Portugal vs Spain: Educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher

Portugal
91.1%
in 2023
Spain
93.2%
in 2023
Portugal rank
49th
Spain rank
48th

Educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher over time

  • Portugal
  • Spain
020406080100197019962023

How they compare

Spain currently reports 93.2% against 91.1% in Portugal, a difference of 2.1%.

The two have swapped places 6 times across 21 shared years of data; in 1998 it was Spain ahead.

Portugal ranks 49th and Spain ranks 48th of 101 countries.

Spain has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Portugal Spain Difference Ahead
1990s 72.3% 100.0% 27.7% Spain
2000s 81.5% 81.9% 0.4% Spain
2010s 86.1% 87.4% 1.2% Spain
2020s 90.2% 92.4% 2.3% Spain

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher, Portugal or Spain?
Spain, at 93.2% against 91.1% in Portugal as of 2023.
What is the difference in educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher between Portugal and Spain?
2.1%, with Spain ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Portugal and Spain?
21 years are reported by both, from 1998 to 2023.
How do Portugal and Spain rank globally for educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher?
Portugal ranks 49th and Spain ranks 48th of 101 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher, population 25+ years, rural, both sexes (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Portugal vs Spain: Educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/educational-attainment-rate-completed-primary-education-or-higher-population-25-years-9/portugal/spain/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher, population 25+ years, rural, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
101 places, 1,684 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release