Japan vs South Korea: Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 7 programmes, both sexes
Japan
351,097
in 2023
South Korea
248,812
in 2024
Japan rank
20th
South Korea rank
22nd
Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 7 programmes, both sexes over time
- Japan
- South Korea
How they compare
Japan currently reports 351,097 against 248,812 in South Korea, a difference of 102,285.
That makes Japan's figure about 1.4 times South Korea's.
Across all 11 years both countries report, Japan has been ahead every year.
Japan ranks 20th and South Korea ranks 22nd of 128 countries.
Japan has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Japan | South Korea | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 339,827 | 250,462 | 89,365 | Japan |
| 2020s | 348,296 | 240,832 | 107,464 | Japan |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher enrolment in tertiary education, isced 7 programmes, both sexes, Japan or South Korea?
- Japan, at 351,097 against 248,812 in South Korea as of 2023.
- What is the difference in enrolment in tertiary education, isced 7 programmes, both sexes between Japan and South Korea?
- 102,285, with Japan ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Japan and South Korea?
- 11 years are reported by both, from 2013 to 2023.
- How do Japan and South Korea rank globally for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 7 programmes, both sexes?
- Japan ranks 20th and South Korea ranks 22nd of 128 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 7 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