South Africa vs Zimbabwe: Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education
South Africa
18.4%
in 2024
Zimbabwe
17.9%
in 2023
South Africa rank
84th
Zimbabwe rank
87th
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education over time
- South Africa
- Zimbabwe
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 18.4% against 17.9% in Zimbabwe, a difference of 0.5%.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 7 shared years of data; in 2002 it was South Africa ahead.
South Africa ranks 84th and Zimbabwe ranks 87th of 128 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, South Africa averaged higher in 2 and Zimbabwe in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Zimbabwe | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.9% | 0.9% | 3.0% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 8.2% | 6.9% | 1.3% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 14.3% | 18.3% | 4.0% | Zimbabwe |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education, South Africa or Zimbabwe?
- South Africa, at 18.4% against 17.9% in Zimbabwe as of 2024.
- What is the difference in educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education between South Africa and Zimbabwe?
- 0.5%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Zimbabwe?
- 7 years are reported by both, from 2002 to 2023.
- How do South Africa and Zimbabwe rank globally for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education?
- South Africa ranks 84th and Zimbabwe ranks 87th of 128 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, female (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release