Norway vs United Kingdom: Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education

Norway
49.0%
in 2023
United Kingdom
49.1%
in 2021
Norway rank
14th
United Kingdom rank
13th

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

  • Norway
  • United Kingdom
1020304050197019962023

How they compare

United Kingdom currently reports 49.1% against 49.0% in Norway, a difference of 0.1%.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 8 shared years of data; in 2009 it was Norway ahead.

Norway ranks 14th and United Kingdom ranks 13th of 101 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, Norway averaged higher in 2 and United Kingdom in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade Norway United Kingdom Difference Ahead
2000s 33.6% 30.8% 2.7% Norway
2010s 39.1% 37.0% 2.2% Norway
2020s 49.0% 49.1% 0.1% United Kingdom

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education, Norway or United Kingdom?
United Kingdom, at 49.1% against 49.0% in Norway as of 2021.
What is the difference in educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education between Norway and United Kingdom?
0.1%, with United Kingdom ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Norway and United Kingdom?
8 years are reported by both, from 2009 to 2021.
How do Norway and United Kingdom rank globally for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education?
Norway ranks 14th and United Kingdom ranks 13th of 101 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, urban, both sexes (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Norway vs United Kingdom: Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/educational-attainment-rate-completed-short-cycle-tertiary-education-or-higher-population-5/norway/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, urban, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
101 places, 1,599 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release