Singapore vs South Africa: Educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher

Singapore
87.4%
in 2022
South Africa
88.7%
in 2024
Singapore rank
84th
South Africa rank
81st

Educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher over time

  • Singapore
  • South Africa
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How they compare

South Africa currently reports 88.7% against 87.4% in Singapore, a difference of 1.3%.

The two have swapped places 6 times across 18 shared years of data; in 2005 it was Singapore ahead.

Singapore ranks 84th and South Africa ranks 81st of 136 countries.

Singapore has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Singapore South Africa Difference Ahead
2000s 75.4% 72.2% 3.2% Singapore
2010s 82.6% 80.7% 1.9% Singapore
2020s 87.3% 86.9% 0.4% Singapore

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher, Singapore or South Africa?
South Africa, at 88.7% against 87.4% in Singapore as of 2024.
What is the difference in educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher between Singapore and South Africa?
1.3%, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Singapore and South Africa?
18 years are reported by both, from 2005 to 2022.
How do Singapore and South Africa rank globally for educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher?
Singapore ranks 84th and South Africa ranks 81st of 136 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher, population 25+ years, female (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Singapore vs South Africa: Educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/educational-attainment-rate-completed-primary-education-or-higher-population-25-years-3/singapore/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher, population 25+ years, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
136 places, 2,224 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release