Republic of Korea vs South Africa: Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher
Republic of Korea
49.6%
in 2024
South Africa
50.7%
in 2024
Republic of Korea rank
17th
South Africa rank
15th
Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher over time
- Republic of Korea
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 50.7% against 49.6% in Republic of Korea, a difference of 1.1%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 15 shared years of data; in 2003 it was Republic of Korea ahead.
Republic of Korea ranks 17th and South Africa ranks 15th of 110 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, Republic of Korea averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Republic of Korea | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 32.8% | 10.9% | 21.9% | Republic of Korea |
| 2010s | 42.8% | 14.1% | 28.7% | Republic of Korea |
| 2020s | 48.2% | 49.9% | 1.6% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of the population with post-secondary education or higher, Republic of Korea or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 50.7% against 49.6% in Republic of Korea as of 2024.
- What is the difference in share of the population with post-secondary education or higher between Republic of Korea and South Africa?
- 1.1%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Republic of Korea and South Africa?
- 15 years are reported by both, from 2003 to 2024.
- How do Republic of Korea and South Africa rank globally for share of the population with post-secondary education or higher?
- Republic of Korea ranks 17th and South Africa ranks 15th of 110 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Share of adults aged 25 and older who have completed post-secondary or tertiary education.