Malaysia vs South Africa: Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes
Malaysia
306,001
in 2023
South Africa
329,214
in 2023
Malaysia rank
24th
South Africa rank
21st
Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes over time
- Malaysia
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 329,214 against 306,001 in Malaysia, a difference of 23,213.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Malaysia's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 11 shared years of data; in 2012 it was Malaysia ahead.
Malaysia ranks 24th and South Africa ranks 21st of 149 countries.
Malaysia has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Malaysia | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 432,283 | 334,579 | 97,704 | Malaysia |
| 2020s | 329,567 | 325,459 | 4,108 | Malaysia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes, Malaysia or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 329,214 against 306,001 in Malaysia as of 2023.
- What is the difference in enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes between Malaysia and South Africa?
- 23,213, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Malaysia and South Africa?
- 11 years are reported by both, from 2012 to 2023.
- How do Malaysia and South Africa rank globally for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes?
- Malaysia ranks 24th and South Africa ranks 21st 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