China vs Russian Federation: Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes
China
26.02 million
in 2024
Russian Federation
3.26 million
in 2024
China rank
1st
Russian Federation rank
3rd
Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes over time
- China
- Russian Federation
How they compare
China currently reports 26.02 million against 3.26 million in Russian Federation, a difference of 22.76 million.
That makes China's figure about 8.0 times Russian Federation's.
Across all 22 years both countries report, China has been ahead every year.
China ranks 1st and Russian Federation ranks 3rd of 149 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Russian Federation | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.21 million | 2.05 million | 1.16 million | China |
| 2000s | 8.63 million | 2.07 million | 6.56 million | China |
| 2010s | 17.07 million | 1.35 million | 15.73 million | China |
| 2020s | 26.06 million | 3.20 million | 22.86 million | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes, China or Russian Federation?
- China, at 26.02 million against 3.26 million in Russian Federation as of 2024.
- What is the difference in enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes between China and Russian Federation?
- 22.76 million, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Russian Federation?
- 22 years are reported by both, from 1999 to 2024.
- How do China and Russian Federation rank globally for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes?
- China ranks 1st and Russian Federation ranks 3rd of 149 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release