List of countries by tertiary education attainment
This is a list of countries by 25- to 64-year-olds having completed tertiary education as published by the OECD. It includes some non-OECD nations.
Tertiary education is the educational level following the completion of a school providing a secondary education. The World Bank, for example, defines tertiary education as including universities as well as institutions that teach specific capacities of higher learning such as colleges, technical training institutes, community colleges, nursing schools, research laboratories, centers of excellence, and distance learning centers.[1]
2019 OECD data

This list includes non-OECD member countries: Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa.[2]
Country |
Age 25–64 (%) |
Age | Year |
Non-OECD | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
25–34 (%) | 35–44 (%) | 45–54 (%) | 55–64 (%) | ||||
![]() | 42 | 48 | 46 | 38 | 33 | 2014 | |
![]() | 30 | 38 | 33 | 27 | 21 | 2014 | |
![]() | 37 | 44 | 42 | 34 | 26 | 2014 | |
![]() | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 2013 | ![]() |
![]() | 54 | 58 | 61 | 51 | 45 | 2014 | |
![]() | 21 | 27 | 24 | 17 | 14 | 2013 | |
![]() | 17 | 27 | 15 | 7 | 2 | 2018 | ![]() |
![]() | 22 | 28 | 23 | 18 | 16 | 2014 | |
![]() | 18 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 2014 | ![]() |
![]() | 22 | 30 | 21 | 20 | 15 | 2014 | |
![]() | 36 | 42 | 41 | 33 | 29 | 2014 | |
![]() | 38 | 40 | 39 | 35 | 36 | 2014 | |
![]() | 42 | 40 | 50 | 44 | 34 | 2014 | |
![]() | 32 | 44 | 39 | 26 | 20 | 2013 | |
![]() | 27 | 28 | 29 | 26 | 25 | 2014 | |
![]() | 28 | 39 | 27 | 26 | 21 | 2014 | |
![]() | 23 | 32 | 25 | 20 | 17 | 2014 | |
![]() | 37 | 41 | 42 | 36 | 29 | 2014 | |
![]() | 8 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 2011 | ![]() |
![]() | 41 | 51 | 49 | 34 | 24 | 2014 | |
![]() | 49 | 46 | 53 | 48 | 47 | 2014 | |
![]() | 17 | 24 | 19 | 13 | 12 | 2014 | |
![]() | 48 | 59 | 53 | 47 | 35 | 2014 | |
![]() | 30 | 39 | 31 | 27 | 23 | 2014 | |
![]() | 37 | 53 | 38 | 30 | 28 | 2014 | |
![]() | 46 | 53 | 56 | 40 | 32 | 2014 | |
![]() | 19 | 25 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 2014 | |
![]() | 34 | 44 | 38 | 30 | 27 | 2014 | |
![]() | 36 | 40 | 41 | 32 | 29 | 2014 | |
![]() | 42 | 49 | 49 | 36 | 32 | 2014 | |
![]() | 27 | 43 | 32 | 18 | 14 | 2014 | |
![]() | 22 | 31 | 26 | 17 | 13 | 2014 | |
![]() | 54 | 58 | 55 | 53 | 50 | 2013 | ![]() |
![]() | 22 | 26 | 22 | 18 | 14 | 2013 | ![]() |
![]() | 20 | 30 | 21 | 15 | 14 | 2014 | |
![]() | 29 | 38 | 35 | 24 | 18 | 2014 | |
![]() | 7 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 2012 | ![]() |
![]() | 45 | 68 | 56 | 33 | 17 | 2014 | |
![]() | 35 | 41 | 43 | 30 | 21 | 2014 | |
![]() | 39 | 46 | 46 | 32 | 30 | 2014 | |
![]() | 40 | 46 | 45 | 38 | 31 | 2014 | |
![]() | 17 | 25 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 2014 | |
![]() | 42 | 49 | 46 | 38 | 35 | 2014 | |
![]() | 44 | 46 | 47 | 43 | 41 | 2014 |
Countries by level of tertiary education
This is a list of countries by the level of tertiary education completed by 25–34 year olds measured by the percent of the population. This list contains the percentage of 25–34 year olds that have obtained at least a 2-year tertiary degree or its equivalent (an associate degree in the United States); the percentage of 25–34 year olds that have completed a 4-year degree or higher (a bachelor's degree in the United States); and the percentage of 25–34 year olds that have completed a 6-year degree or higher (a master's degree in the United States).[3]
Country |
Age 25–34 | Year |
Non-OECD | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Equivalent to a 2-year degree or higher (%) | Equivalent to a 4-year degree or higher (%) | Equivalent to a 6-year degree or higher (%) | |||
![]() | 48 | 39 | 9 | 2015 | |
![]() | 39 | 24 | 15 | 2015 | |
![]() | 43 | 43 | 20 | 2015 | |
![]() | 16 | 16 | NA | 2014 | ![]() |
![]() | 59 | 34 | 9 | 2015 | |
![]() | 27 | 19 | 1 | 2013 | |
![]() | 25 | 14 | 5 | 2018 | ![]() |
![]() | 27 | 27 | NA | 2015 | |
![]() | 28 | 18 | 1 | 2015 | ![]() |
![]() | 31 | 31 | 20 | 2015 | |
![]() | 44 | 40 | 17 | 2015 | |
![]() | 41 | 39 | 16 | 2015 | |
![]() | 41 | 41 | 14 | 2015 | |
![]() | 45 | 28 | 16 | 2014 | |
![]() | 30 | 28 | 14 | 2015 | |
![]() | 40 | 39 | 3 | 2015 | |
![]() | 32 | 29 | 13 | 2015 | |
![]() | 40 | 37 | 11 | 2015 | |
![]() | 11 | 11 | NA | 2013 | ![]() |
![]() | 52 | 40 | 11 | 2015 | |
![]() | 46 | 35 | 7 | 2015 | |
![]() | 25 | 25 | 15 | 2015 | |
![]() | 60 | 40 | NA | 2015 | |
![]() | 40 | 35 | 12 | 2015 | |
![]() | 55 | 55 | 17 | 2015 | |
![]() | 50 | 44 | 27 | 2015 | |
![]() | 21 | 20 | 1 | 2015 | |
![]() | 45 | 44 | 17 | 2015 | |
![]() | 39 | 36 | 4 | 2015 | |
![]() | 48 | 34 | 13 | 2015 | |
![]() | 43 | 43 | 31 | 2015 | |
![]() | 33 | 33 | 21 | 2015 | |
![]() | 58 | 58 | NA | 2013 | ![]() |
![]() | 26 | 26 | NA | 2014 | ![]() |
![]() | 31 | 31 | 25 | 2015 | |
![]() | 41 | 34 | 24 | 2015 | |
![]() | 14 | 14 | NA | 2014 | ![]() |
![]() | 69 | 47 | NA | 2015 | |
![]() | 41 | 28 | 17 | 2015 | |
![]() | 46 | 35 | 14 | 2015 | |
![]() | 49 | 49 | 23 | 2015 | |
![]() | 28 | 19 | 2 | 2015 | |
![]() | 49 | 42 | 14 | 2015 | |
![]() | 47 | 36 | 11 | 2015 |
See also
Notes
- "Tertiary Education (Higher Education)". The World Bank.
- "OECD.Stat Education and Training > Education at a Glance > Educational attainment and labor-force status > Educational attainment of 25-64 year-olds". OECD.
- http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-Asset-Management/oecd/education/education-at-a-glance-2016_eag-2016-en#page44 OECD Education at a glance 2016
References
- Brick, Jean (2006). "What is academic culture?". Academic Culture: A Student's Guide to Studying at University. Sydney, N.S.W: National Centre for English Language Teaching and Research. pp. 1–10. ISBN 978-1-74138-135-1.