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

Ireland
36.3%
in 2022
Netherlands
30.3%
in 2023
Ireland rank
8th
Netherlands rank
11th

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

  • Ireland
  • Netherlands
010203040199320082023

How they compare

Ireland currently reports 36.3% against 30.3% in Netherlands, a difference of 6.0%.

That makes Ireland's figure about 1.2 times Netherlands's.

The two have swapped places 7 times across 22 shared years of data; in 1996 it was Netherlands ahead.

Ireland ranks 8th and Netherlands ranks 11th of 95 countries.

Ireland has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Ireland Netherlands Difference Ahead
1990s 16.5% 15.9% 0.6% Ireland
2000s 21.5% 20.1% 1.4% Ireland
2010s 26.1% 24.9% 1.2% Ireland
2020s 33.5% 28.8% 4.8% 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 36.3% against 30.3% in Netherlands as of 2022.
What is the difference in educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education between Ireland and Netherlands?
6.0%, with Ireland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and Netherlands?
22 years are reported by both, from 1996 to 2022.
How do Ireland and Netherlands rank globally for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education?
Ireland ranks 8th and Netherlands ranks 11th of 95 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, rural, 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 27 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/educational-attainment-rate-completed-short-cycle-tertiary-education-or-higher-population-9/ireland/netherlands/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, rural, male (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
95 places, 1,549 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release