Ireland vs Netherlands: Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education

Ireland
43.7%
in 2023
Netherlands
39.6%
in 2023
Ireland rank
3rd
Netherlands rank
5th

Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education over time

  • Ireland
  • Netherlands
010203040200620142023

How they compare

Ireland currently reports 43.7% against 39.6% in Netherlands, a difference of 4.1%.

That makes Ireland's figure about 1.1 times Netherlands's.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 18 shared years of data; in 2006 it was Netherlands ahead.

Ireland ranks 3rd and Netherlands ranks 5th of 40 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, Ireland averaged higher in 1 and Netherlands in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Ireland Netherlands Difference Ahead
2000s 25.7% 30.4% 4.6% Netherlands
2010s 32.0% 34.6% 2.6% Netherlands
2020s 40.1% 39.9% 0.2% Ireland

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education, Ireland or Netherlands?
Ireland, at 43.7% against 39.6% in Netherlands as of 2023.
What is the difference in educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education between Ireland and Netherlands?
4.1%, with Ireland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and Netherlands?
18 years are reported by both, from 2006 to 2023.
How do Ireland and Netherlands rank globally for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education?
Ireland ranks 3rd and Netherlands ranks 5th of 40 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, non-immigrant background, male (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Ireland vs Netherlands: Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/educational-attainment-rate-completed-short-cycle-tertiary-education-or-higher-population-16/ireland/netherlands/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, non-immigrant background, male (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
40 places, 508 data points, 1994–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release