Ireland vs United Kingdom: Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or
Ireland
80.8%
in 2023
United Kingdom
79.8%
in 2021
Ireland rank
38th
United Kingdom rank
40th
Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or over time
- Ireland
- United Kingdom
How they compare
Ireland currently reports 80.8% against 79.8% in United Kingdom, a difference of 1.0%.
Across all 9 years both countries report, United Kingdom has been ahead every year.
Ireland ranks 38th and United Kingdom ranks 40th of 140 countries.
United Kingdom has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ireland | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 61.9% | 86.7% | 24.9% | United Kingdom |
| 2010s | 66.7% | 82.5% | 15.7% | United Kingdom |
| 2020s | 76.3% | 79.8% | 3.5% | United Kingdom |
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?
- Ireland, at 80.8% against 79.8% in United Kingdom as of 2023.
- What is the difference in educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or between Ireland and United Kingdom?
- 1.0%, with Ireland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and United Kingdom?
- 9 years are reported by both, from 2009 to 2021.
- How do Ireland and United Kingdom rank globally for educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or?
- Ireland ranks 38th and United Kingdom ranks 40th of 140 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, male (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release