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

Portugal
50.0%
in 2024
South Africa
48.1%
in 2024
Portugal rank
80th
South Africa rank
83rd

Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or over time

  • Portugal
  • South Africa
01020304050197019972024

How they compare

Portugal currently reports 50.0% against 48.1% in South Africa, a difference of 1.9%.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 17 shared years of data; in 1970 it was South Africa ahead.

Portugal ranks 80th and South Africa ranks 83rd of 141 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 0.9% 9.1% 8.1% South Africa
2000s 20.8% 30.1% 9.3% South Africa
2010s 35.7% 39.4% 3.7% South Africa
2020s 46.6% 47.4% 0.8% 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?
Portugal, at 50.0% against 48.1% in South Africa as of 2024.
What is the difference in educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or between Portugal and South Africa?
1.9%, with Portugal 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 80th and South Africa ranks 83rd of 141 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, female (%). 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 07 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/educational-attainment-rate-completed-upper-secondary-education-or-higher-population-25-3/portugal/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or higher, population 25+ years, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
141 places, 2,292 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release