More than half of university graduates in the Mykolaiv region hold bachelor’s degrees: how education is changing in the region

In the Mykolaiv region, over 55% of university graduates hold bachelor’s degrees. At the same time, the number of university students continues to fall, whilst colleges and technical colleges, on the other hand, are growing in popularity.

This is evidenced by data from the regional statistics office, according to NikVesti.

Number of universities and colleges in the Mykolaiv region. Infographic: Mykolaiv Regional Statistics Office

Thus, at the start of the 2025/26 academic year, there are eight higher education institutions operating in the region — one fewer than three years ago. During this time, the number of students has fallen from 21,600 to 17,700. Along with this, the number of lecturers has also decreased — from 2,100 to 1,700.

In contrast, the number of colleges and technical colleges remains unchanged — there are also eight of them — but the number of students has increased: from 9,400 in 2023 to 11,800 today. The number of lecturers here has risen slightly — to 1,300.

In total, in 2025, the region’s higher education institutions graduated around 5,000 students. The largest group were bachelor’s degree holders — 55.5%. Master’s degree holders accounted for over 38% of graduates, with a further 6% holding other qualifications.

It was previously reported that despite the rapid rise in the cost of higher education in Ukraine, the Mykolaiv region remains among the regions with relatively affordable tuition fees. At the same time, the difference in fees between courses and universities here amounts to tens of thousands of hryvnias.