Ireland vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or
Ireland
83.0%
in 2023
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
82.7%
in 2021
Ireland rank
17th
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank
18th
Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or over time
- Ireland
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
How they compare
Ireland currently reports 83.0% against 82.7% in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a difference of 0.3%.
Across all 9 years both countries report, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been ahead every year.
Ireland ranks 17th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 18th of 109 countries.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 65.6% | 85.2% | 19.6% | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
| 2010s | 69.6% | 82.1% | 12.5% | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
| 2020s | 79.4% | 82.6% | 3.1% | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or, Ireland or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Ireland, at 83.0% against 82.7% in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as of 2023.
- What is the difference in educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or between Ireland and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- 0.3%, with Ireland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- 9 years are reported by both, from 2009 to 2021.
- How do Ireland and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank globally for educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or?
- Ireland ranks 17th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 18th of 109 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or higher, population 25+ years, rural, 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