South Africa vs Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes

South Africa
1.18 million number
in 2018
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
8.90 million number
in 2018
South Africa rank
36th
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank
34th

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes over time

  • South Africa
  • Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
02.0M4.0M6.0M8.0M197019942018

How they compare

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) currently reports 8.90 million number against 1.18 million number in South Africa, a difference of 7.72 million number.

That makes Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)'s figure about 7.6 times South Africa's.

Across all 16 years both countries report, Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) has been ahead every year.

South Africa ranks 36th and Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 34th of 193 countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade South Africa Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) Difference Ahead
1970s 90,637 number 407,570 number 316,932 number Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
1980s 399,942 number 1.35 million number 952,428 number Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
1990s 513,419 number 1.70 million number 1.19 million number Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
2010s 1.07 million number 8.24 million number 7.18 million number Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes, South Africa or Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), at 8.90 million number against 1.18 million number in South Africa as of 2018.
What is the difference in enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes between South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
7.72 million number, with Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
16 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2018.
How do South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank globally for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
South Africa ranks 36th and Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 34th of 193 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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South Africa vs Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-all-programmes-both-sexes-number/south-africa/sub-saharan-africa-ida-and-ibrd-countries/

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About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
238 places, 8,058 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

The total number of students enrolled at public and private tertiary education institutions.