—fields that align with Canada’s growing role in global markets.

🔎 Surprising fact: Harvard Business School alone has produced more billionaires than most countries have in their entire economy!

Medical degrees are among the most sought-after worldwide, but some countries produce far more healthcare professionals than others.

🇷🇺 Russia is a powerhouse, producing over 600,000 medical graduates annually—far more than any other country. Many of these doctors end up working abroad due to the country’s oversupply of physicians.

🇮🇳 India trains around 1 million healthcare graduates each year, including doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals, many of whom migrate to countries facing healthcare worker shortages.

🇨🇳 China isn’t far behind, heavily investing in medical education to meet the needs of its aging population.

🔎 By 2050, nearly one in four people in China will be over 65. The country’s medical education expansion is a direct response to this demographic shift.

Not every country prioritizes university degrees—some invest heavily in vocational training and alternative education pathways.

🇩🇪 Germany is a global leader in vocational education, with over 50% of students choosing apprenticeships or technical training over traditional degrees. This system produces world-class engineers, machinists, and IT specialists.

🇨🇭 Switzerland follows a similar model, where nearly 70% of students opt for vocational training in finance, hospitality, and precision manufacturing.

🇨🇳 China is rapidly expanding its vocational education sector, with a government goal of training 10 million skilled workers per year to support its industrial economy.

🔎 Fact check: Many of Germany’s top CEOs—including those at BMW and Siemens—came from vocational training programs rather than traditional university paths.

Some degrees didn’t even exist a decade ago, yet they are now among the fastest-growing fields.

🇺🇸 The U.S. has seen a 300% increase in data science and AI-related degrees in the past five years, reflecting the explosive demand for AI experts.

🇨🇳 China is aggressively investing in AI education, launching new AI-focused universities and programs to maintain its competitive edge in the global tech race.

🇮🇳 India is following suit, with tech giants partnering with universities to train the next generation of AI and cybersecurity experts.

🔎 By 2027, AI and data science jobs are expected to account for nearly 20% of all new job openings worldwide.

Some countries stand out for their unique education trends:

🇺🇸 Neuroscience education in the U.S. has exploded over the past few decades. In 1980, only 64 students earned a bachelor's degree in neuroscience—but by 2022, that number had soared to over 12,600.

With breakthroughs in AI, mental health, and neurology on the horizon, this trend shows no signs of slowing down.

🇦🇺 Australia is a leader in environmental science degrees, as climate fluctuations become a bigger focus for national policy.

🇳🇱 The Netherlands has seen a surge in psychology and neuroscience degrees, reflecting growing interest in mental health and human behavior.

🇰🇷 South Korea produces some of the highest numbers of e-sports and game design graduates, fueling the country’s billion-dollar gaming industry.

🔎 Fun fact: South Korea’s gaming industry is so big that its universities offer full-degree programs in e-sports management!

Higher education shapes the future of nations, industries, and entire economies. Whether it’s STEM dominance, a commitment to the arts, or a shift toward vocational training, what students study today determines the world we’ll live in tomorrow.

Stay curious, and keep exploring the global landscape of knowledge!

Warm regards,

Shane Fulmer