Italy vs Spain: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number)

Italy
2.22 million
in 2023
Spain
2.44 million
in 2024
Italy rank
23rd
Spain rank
22nd

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) over time

  • Italy
  • Spain
0500.0k1.0M1.5M2.0M2.5M197119972024

How they compare

Spain currently reports 2.44 million against 2.22 million in Italy, a difference of 227,070.

That makes Spain's figure about 1.1 times Italy's.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 53 shared years of data; in 1971 it was Italy ahead.

Italy ranks 23rd and Spain ranks 22nd of 200 countries.

Across the 6 decades both report, Italy averaged higher in 4 and Spain in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Italy Spain Difference Ahead
1970s 911,395 457,550 453,845 Italy
1980s 1.16 million 856,922 300,644 Italy
1990s 1.69 million 1.49 million 198,994 Italy
2000s 1.94 million 1.81 million 130,586 Italy
2010s 1.89 million 1.98 million 91,128 Spain
2020s 2.12 million 2.27 million 149,255 Spain

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number), Italy or Spain?
Spain, at 2.44 million against 2.22 million in Italy as of 2024.
What is the difference in enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) between Italy and Spain?
227,070, with Spain ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Italy and Spain?
53 years are reported by both, from 1971 to 2023.
How do Italy and Spain rank globally for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number)?
Italy ranks 23rd and Spain ranks 22nd of 200 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Statizoid (derived), published as Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number), gaps filled. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Italy vs Spain: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-all-programmes-both-sexes-number-gaps-filled/italy/spain/

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About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number), gaps filled
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
421 places, 19,011 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) with 690 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.