Switzerland vs United States of America: Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education

Switzerland
46.1%
in 2024
United States of America
47.6%
in 2024
Switzerland rank
9th
United States of America rank
6th

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

  • Switzerland
  • United States of America
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How they compare

United States of America currently reports 47.6% against 46.1% in Switzerland, a difference of 1.5%.

The two have swapped places 6 times across 28 shared years of data; in 1994 it was United States of America ahead.

Switzerland ranks 9th and United States of America ranks 6th of 129 countries.

Across the 4 decades both report, Switzerland averaged higher in 1 and United States of America in 3.

Head to head by decade

Decade Switzerland United States of America Difference Ahead
1990s 31.1% 39.3% 8.1% United States of America
2000s 35.2% 37.0% 1.8% United States of America
2010s 42.7% 41.5% 1.2% Switzerland
2020s 45.5% 46.5% 1.0% United States of America

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education, Switzerland or United States of America?
United States of America, at 47.6% against 46.1% in Switzerland as of 2024.
What is the difference in educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education between Switzerland and United States of America?
1.5%, with United States of America ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Switzerland and United States of America?
28 years are reported by both, from 1994 to 2024.
How do Switzerland and United States of America rank globally for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education?
Switzerland ranks 9th and United States of America ranks 6th 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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Switzerland vs United States of America: Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/educational-attainment-rate-completed-short-cycle-tertiary-education-or-higher-population-2/switzerland/united-states/

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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