Which has higher secondary education, pupils, France or United Kingdom?

United Kingdom, at 6.40 million against 6.27 million in France as of 2023.

What is the difference in secondary education, pupils between France and United Kingdom?

125,050, with United Kingdom ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for France and United Kingdom?

52 years are reported by both, from 1971 to 2023.

Where does this data come from?

Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Secondary education, pupils. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

France vs United Kingdom: Secondary education, pupils

France

6.27 million

in 2024

United Kingdom

6.40 million

in 2023

France rank

21st

United Kingdom rank

20th

Secondary education, pupils over time

France
United Kingdom

How they compare

United Kingdom currently reports 6.40 million against 6.27 million in France, a difference of 125,050.

The two have swapped places 5 times across 52 shared years of data; in 1971 it was France ahead.

France ranks 21st and United Kingdom ranks 20th of 206 countries.

Across the 6 decades both report, France averaged higher in 4 and United Kingdom in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade	France	United Kingdom	Difference	Ahead
1970s	4.81 million	4.87 million	58,498	United Kingdom
1980s	5.23 million	5.00 million	231,492	France
1990s	5.80 million	4.80 million	995,085	France
2000s	5.91 million	5.47 million	439,843	France
2010s	5.98 million	5.95 million	33,774	France
2020s	6.21 million	6.26 million	44,788	United Kingdom

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher secondary education, pupils, France or United Kingdom?: United Kingdom, at 6.40 million against 6.27 million in France as of 2023.
What is the difference in secondary education, pupils between France and United Kingdom?: 125,050, with United Kingdom ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for France and United Kingdom?: 52 years are reported by both, from 1971 to 2023.
How do France and United Kingdom rank globally for secondary education, pupils?: France ranks 21st and United Kingdom ranks 20th of 206 countries.
Where does this data come from?: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Secondary education, pupils. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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France vs United Kingdom: Secondary education, pupils. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 24 October 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/secondary-education-pupils/france/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator: Secondary education, pupils
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 251 places, 10,025 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed: 15 October 2026

Secondary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at secondary level in public and private schools.