Portugal vs South Africa: Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or

Portugal
46.9%
in 2024
South Africa
47.8%
in 2024
Portugal rank
86th
South Africa rank
83rd

Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or over time

  • Portugal
  • South Africa
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How they compare

South Africa currently reports 47.8% against 46.9% in Portugal, a difference of 0.9%.

Across all 17 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.

Portugal ranks 86th and South Africa ranks 83rd of 140 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade Portugal South Africa Difference Ahead
1970s 2.5% 11.6% 9.1% South Africa
2000s 19.6% 33.8% 14.1% South Africa
2010s 32.3% 42.3% 9.9% South Africa
2020s 43.7% 48.6% 4.9% South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or, Portugal or South Africa?
South Africa, at 47.8% against 46.9% in Portugal as of 2024.
What is the difference in educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or between Portugal and South Africa?
0.9%, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Portugal and South Africa?
17 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2024.
How do Portugal and South Africa rank globally for educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or?
Portugal ranks 86th and South Africa ranks 83rd 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.

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Portugal vs South Africa: Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/educational-attainment-rate-completed-upper-secondary-education-or-higher-population-25-2/portugal/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or higher, population 25+ years, male (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
140 places, 2,301 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release