Italy vs South Africa: Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education

Italy
16.0%
in 2023
South Africa
16.1%
in 2024
Italy rank
80th
South Africa rank
79th

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

  • Italy
  • South Africa
51015197019972024

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 16.1% against 16.0% in Italy, a difference of 0.1%.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 24 shared years of data; in 2000 it was Italy ahead.

Italy ranks 80th and South Africa ranks 79th of 129 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade Italy South Africa Difference Ahead
2000s 10.3% 5.4% 4.8% Italy
2010s 13.3% 9.3% 4.0% Italy
2020s 15.2% 12.7% 2.5% Italy

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education, Italy or South Africa?
South Africa, at 16.1% against 16.0% in Italy as of 2024.
What is the difference in educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education between Italy and South Africa?
0.1%, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Italy and South Africa?
24 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2023.
How do Italy and South Africa rank globally for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education?
Italy ranks 80th and South Africa ranks 79th of 129 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, male (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Italy vs South Africa: Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/educational-attainment-rate-completed-short-cycle-tertiary-education-or-higher-population-2/italy/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, male (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
129 places, 2,126 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release