Japan vs South Korea: Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes
Japan
79,787
in 2023
South Korea
87,354
in 2024
Japan rank
12th
South Korea rank
11th
Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes over time
- Japan
- South Korea
How they compare
South Korea currently reports 87,354 against 79,787 in Japan, a difference of 7,567.
That makes South Korea's figure about 1.1 times Japan's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 13 shared years of data; in 1998 it was Japan ahead.
Japan ranks 12th and South Korea ranks 11th of 143 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, Japan averaged higher in 2 and South Korea in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Japan | South Korea | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 53,894 | 27,608 | 26,286 | Japan |
| 2010s | 76,800 | 72,531 | 4,268 | Japan |
| 2020s | 79,795 | 82,932 | 3,136 | South Korea |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes, Japan or South Korea?
- South Korea, at 87,354 against 79,787 in Japan as of 2024.
- What is the difference in enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes between Japan and South Korea?
- 7,567, with South Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Japan and South Korea?
- 13 years are reported by both, from 1998 to 2023.
- How do Japan and South Korea rank globally for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes?
- Japan ranks 12th and South Korea ranks 11th of 143 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 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